I have very fond memories of Hartham Swimming Pool. I used to go to the pool during the summers of 1964 and 1965. I absolutely loved the pool. I remember being taken there with my younger brother and sister by my Mum and Dad when I was 8 in 1963. Dad worked at the Police Station in Castle Street and, on his rest days during the summer, took the family to Hartham as a special treat. I remember that the pool was quite cold but that didn’t matter on a hot summers day. There was a small café there where we could buy ice creams and sweets. I remember buying a snorkel and mask at the Hertford Toy Centre and spending hours training to use them at the pool. Sadly, we moved from Hertford to Welwyn Garden City in July 1966 but i never forgot my ‘roots’ and the friends that I played with in Brickendon Lane and the new house estate at Mandeville Road. Happy days and wonderful memories.
Bit of a late comment. Afterseasons of cycling under Ware Park to their unheated pool, then we got the Hartham heated pool all to ourselves. Season ticket was a must, it was a meeting place for mates, first girl friends, having fun, for the summer season. There was no need to arrange the next day meeting place it was the pool. Towards the seasons end we swam with mist rising off the pool, flood lights came on. Didn’t, like Tuesdays it was swimming club. Then came the blight,SWIMMING SESSIONS every one out for an hour at lunch time.then back in for the after noon period what a pain. Then it happens the pool closes for the winter. Now it turns into another winter, then another then another, but if I lick my arm I think I can smell the chlorine of memories, To my friends Peter Stagg (my oldest mate, but we grew part) Ian Skip ( swam a mile because he could, 48 lenghts of the pool) Micheal Bath ( Michael was Micheal) Jumbo Sullivan (Big lad, but he was always happy, what a lovely guy) Martin French (school friend from junior school) then the girls……………well thats it for now
Mum said that when the pool first opened most women didn’t have leisure clothes for lounging by a swimming pool. So, Being a time of make do and mend, they used old cocktail dresses instead.
Used to swim in the river Lea near Hertford Football ground until the swimming pool opened. Went twice a day during summer holidays, bought a season ticket each year. Do not like it now it has been covered.
Wonderful Memories of outdoor Hartham. Things change for money but are not the same anymore. Spent weekends on the grass in the foreground just relaxing and then going in for a dip. Happy days.
I love this photo as it brings back memories of long hot summers in the 70s when I was little and seemed to be there all the time. We would take picnics and spend all day swimming and sunbathing. The pool has long since been covered over and you can no longer run around the grass mound at the back or lie on your back gazing up at the tall poplar(?) trees which were planted all round the perimeter. So thanks for reminding me of those long lost days of childhood – I can almost smell the chlorine!
By Fiona MacDonald (26/02/2010)
Copyright Hertfordshire County Council. All rights reserved.
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I have very fond memories of Hartham Swimming Pool. I used to go to the pool during the summers of 1964 and 1965. I absolutely loved the pool. I remember being taken there with my younger brother and sister by my Mum and Dad when I was 8 in 1963. Dad worked at the Police Station in Castle Street and, on his rest days during the summer, took the family to Hartham as a special treat. I remember that the pool was quite cold but that didn’t matter on a hot summers day. There was a small café there where we could buy ice creams and sweets. I remember buying a snorkel and mask at the Hertford Toy Centre and spending hours training to use them at the pool. Sadly, we moved from Hertford to Welwyn Garden City in July 1966 but i never forgot my ‘roots’ and the friends that I played with in Brickendon Lane and the new house estate at Mandeville Road. Happy days and wonderful memories.
Bit of a late comment. Afterseasons of cycling under Ware Park to their unheated pool, then we got the Hartham heated pool all to ourselves.
Season ticket was a must, it was a meeting place for mates, first girl friends, having fun, for the summer season. There was no need to arrange the next day meeting place it was the pool. Towards the seasons end we swam with mist rising off the pool, flood lights came on. Didn’t, like Tuesdays it was swimming club. Then came the blight,SWIMMING SESSIONS every one out for an hour at lunch time.then back in for the after noon period what a pain. Then it happens the pool closes for the winter. Now it turns into another winter, then another then another, but if I lick my arm I think I can smell the chlorine of memories, To my friends Peter Stagg (my oldest mate, but we grew part) Ian Skip ( swam a mile because he could, 48 lenghts of the pool) Micheal Bath ( Michael was Micheal) Jumbo Sullivan (Big lad, but he was always happy, what a lovely guy) Martin French (school friend from junior school) then the girls……………well thats it for now
Mum said that when the pool first opened most women didn’t have leisure clothes for lounging by a swimming pool. So, Being a time of make do and mend, they used old cocktail dresses instead.
I used to spend all the Summer Holidays here when I was a child.
Used to swim in the river Lea near Hertford Football ground until the swimming pool opened. Went twice a day during summer holidays, bought a season ticket each year. Do not like it now it has been covered.
Wonderful Memories of outdoor Hartham. Things change for money but are not the same anymore. Spent weekends on the grass in the foreground just relaxing and then going in for a dip. Happy days.
I love this photo as it brings back memories of long hot summers in the 70s when I was little and seemed to be there all the time. We would take picnics and spend all day swimming and sunbathing. The pool has long since been covered over and you can no longer run around the grass mound at the back or lie on your back gazing up at the tall poplar(?) trees which were planted all round the perimeter. So thanks for reminding me of those long lost days of childhood – I can almost smell the chlorine!