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The time now in Ruislip |
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Sorry, this page is now huge! The most recent additions are at the bottom
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Ruislip Lido |
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| The picture about is of a 158 bus in South
Harrow heading for the Lido. If you click on it for the enlarged view you
will see that is it packed (and there are no other cars around!). (Thanks to..for the picture.) |
Can you offer any input? All those making contributions will be credited on this page. Just send Ruislip Online an e-mail with any information, no matter how trivial. Ruislip Online reserves the right to edit/amend any comments, and by submitting comments the sender passes over all copy rights
Please note that latest additions are at the foot of the page.
Visitors to Ruislip Online have passed back to me memories of the Lido - they are presented below (edited where appropriate) in no particular order. Ruislip Online offers them for what they are...memories. Ruislip Online makes no claim that they are factually correct. These comments might jog your memory, if you have any thoughts about the lido please send them to Ruislip Online for inclusion here.
I was pleased to visit the Lido recently (2006) and overjoyed to see how well it is maintained.
Above, a "Lido" donkey on a sojourn
Before you can understand the Lido in the 50's you have to understand how
poor the country was in the aftermath of the war. Rationing was still in force,
TV was a rarity and very few people owned cars so having an amenity like the
Lido close by was a wonderful treat, especially for us children. However, my
first encounter with English class distinctions occurred when pronouncing the
word "Lido". My parents, who had pretensions of upper mobility,
insisted that it should be pronounced "Leedo" while my school friends
at Lady Bankes cheerfully said "Lyedo". The kids who lived closest had
no such problem as they all called it "The Reservoy".
My first visits were, naturally, supervised by Mum who would gather up
sandwiches and tea and us three kids and we would go to Ruislip Manor Station to
wait for the 158 bus to the Lido. If it was a warm day, the bus would be
crowded. It is my impression that London Transport would add buses on busy days
as I have distinct memories of several buses lined up outside the Lido. In those
days there was no car park, just a turnaround place for the buses.
There would be quite a long line waiting to get in and we would look through the
chain link fence at all the delights awaiting us. After Mum had paid for
"one and three halves" we were in and turned right to walk up past the
boathouses to the beach. There was a full height iron turnstile guarding the
exit and I knew that once you had exited you had to go home!
It seems to me that almost everything cost 3d at the Lido. Admission, the
motorboat ride across to the beach (that was a luxury!), the railway
(which was then steam operated), ice cream.
I learned to swim on that beach. I remember there was a bank of cold water taps
so you could wash the Lido water off your body, at the far end of the beach,
close to the railway. Then came the polio scare and nobody swam anywhere. I
believe the Lido had a difficult summer.
My first fishing expeditions were also there. Armed with a tin of maggots from
Acton's in Ruislip Manor I would fish for roach and perch. I envied the serious
fishermen who would fish for pike from the other side of the lake, but I was too
squeamish to fish with live (i.e., smaller fish) bait. I never caught much
anyway, those fish had probably seen to many fishermen to be fooled by my
attempts.
For some reason we never spent much time at the restaurant end. It was mostly a
grassy area and the swimming area had been concreted. Unfortunately the concrete
would attract a particularly slippery species of algae and it was hard to keep
your footing. I was really too young to understand this but, in retrospect I
believe this was the area where mating rituals were carried out as I remember
quantities of American servicemen (known, of course, as Yanks) laying around
playing portable radios (disgusting!), piercing tins of beer with special
openers (outrageous!) and on one memorable occasion getting up, sprinting to the
water's edge for a spectacular dive, only to split his head wide open on the
concrete that lay only two inches below the surface (serve him damn well right,
the show off!)
I hope I have given you some of the flavour of how it was. I did visit there
last September. It now looks kind of sad.
Clive
I think the man who looked after the boats was called Fred, he lived in the house by the boathouse. I used to help to sell the ices and drinks on the sand side. This would have been in the early sixties.
The champion water skier was David Nations and he was a regular visitor to the Lido. When we moved to Guernsey my mother saw and spoke to him there - he was very surprised to see her!
There was the main building, then further along there was an area called the Loggia, here they sold indoor teas etc. In the main building were the offices and the hall above where they held dinners and various occasions, then downstairs was a cafeteria where they sold hot beverages & cakes.
Cliff Richards sat on the steps drinking tea and eating "Fly cakes"....
My dad was a life saving instructor at Highgrove swimming pool and so used to man the rescue
I worked at Ruislip Lido in 1974, I was 18 at the time. I was
born in Ruislip in 1957 (Hillingdon Hospital) and lived in Broadwood Avenue
(the no-through-road-end) . My father finally sold the house in 1988.
