Very Old Saltcoats Swimming Pool

[dreamer]

Ah, think you've got your pools confused, the one mentioned in Old Saltcoats is the large pool in Winton Circus, the pool we've been talking about here is the small pool round the back of Saltcoats Harbour.

[hahaya2004]

Sorry, Dreamer. I was referring to Wee Boney's post about the bathing pond with the diving board..... I should have added a quote.

[TheTeslarian]

Working on the second one now Wee Boney! It is half complete. Leaving the submission of it for a bit though since I am in deeply embroiled in German bureaucracy, which is driving us all completely up the wall and oot the ceiling.

Sorry for the off topic stuff folks. And sorry about your horse. Hope it recovers quickly and nicks your bike.

AJ

[ianbaintn]

I lived in NIneyard Street as a wee boy in the 50's and I remember playing on the rocks beside the old swimming pool.You enterd by open area and steps at the bottom of Findlays Brae.
The pool was built for residents of the Mission Coast Home according to my grandfather "Steeny Morrison".
This part of the coast was popular with locals and holiday makers who collected Welks and Muscles during the summer months.

John Bone How are you? Remember the 1953 Sea Queen with Robin Hood theme. I think your brother David was Friar Tuck?? I have a photograph somewhere that I will dig out and send to everyone.

Greetings to all Saltcoats ex pats out there from Ian Bain from Auchenharvie road via Nashville Tennessee.

[maggie]

Hi Hughie I remember going down the whole
in the wall Hugh and I used to go down
ther often when we went to saltcoat's harbour
I remember sending you some paper work a few year's ago
but I don't know if I sent you auld ayrshire I have a
photo of th old pool and Saltocat's harbour it was built in the
17th century
Maggie

[miss_toni_c]

Hi:)

im Toni and im just 12.
But i thought it would be a good idea to show how the old swimming pool is still popular.
in the summer my dad, mum, elder sister, younger sister, and i go down to the rocks in front of the old pool and have a picnic. and if the temprature's right then we go diving and see all the old anemiones
its reely an amazing place to live. i live in sidney street and have my whole life. sidney street is just around the corner from the hole in the wall. i will imaging most of yous will recal an old house around from the whole in the wall. i wouldnt advise going in. its full of pigeons and needles. not safe.

[Hughie]

Hi Toni,

Awful nice to hear from you. I know what you mean by that unsafe house near the hole in the wall - I had a look through it when I was back in Saltcoats not long ago. As a teenager I recall going to the British Legion Hall in your street to one of our school dances. Hope you find what you read here on threetowners interesting. A warm welcome to you young Toni.

[John Donnelly]

Hi Toni,

nice to hear from you. I remember those rocks too. When me and my brothers and sister were your age, we went looking for crabs and small fish in the rock pools there. We used to roll our trousers up, but they still got wet, and we got into a row when we got home. Are the rock pools still there? Do you look for things in them?

Welcome to the 3T's

JD.

[Meg]

Welcome to the group Toni - great to have you posting.

Regards
Meg
ps - my brother lives in Sidney Street too:-) Just remember this forum can be read by anyone so dont mention where abouts in Sidney Street you live - just incase .....

[peterjohnston]

Old swimming pool
I also used to swim in this pool , it was full of star fish and bloodsuckers
The building across the road which is now a car valet used to hire out rubber dinges that you could use in this pool
If the man was not on the lookout you could paddle out to the end of the sewage pipe
Me and my mate billy symonds once made a boat out of an old long tin bath with an oildrum as an outriger and we used it on the pool for days , well until it got pinched

[Margaret]

I grew up in Saltcoats. It was a small fishing village in the 15th century when the town got it’s name. Sometime in the 1400s, 100s of year before electricity became available and refrigeration became possible the fishermen built a large holding pen to keep the fish fresh and 2 smaller ones nearer the water’s edge. The large pen was 100 yards (91mtrs) square. The seaward side of the pen had iron grills in it so when the tide was going out the water could flow out leaving the fish behind. When the women went to this pen to catch the fish they didn’t want to get salt on their skirts so they tucked their skirts up into their waistbands and got salt on their petticoats. As it would not be attractive to name a town Saltpetticoats, the name was shortened to Saltcoats.

The fish holding pens were converted into the swimming pool about 1910 Changing rooms built in the shape of an ocean liner with an upper deck for sunbaking were built onsouth side of the pool. The 2 smaller pools closer to the shore were used to sail toy boats in. It was foolhardy to paddle in these pools barefoot as they were densly populated with crabs.

[sean c]

Hi Toni-c , welcome. I think I might be your uncle, ask your dad.
the old swimming pool talked about here i think used to belong to the Sarason Head hotel (later the Grange)i was this told when i was younger by a family friend ( Ramie Ottaway ) who's mum owned the Sarrie Heed at the time. Thats if it's the one near where the labour club is.