That Reminds Me: Getting nostalgic about The Rath Paddling Pool

This week, especially as it's about to open for this summer, I'm turning back the clock to the late 1940's/very early 1950's, when a visit to the Rath's Paddling Pool was always a summer treat for many of the town's toddler generation.

To be honest, I'm not sure exactly as to when the small pool was built, but I gather it was after the Big Pool, built by Messrs Phelps & Owens, which opened in the summer of 1940. My guess would be around 1941/1942.... but if there's someone out there who knows more then I'd love to hear from you, just to satisfy my curiosity and set the record straight.

The pool was a popular place to go. (Image: Jeff Dunn)

It was in 1948, the year the NHS was born, and I was a spikey four-year-old, mouse haired sprog when we moved from my grandparents' house in Robert Street to the brand-new steel council house in Pill's Vicary Crescent.

My early adventures in my new home were mainly involved in my regularly falling down from the back garden onto the path below… known as Lovers' Lane.

My poor mother must've been so fed up having to patch me up all the time and both relieved and delighted when the summer arrived, heralding the Rath paddling pool opening its gates.

The timing was perfect, and I was the perfect age for my mum to take me for a free paddle, and splash about, where she could watch over me, while she endlessly knitted away, creating jumpers and balaclavas, and discussing the joys of post-war rationing restrictions with the rest of the mums.

Sometimes the pool was quiet. (Image: Graham Clarke)

It was no more than a 10-minute walk from the Crescent, away from that blood soiled Lovers' Lane, hardly enough time for my homemade woollen bathers to start itching!

Weather permitting, the outing would last a good few hours, and my growing appetite was usually whetted by a pile of spam sandwiches, washed down by a bottle of dandelion and burdock lemonade. 

These Paddling Pool excursions continued for a few years, until I was old enough to sample the Scotch Bay beach waters on my own, and before, as a nine-year-old, I learnt how to swim properly, which saw me upgraded and able to savour the more mature nature of the Rath's Big Pool's facilities.

I was delighted to hear from my old Grammar school chum, Graham Clark, who sent his own recollections in this email: "Hi Jeff. Looking back at the early 1950's, the Paddling Pool seemed to be fullof young mothers with their offspring. It was a great facility to enable you to learn to keep your legs floating. I remember trying to kid my mother I could swim when I had my fingers on the bottom.

And other times it was busy. (Image: Graham Clarke)

We also used the Slip beach a lot, right through to our high teens. The pictures show the pool busy, and quiet."

Cheers, Graham.

In recent years, it's been Milford Cllr Brian Phillips who's done so much to ensure the pool facility has continued, and he now runs the Facebook site "The Rath Paddling Pool Volunteers and Supporters Group."  

I gather that the Milford Council are hoping to open the paddling pool this year on July 24th. Let there be a sun kissed couple of months ahead, so that families can enjoy what is undoubtedly one of the town's oldest children's treasures.

Here are Graham's two pics from the 1950's.

I've also included a snap showing that, not only was it used for paddling around in, it was also an ideal opportunity to indulge in a bit of "yachting," and a final pic showing a youngster on her way to join in the fun.

Rath Gardens. (Image: Jeff Dunn)

That's about all for this week, thanks for all the nice comments about these moments of nostalgia we share every week, if you feel like contributing one of your own memories, please get in touch.

Joe Ditzel once said: "People say it's not like the good old days. When were the good old days? In 1900 your doctor was also your barber, 'Say, will you take a little off the sides when you take out my spleen?'”

Take care and please stay safe.