The story of the old public swimming baths situated in the meadows beyond Grey’s Bridge in Dorchester is a fascinating one.

These pictures were sent to the Echo some time ago by John Broad who was hoping to convince his grandchildren that the baths actually did exist.

Click into the pictures above to see the full-sized images of the location of the former public swimming baths in Dorchester 

An Official Guide to Dorchester dating back to 1934 describes the baths as ‘an excellent new swimming pool’.

It says the pool ‘has been provided in the River Frome near the bottom of town and this is open to both sexes during the summer season. Special facilities are also afforded the various schools.'

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Pam Lucas got in touch back in 2012 with memories of her brother swimming there.

She said: “I remember it plain as day – it was definitely there and even had a diving board and all the children used to swim there.”

Another reader remembers: “My father used to swim in the old pool and I did too.

“It was damn cold! The pool silted up and the base became uneven so you had to be careful diving in, in case you chose the wrong spot."

The baths sadly closed due to the threat of polio from cows and a fund was established to finance new baths.

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Money was collected for the new project. Action was taken by the Dorchester Borough Council to provide a pool in Dorchester with the Charles Street area being the preferred site. A scheme was prepared but did not go ahead, probably because of lack of finance.

Some of the money collected for the new project came from servicemen overseas, there was a sum of around £640 that was held in trust by the council.

In 1973 there was a renewed effort to provide swimming facilities but this time a liaison between Dorchester Borough Council and the Dorset County Council centred on the site in Coburg Road.

A Swimming Pool Trust Fund was set up and in 1973 the plot of land donated for swimming pool use by Mr Maunder and referred to by David Oliver was valued and cash to that value, together with the £640 held in trust, a total of £38,000 was paid over by the borough council to the swimming pool trustees.

That sum of money grew and over the years supported the public use of the swimming pool at Coburg Road.