The Opening Of "The Bath Tub"
OPENED LAST NIGHT BY MISS GRACIE FIELDS
Anybody finding themselves in the neighbourhood of Northfield, West Heath or King's Norton last night might have thought that Royalty was paying a visit. Actually, the Bath Tub Lido was being opened in Alvechurch Road and the attraction was Miss Gracie Fields.
Long before she was due to arrive, men, women and children, were standing at road junctions for a chance of seeing her drive by, while inside and surrounding the new enclosure thousands more congregated.
Yet Miss Fields' visit was carried out so expeditiously with the
assistance of the police that only a small percentage of the crowd could
have seen her at all. Indeed, after she had been and gone, it was
difficult to persuade those outside the front entrance that she bad
performed this opening ceremony and was on her way back to the
Hippodrome.
She would have dearly liked to say few words to her admirers, she explained to a "Mail" reporter afterwards, but her voice was giving her trouble and she dared not take the risk. She did, however, light the rockets that signaled the Lido's official opening before she was taken in charge by a faithful posse of blue-uniformed men and ushered out to a waiting car at the back.
Before leaving, she thanked Mr.Ronald Cartland, M.P., (for presiding and for his few words to the crowd explaining the brevity of her visit, and also thanked Mr.Percy W. Hollier, the proprietor, for a cheque towards the funds of her orphanage.)
Those who entered the enclosure saw something which has been fairly described as "no ordinary swimming pool". The stretch of water itself is 180 ft. by 90 ft., approached by three semi-circular sun-bathing terraces rising to a shingle beach and grounds beyond. Through an up-to-date filtration plant the whole of the water can changed every six hours.
There is also a cafe-ballroom, putting green, archery facilities and "children's paradise," and last night there were fireworks. Week by week varied entertainment will be provided by bands, vaudeville artists, and concert parties, and last night Mantovani and his dance orchestra, the Bath Tub (K)nights Sextett, and by Jack Gibson, and Wilkie and Victoria, the Blackpool Divers and swimmer "Set The Ball Rolling" compared by Fred Culpitt. (Evening Mail 2-07-37)
Sadly it wasn't to be because three years late War broke out with Germany and the Baths closed, but became a successful radio factory under the name Eddystone Radio.
She would have dearly liked to say few words to her admirers, she explained to a "Mail" reporter afterwards, but her voice was giving her trouble and she dared not take the risk. She did, however, light the rockets that signaled the Lido's official opening before she was taken in charge by a faithful posse of blue-uniformed men and ushered out to a waiting car at the back.
Before leaving, she thanked Mr.Ronald Cartland, M.P., (for presiding and for his few words to the crowd explaining the brevity of her visit, and also thanked Mr.Percy W. Hollier, the proprietor, for a cheque towards the funds of her orphanage.)
Those who entered the enclosure saw something which has been fairly described as "no ordinary swimming pool". The stretch of water itself is 180 ft. by 90 ft., approached by three semi-circular sun-bathing terraces rising to a shingle beach and grounds beyond. Through an up-to-date filtration plant the whole of the water can changed every six hours.
There is also a cafe-ballroom, putting green, archery facilities and "children's paradise," and last night there were fireworks. Week by week varied entertainment will be provided by bands, vaudeville artists, and concert parties, and last night Mantovani and his dance orchestra, the Bath Tub (K)nights Sextett, and by Jack Gibson, and Wilkie and Victoria, the Blackpool Divers and swimmer "Set The Ball Rolling" compared by Fred Culpitt. (Evening Mail 2-07-37)
Sadly it wasn't to be because three years late War broke out with Germany and the Baths closed, but became a successful radio factory under the name Eddystone Radio.
No comments:
Post a Comment