Copyright AGJ and Contributors 2004/08. Updated 30/3/2008
Coley Lido
Opened ?1920’s
Reading
No photos of the County Borough Swimming Baths for Men. But a little imagination from descriptions received! Looking down on the pool from the Berkeley Avenue bridge leading towards “The Lane” now Rose Kiln Lane, the pool covered the site of Thames Water yard. The top end of the baths was a couple of yards from the Holybrook towpath next to Western Regional central Railway Goods Yard and Baynes Timber Yard. It was open air, ? no cubicles with a couple of diving boards. It was enclosed in a dark green fencing but you could look down into it from the Berkeley Avenue. The water was pumped in from the brook. The water flowed through from the deep end to the shallow - a safety measure. The bottom and some of the sides of the bath were covered with slimy river weed, but the water was fairly clear. It could be seen 300 yards from the bridge. It was the biggest pool in Reading, being 200 feet in length.
OUTCOME: The Lido was closed sometime in the 1970’s. Once surrounded by allotments and open fields, the area is now built up with housing and apartment blocks. The surrounding site of the pool is covered with terraced multi storey housing with the Thames Water offices and buildings beyond - Rose Kiln Avenue running alongside.
Thanks to Mrs Colleen Thatcher and Mr A.R. Colyer for their notes.
The Lido nestled into the curve of the Holybrook.
Further along from the
bridge
The Winter Bathers Club - Breakfast Meeting. They swam in the Thames, Xmas and New Year - ? taken at Coley.
Apartments built on the site - 2004
