Memories

[Tim Bentinck]

I lived at Thorn Bank in Potten End from 1956 to 1972. I was born in '53 so it was my whole childhood. We went to the Deer Leap whenever we could in the summer. We used to compete to guess the number of cars there, which could vary from none to overflowing. I suppose I thought that everyone swam in cold water, because my school also had a large, unheated outdoor pool, but I ended up as a record-breaking Captain of Swimming, which I am sure was down to wanting to get out of the cold as soon as possible. I really think that you swim faster in cold water, although the professionals would probably disagree. I went like a bloody rocket because I was so cold. I loved the high boards and the slide, and climbing up the slide from underneath and holding your finger over the water outlet and spraying people as they came up the ladder!
I loved the tiny wooden changing rooms that were always on a tilt, the cardboard boxes to put your clothes in, the ice-creams that you had to reach up high to the shop counter to be given, and the rat-tat-tat of the exit turnstile.
We used to take picnics and go for the day. The field below the diving board was usually full of bikers or snogging couples, so as children we avoided it but as teenagers used it exclusively. The big field was for basking and playing games and the pool was for cooling off, seeing how far you could swim underwater, perfecting your pike dive from the springboard, water-polo and general water fighting.
Bliss.
Now look at it, a ghastly modern mansion of epically naff proportions with pretentions of adequacy.
So here we can wallow in nostalgia. Do tell us all your memories.

[Richard Abraham]

My grown up daughter Phil (now 36) used to swim there with Caroline Cooper, though I never did, I only swim - badly - when I can get out of the water into very hot sunshine; swimming in this country whether in or outdoots leaves me cold, if you'll pardon the intended pun!

However, as the village 'Mr Plod' - for 22 years - I was on very good terms with Gaby Toth, the owner - and visited for coffee etc on a regular basis.

My most earnest recollection was the day when apparently someone had left a large 'brown floater' in the pool in Luton! This was one of the hottest days that year, a Sunday, and everyone but everyone descended on Deer Leap. Sadly it happened to be one of the very few Sundays on which the village Policeman was on duty! Both car parks - even the lower one - were full to overflowing and parking on the road thus ensued. Cars were parked, luckily on one side of the road only from Deer Leap Garage at the junction with the B4506 right up to Beaney Bend, if not beyond. This of course made the road one way with precedence from the village end so those coming from Ringshall were seriously disadvantaged.

Evensong was at 6.30pm and some - including a member of the choir (who was born and brought up in Little Gaddesden) - didn't even get to Church! From that you will realise that serious discussions ensued, at Parish Council and Police manangement level.

Over yet another coffee, Gaby was very sympathetic as were the Parish (and choir members) at least as far as your truly was concerned, but as a community happy they were not! Many logistical suggestions for overcrowdingand parking were discussed but in the event such numbers were never seen again.

Whilst the house now on that site is far from the worst 'ghastly mansion' I have seen -even in this village - it is a great pity that a well used (though not sound from a business perspective) swimming pool should have to go to accomodate it!

[Corinne Abrahams]

I too was born in 53 and we lived in Luton. Most sundays in summer mum, dad, sister and myself would drive over to Deer Leap for a wonderful day, taking a picnic and my sister and i bought bottles of coke from the shop. We used to spend half the time retrieving the coke bottles that were left all over the place and i think it was a penny we got on each bottle. If i remember it used to open at easter and my dad and i would drive over to be the first ones in the pool. I would like to know what the temperature was then, all i know it was bloody cold! I took my 25yds swimming test there and still remember the green cloth triangular badge that was proudly sewn on my costume. It was heartbreaking looking at the photos when it was derelict, i only said to my mother this morning about the wonderful times we had at deer leap and wondered if it was still open. Thought i'd take a look on the internet and was so disappointed with what i saw. When i was older i used to cycle over from luton with a friend buying cream donuts on the way.
There's been many open air pools but deer leap will always hold special memories.

[Michael Ghirelli]

The temperature of the pool reported over the phone was always 10 degrees warmer than what a thermometer dipped in the water would show. My job as manager (see my post History of Deer Leap Pool) was to pack in the customers so I used to boost the temperature if anyone rang up to ask how warm the water was. Not that we very often took the temperature anyway. If it was really cold. the temperature was described as "bracing". Otherwise, it was inevitably warm to tropical. Mostly, it was bracing - more especially in the April to June period on weekdays when school groups came for swimming lessons. I had always assumed most "white" English people were actually a sort of pink colour until I worked at the Deer Leap. In fact I learned they are all a pale blue.......and shiver a lot. But in spite of these bracing temperatures in April and May, a lot of boys and girls acquired a valuable skill at the Deer Leap- the ability to swim. Quite a lot also got their life saving certificates at the pool. Quite a few lives have been saved down the years as a result of those lessons at the Deer Leap. There were no other local pools so popular with the local authorities - we got schools from Dunstable, Tring, Berko, Hemel, and even Leighton B and Aylesbury. And the boys and girls loved coming to the pool - it was such a nice environment out there in the Chiltern countryside - they would persuade their mums and dads to go there of a weekend when it was sunny. The water would warm up very quickly if the sun shone.

As for car parking - usually there was enough in the grounds. People sometimes parked on the road to Little Gaddesden, but never were they allowed to park on the Ringshall road - the Hertforshire Constabulary would discourage that and we would have an attendant who would go out to persuade folk not to park along there. The police were regular visitors to the pool. A patrol car often came and had a cuppa in the box office with me - and mighty glad I was to see them. Weekdays, sometimes, the place weas deserted and I was entirely alone. One afternoon, fairly late in the day, a couple of somewhat less than friendly male persons came visiting, perhaps with the hope of relieving me of the burden of the day's (somewhat meagre) takings - until they looked in and saw a couple of gents in blue uniforms sitting with me and a squad car parked around the corner. This must have been in 1966. I know, because that year there was one day John Constantine the owner let me shut up shop early and leg it off home to watch the telly. Absolutely no customers. England were playing Germany in the World Cup.......

[Tim Bentinck]

Great stories Michael, I often wondered about the published temperature! Have you any photos of your time there?

[Michael Ghirelli]

Sadly, no photos of the Deer Leap, and only one of me in wellies and jeans at the end of the day, at the entrance to the box office, after sluicing down the surrounds of the pool and sweeping up; but I cannot find the pic - and who wants to see that horror shot anyway?

[Eamonn Montague]

I have many fond memories of going to Deer Leap swimming pool every summer from 1974 to 1978. I was working at the Bell Inn, Aston Clinton at the time as a chef, and a few of the staff used to go there after working a lunch time shift in the kitchen to cool off. I remember that after couple of hours of swimming and larking about in the green area behind the diving boards. We would all head for the afternoon tea place at Albury, and tuck into a farmhouse tea (boiled eggs, scones, cakes etc). Can anyone remember what it was called?

[Dan]

I can't remember too brilliantly but I went here in about 1998-1999 it was cold, but in the sun it was better than some I had attended, now looking back it is strange, even stranger because we used to drive past that swimming pool on our way to the Ashridge Estate, now that the Manor is there, it seems, well, still deserted.