The woods at the bottom of the road led into Ruislip Woods where you could
(and still can, of course!) then walk right through to the Lido - it was an
incredibly fantastic place to grow up in. All that freedom of the woods! My
brother and other friends in the road would all take to our bikes and cycle
through the woods, damming up little streams, climbing trees, haring around
like kids do. Going to the Lido was a regular thing, either on foot or our
bikes. There were times you had to pay on admission - from the woods side
there was and still is the turnstile entrance. I remember sussing out
that when Hillingdon was Labour run, all the local council swimming
pools and the Lido were free admission - when the Tories were in power it was
a different case. Consequently we made plenty of holes in the perimeter
fencing around the Lido (on the railway side!) to gain entrance - we were local, we
weren't going to pay!! There were always loads of gaps, anyway! The
railway was really small in those days (mid 60's to mid 70's), just the
original circuit. The play park area by the beachy bit was always
there.
From the
couple of huts that are still there, one would be a first aid post and the
other sold ice creams and stuff. The swimming area there was just like a beach
and there was never a restriction on swimming at that time, that we
noticed. Around the other side, there was a concreted swimming area in
front of the old building - that building was the epitome of beach-iness for
somewhere so far from the real coast! The changing areas were typical
sectioned 'cubicles' with wooden doors, just like beach hut changing areas.
The swimming area on this side was sectioned off quite clearly and if you swum
out far enough there was the lifeguards raft - when I was little it was the
ultimate cool to be seen on the raft and when I was 18 I had a job at the Lido
and ended up being one of those lifeguards for that summer.
As you stand with your back to the main building and look left, of course there were the WATER SKIERS !! David Nations was the man in charge of them together with two other guys - Paul Addlington (or something like that) and a guy whose name I can't remember (looked like Che Guevara and loved Bob Marley!) Did you know the Lido used to host the Old Spice Water Ski Championships? Before it all moved to Thorpe Park? Water Skiers of the time were John Battleday, Karen Morse....other names are gone! There was a cafe just before the turning into the Lido (coming from Ruislip, on the right,) in which we used to eat big fry ups before work with the water ski-ing team. Also the pub The Six Bells (before it became BIG) was the end of the day hangout for staff from the Lido. It was tiny in those days - a real country pub with stone floors etc.
Naked Norman gets somebody excited - see left!!!
I remember going to ruislip lido as a child, I at the time lived in Notting Hill Gate so to me it seemed like a trip to the country....
Children at the Lido in about 1943 - note "head" top right!
The swimming area had diving boards, levels, changing rooms, and a small cafeteria. I think there may have been a charge to use the changing rooms. There were two size rowing boats and Skiffs which had sliding seats, there was a long wait to get a boat during the weekends, very popular. I do not remember any paddle boats before 1949.. I do not remember any fishing laws applicable, most was done in the north eastern end amongst the bull rushes.
The railway operated on the wood's side only.
In the beach area there were soft drinks, ice blocks etc and there was a small play area for the little ones. The whole Lido area was well maintained in the 40's and was much used. Most came by bus from Ruislip station, the locals walked through the woods along the main path from Broadwood Avenue. During the summer months the woods was very busy, known as an ideal area for romancing (and other things).
During many winters the Lido froze over completely. We rode our bicycles all over it and enjoyed ice skating and tobogganing. I was told that one year they got a Land Rover on it all over and lit several fires in large metal drums.
There were a lot of Bird Watching groups assembled around the north eastern end. There were two families of white swans nesting each year.
David
Brian
It was my playground in the seventies when I was growing up so remember going there to fish, sunbathe and swim (when it was still at the old water level). I remember one incident after I left school and had just started work at British Airways in South Ruislip. A guy I worked with had been out drinking with some friends and for a laugh had got into Ruislip Lido at night and taken some rowing boats. One of the boats capsized in the middle and one of the group drowned. Think this would have been around 76/77. Guess it wasn't the first incident like that to happen. Also from my own experience, my friends and I used to go up there at night and in the winter once when the lake was almost completely frozen we walked out on the ice. When it started cracking we crawled back to shore! Completely mad as if it had broken we would all have been dead.
Des
Brian
When I was a teenager I would meet friends over there and try to get a suntan, I was never successful on the suntan. I wouldn't say that the Lido was ever pristine but I used to swim there. (obviously, as I fell off the skis a number of times!) My favourite part of the whole Lido excursion was the walk through the woods to get there and the anticipation of reaching my destination. I remember paying to get in at the back entrance, really the only entrance that I ever used. It wasn't expensive and I don't remember caring about paying. Apparently the funds collected were not used on keeping the Lido clean.
