North Bay Pool: For Bathing or Boating?

When Tucker’s Field became Peasholm Park in 1912, the transformation of the medieval Northstead Estate had truly begun.

Above: The early days of Peasholm Park (source)

This muddy patch of farmland, and the neighbouring Rawling’s field were both eventually purchased by The Scarborough Corporation in the 1920s, eager to build on their Peasholm Park success by developing a tourist haven in and around Scarborough’s North Bay.

Above: Some of the original North Bay attractions, including the doomed pier (source)

Away from the grand hotels and seaside amusements of the South Bay, the North Bay was already becoming a draw for visitors, with multiple gardens, a short-lived pier and a revolving viewing tower. The new bathing pool, however, which opened in 1938 on the former Rawling’s Field site, was more successful, and endured for nearly seventy years under a variety of names, including Waterscene and Atlantis.

Above: Atlantis was worlds away from the humble North Bay Bathing Pool (source)

Although the North Bay Bathing Pool opened for bathers in 1938 – it operated for several years before this as a pool for tiny ‘speedboats’ – a somewhat exaggerated description given in various sources, given that both boats and pool were too small to allow for any excessive speeding.

Above: Here, more aptly named as the ‘Motor Boat Pool’ (from the author’s collection)

This boating pool or pond (as it was sometimes referred to) opened in 1935, and allowed riders to step aboard miniscule two-person motor boats for a jaunty circular trip. The idea seems somewhat humorous now – indeed, this lasted less than three years before the boats were transferred to the more ample boating lake in nearby Northstead Manor Gardens. Then the swimmers moved in.

Above: There was plenty of space for the boats at Manor Gardens (source)

Before the boating (and eventual bathing) pool was built, out of service fishing vessels were frequently left on the site, either to be fixed and returned to their seafaring duties, or to be left to rot, alongside other unwanted items. In a continuation of this tradition Scarborough’s own Hispaniola spent a period ‘moored’ here, next to Water Splash World (later Atlantis) after its banishment from the Mere in 1993. Now it sails once more, along the South Bay.

Above: The Hispaniola did not remain ‘dumped’ for long (source)

The land had further uses during the early 1900s – travelling circuses would pitch up and perform there. There are also rumours of an archery range, where champion archers such as Jack Flinton would compete during the summer months. Possibly. Other sources suggest that the archery was a summer activity for novices. Perhaps there was a bit of both. If indeed it happened here, on the site of the future bathing pool.

Above: Scarborough archer Jack Flinton at a Lancaster tournament – second from right (source)

Either way, this former field (once owned by the Rawling family) and small part of the former Northstead Estate has hosted plenty of ‘fun’ since the early 1900s. From bows and arrows to miniature boats; from circus tents to water slides. And, today, military-themed adventures.

Above: One of the old bathing pool buildings in the Military Adventure Park – top right (source)

Memories of the swimming pool(s) will inevitably endure – after all, there was a pool of some sort on the site from 1935 until 2007 – over seventy years in total. Although the slides and majority of the buildings were eventually demolished, remnants of the original 1930s structure still remain. But for how much longer?

Above: One of the original gates from the 1938 bathing pool (Copyright: Stories From Scarborough)

Sources

All new information in this post (see highlighted links for existing sources/information) has been retrieved from old newspaper clippings held at the  Scarborough Room at Scarborough Library. Most were from the Scarborough News (various dates), others from unnamed publications.

Please read the disclaimer to find out this project’s policies on sourcing and copyright issues.