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Swimmers of all kinds numbered 321,000, and here tribute must be paid to the
work of the Schools in the instruction of the children. Boys and girls alike have
the advantage of this tuition, and as a result it is interesting to note that no less
than 54,000 boys and girls availed themselves of the advantage, out of school time,
of the penny swim allowed by the Borough Council. The secondary schools were
not behind hand in this, and 28,000 used the first class baths at the reduced charge of
3d. The various clubs contributed their quota of over 10,000 bathers and also
aided greatly in the instruction of younger members. The Borough Council allows
two promising boys and two girls from each school department to attend free, on
the recommendation of the head teachers. This privilege was granted to 4,400
children.
Another feature, and one that is not sufficiently well known, is the provision
of warm baths for school children at the nominal cost of one penny, and some
4,000 children took advantage of this. It is a pity this boon is not more appreciated.
The Turkish, Electric and Russian baths had 7,800 patrons, and Camberwell
is justly proud of this fine piece of public service.
Another most useful section of the work is the public washhouses, where for
l½d. per hour every facility is afforded for washing, drying, mangling, etc. These
were used by no less than 33,500 women.
The Borough Council has installed filtration plants at Old Kent Road and
Church Street, and has let a contract for an installation at Dulwich to be completed
in the coming winter. It is impossible to exaggerate the importance of this, as the
constant flow of filtered and sterilised water completely prevents contamination
and renders the bathing ponds both healthy and pleasant to look on.
Church Street Baths. Opening for Winter Swimming.
The Council received at various times during the year representations
that the second class swim at the Church Street Baths
should be opened for swimming during the winter season.
This particular bath is not floored over during the winter
months, and as an experiment it was therefore arranged that
it should be available for the use of the public during the winter
months.
Church Street Baths. Saturday Morning Mixed Bathing,.
Summer Season. Attendance of Children.
The Council at their meeting in February, 1930, agreed to
a suggestion that children, accompanied by an adult, be permitted
to attend mixed bathing at Church Street Baths on
Saturday mornings during the summer season, at a charge of
threepence, instead of sixpence, which is the present charge.
Dulwich Baths. Filtration Plant.
The Council, in pursuance of their policy of installing
filtration plants at each of the Swimming Baths in the Borough
in order to enable fresh swimming water to be available at all
times, invited tenders for the installation of a plant at the Dulwich
Baths. The plants already in use at Old Kent Road
Baths and Church Street Baths have proved in every way satisfactory,
and in September, 1929, the tender of the Candy Filter
Co., Ltd., was accepted for the installation of a Filtration Plant
at the Dulwich Baths.