1930 Pool at David Livingstone Centre
I like this photo. Such a happy, playful scene. In 1936, seven years after the David Livingstone Centre opened, part of the outdoor attractions was an outdoor paddling pool. This photo from 1936 shows how busy the pool was with young children, almost 30 of them at this one time, laughing and splashing. It has been suggested to me by Alex Bowie that the children are part of The Life Boys section of the Boys Brigade.
I have an opening edition of the guidebook which says of the pool, “Down near the banks of the River Clyde is a paddling pool.” This little pool was located behind where the Africa Pavillions are now, down on the lower terraces near to the banks of the Clyde. It was clearly a popular attraction, perhaps not so much in Winter!
Alison Walker Hill told me, “I loved that pool so much….although it was a revamped version by the time I “Owned” it!! We used it as a skating rink in winter (didn’t have skates), sliding around on it and I remember at least one occasion where we slid the curling stones on it, originally fed by a natural spring. “