I only remember a couple of times that the weather was actually hot and we would all escape the heat and sunlight by heading back into the woods. I do remember riding on the train once when I was about 10, and we also rented a rowing boat once. There was a small enclosure for the little boats that one had to pedal (paddle? ed) that I remember as well.
Sue
1) One of the earlier Titanic films, possibly "A Night to Remember" with Kenneth More.
Philip
One legend about Mad Bess woods my late father used to tell
me (not sure if he made it up) was about Naked Norman.
Apparently he is supposed to run naked through the woods and
some sighting of him was reported.
Brian
In April 1964 I held my wedding reception in the main building, I remember it was snowing a little, but water skiers were still out. I also remember one day there that one person drowned over at the beach side, and another young person drowned after jumping off the pier (for the rowing boats) at the entrance side. His uncle who had taken him was as you can imagine very distressed.
I also recall seeing the first person to water-ski without skis showing off at the Lido, I believe in the early 60's.
I might also add that the car parks were popular with courting couples, although the police seemed to enjoy checking out what was happening in the cars. In those days it meant court (caught - ed?) for some people!
Dave
Jean
Films made at the Lido (thanks to Mike for the link)
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Rowing in the Lido, note the number of people in the background on the beach. |
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Wonderful shot of a still day.......... |
My memories of the 50,s and 60's are that as kids my sister and I were always warned to keep away as it was unclean! This was probably a legacy of the polio (infantile paralysis as it was called then) scares. The sand was considered dirty as it never got washed!
What I do remember is that my school pal Robert's Dad worked for several years late fifties and early sixties as the driver of the miniature train that ran through the woods. His name was Frank Pegler and he was affectionately known as Popeye the sailor man whom he resembled!
I also remember hanging around myself during the making of the Film "The Young Ones starring Cliff Richard about 58?
The song "The Young Ones" was filmed from the big double gates to the children's area round the far side. When it was all over Cliff got mobbed by all the kids around at the time.
I haven't been there since the late 70's when I was visiting my Uncle and it still looked the same then. I hope it's still open and that it still provides some wonderful times and memories for new generations as it was the focal point to many teenagers growing up in the sixties and early seventies.
Mark
Footnote:-
Philip
Bill
From October, 1954 until June, 1957, my American family lived in No. 15 Pembroke Road, round the corner from Ruislip High Street and across the street from Ruislip bus terminal and tube station. My father was an officer commanding a USAF military intelligence contingent at RAF High Wycombe, while I was eleven, twelve and thirteen.
I have such fond memories of life in Ruislip. My younger brother and I made advantage of the bus and tube stations’ convenience to our house and traveled widely, but especially many times to Ruislip Lido. Weather permitting, on most weekends we rode the 158 bus to the Lido – the end of the 158 line, as I recall – and then set forth into the forest to make camp. We were American Boy Scouts.
On school mornings, I rode a USAF contract coach forty-five minutes from Ruislip to attend the American school at RAF Bushy Park. I fondly remember the many times I waited for my school bus at the green grocer, near the corner of High Street and Pembroke Road. The grocer was a happy, friendly man, who sold me a bag of black cherries with a big smile for a few pence, and let me wait under his awning in the rain or cold. Nearly fifty years later, I haven’t forgotten his kindness…or those wonderful cherries. When my school bus returned in the afternoon, school mates and I frequently bought fish and chips at a small High Street shop near the cinema. To this day I love English fish and chips.
In those days, gasoline became rationed severely due to the Suez crisis, and I remember our family curtailing travel in the family car. My brother and I didn’t care, though, since we relied on bus, tube or bicycle. Our bicycle trips ranged from Ruislip Lido to South Ruislip to Eastcote to Denham. The 158 bus was our main bus, since it went by the US Air Base in South Ruislip – a frequent trip for us – as well as Ruislip Lido in the opposite direction.
The tube gave us maximum range, of course. At one time or another, by way of the tube, we two young, naïve American boys were captivated much more than once by the following: Windsor, Runnymede, Hampton Court, the British Museum, the War Museum, Westminster Abbey (where we laid a commemorative wreath at Lord Baden Powell’s grave on behalf of all American Boy Scouts), the Houses of Parliament, Hyde Park, Battersea Park, theatre matinees in the West End, the Warner Brothers cinema in Piccadilly, the Farnborough Air Show, Oxford and Cambridge…the list seems endless. Suffice it said – we took advantage of our mobility in England, and I came away a changed boy, with love for England to this day.
