What a rare and fabulous pair of photos of the old boating lake, kindly sent in by Paul Doleman.
Following on from last week’s 1931 Hoylake Baths photo here we can see some pedalos, ready for the off in a section of the original boating lake. Note the ticket office and storage shed along with railings along the edge of the pool. I’ve no doubt it would’ve been fun for children (and dads of course) but the lake wasn’t that big …you’d have to do few laps to get your shillings worth. As you can see from the photo below there was a pool for the pedalos and another for model boats. Great old photos and lovely to be able to share them!
A typically breezy day too judging by the Union Jack on the flagpole. And as a slight aside, if you’ve noticed too that the wind turbines aren’t whizzing around much at all at the moment, it’s because, I gather, due to a fault with a cable that is used to transfer the generated electricity along the seabed to a substation somewhere near to Leasowe.
I had 2 enjoyable summers working at the boating pool run by Bill Clarke and his family. To put the flag up you had to get on the ticket oof then shin up the pole, Health and saftey would never allow it now. Great times r
Hi John,
The cable fault is on the SPMANWEB network. There were several faults on a 3km section of cable between their Wallasey & Birkenhead substations. The repairs were finally completed today so the wind turbines will start to come online from tomorrow.
Later on from that pic and probably mid to late 1940’s the boats were motor boats (I think later relocated to West Kirby) and to the right of the slip (in pic) was a brick building that housed the petrol and oil etc for the boats.
I used to love those little motor boats on the Marine Lake at West Kirby, it was a real treat to walk along the beach to WK, go on the motor boats and then have an ice cream at Tottey’s.
Does anyone know when the Hoylake boating lake was last open for business? I remember it in the 60s and perhaps into the very early 70s. I have sent a scanned post card to John of the lake in the 50s or 60s.
I remember the boats being large, metal canoes, and it cost a tanner to go on them. Needless to say, it was a very rare treat when there was sixpence to spare. The motor boats at West Kirby were always much more fun, and also much more expensive at half a crown, but they had to wait until I was earning more pocket money by delivering papers for Miss Austin 6 days a week, morning and evening, and meat on a Saturday for Dewhursts in Market Street. Happy days.
Mike, I too remember the canoes. Spent hours on them. The chap who ran them would chat to my Mum and Dad while I paddled around at closing time !.
Hi I had 4 summers and lots of times inbetween working for Bill Clarke at the boating pool, and many happy times in between. Bob Beech worked there too, he was in charge below Bill. I Worked all one summer to buy myself a brand new push bike from Sammy Cattels in Market Street as well as a bit of work on the Clarke Coal and Haulage waggons with Bills Brothers, Chris,Jack and Fred. Bill Clarke was on the Hoylake Lifeboat.
Bills mother used to sit in the little office and collect the cash, then later his wife. I left school in 1959/60 and it was still going then. Working there I learnt to row a boat, skull with one oar, and when any of the pony girls where off, to ride a horse ( ok pony). Havn’t used any of those skills very much in my life, but it’s been nice to be able to when the occasion arose.
I remember a superb thermometer and barometer on the wall near the swimming and boating pools.My Dsd and I consulted them daily !.does anyone know what happened to them ?.
I remember a superb thermometer and barometer on the wall near the Swimming Pool and Boating Pool. I wonder what happened to that, anyone know ?. My Dad and I consulted it daily !.