I have especially happy, enduring memories of our many weekends spent camping at Ruislip Lido. We never thought to ask whether we were allowed to camp there; without objection we just did! Even more, I loved my years living in Ruislip. Surely it remains the same charming spot of civility I remember.
Robert
My one memory of the lido was taking part in the 1963 speedboat manufactures trials. I was co pilot for Ken Stephenson, who subsequently won the event in an X craft (The fastest class of boat at the time). I had to be lifted out of the boat at the end of the three hour race because I was frozen in the sitting position after being buffeted in that position for so long.
Bryan
My memories of the area are numerous, much as other contributors, Naked Norman included. We encountered him in Copse wood while collecting Bluebells. I remember many people doing the same in all three woods, riding away on bikes with saddlebags bulging. From Ruislip Manor I either walked through Park Wood or took the 158 bus. Until 1939 it was possible to ride on the 223 bus which started at the junction of Victoria and Torcross Roads. During the early part of the war there was netting placed across the Lido, rumour had it that it was to mimic the runway layout at Northolt, can anyone confirm this?
I remember the Donkey Rides and the railway. It was great in 1999 to see the Donkey Rides 6d sign in the Beefeater. There was a broad walkway at the head of the reservoir with a long pergola covered with roses and vines. Copse Wood and the common were the places to look for shrapnel during the war. Two airliners collided over this wood in the 1950's. I saw Donald and Malcolm Campbell there and enjoyed hydroplane racing and water skiing events.
Finding this website
was a real joy for me, having spent almost all
of my spare time in my youth, visiting the
Lido, from 1961 (as a baby, with my mother and
father) up until this day. I'm not the
frequent visitor that I once was, due mainly
to the fact that I now live on Portland in
Dorset.
As I sit here and write, I can still feel the
hot summer sunshine and the sights and smells
of the place, when it was in the height of its
popularity. I vividly remember the sound of
the speedboat towing the water-skiers, the
children’s voices around the pool and sand
areas and the train rattling along through the
wooded area.
I did just about everything there, fishing,
catching frogs, toads, and the occasional
grass snake, swimming, walking and golf
practice! I sometimes used to visit the
lido on an icy foggy night, just for the
atmosphere! Try explaining that one to the
police when you’re stopped at 1.00am in the
morning (walking) on your way home to South
Harrow.
I know that many people consider the railway extension to have been a good thing, and from a fun point of view it was, but for me it was like building a motorway right through some of the most quiet, peaceful, wildlife habitat we had in that area. Just me I suppose!
A
few films have been mentioned, that have been
filmed here. One that I don't think has,
was, “The Bulldog Breed”, with Norman
Wisdom. The scene I am referring to is; where
Norman tries to commit suicide, by throwing an
anchor off a pier, attached to his foot.
Unfortunately it lands in the back of a
passing speedboat, going through the boat, and
towing him around, with himself, boat and
driver sinking in the harbour. (This was
filmed in Portland Harbour). He then
resurfaces (with the hapless driver) in
Ruislip Lido (good trick eh!)
I
really do miss those days, but recent
visits just serve to remind me, that this is
now a very different place to what it once
was. Although I must say its very peaceful
there!
Paul Rumble
John
Every Summer during the 70’s my mum would take me and my sister off to Ruislip Lido, and if we were lucky, we were able to bring a few friends as well. Although the landscape is similar, some of the facilities are quite different now. I remember the paddle boats which were always a treat and once aboard my boat, I would always be hoping your number wouldn’t be called up yet to return.
There used to be two separate entrances, both off of the main road, and with big iron turnstiles. The best area for me was the grass bank where everyone would picnic. This was in front of the swimming area and the Jetty. The Jetty was great to swim up to and the good swimmers would climb onto it and show off to the weaker swimmers. I remember the café which was by the grass bank, it was painted white and had glass doors. Ice Cream was always mandatory from the café on our visits. It would come in those blocks with paper wrapped around, and the cone would have a rectangular top end to drop the ice cream block into.
I remember watching the water-skiing and imagining myself going over the jump. A real feature of the Lido was the big triangular water-ski jump pointing out of the water and towards the sky.
For the record, my Grandad worked for British Waterways and was involved in the creation of the beach part of the lido and loading all the sand.
Mark Walsh
I remember walking round the Lido about
10 times (I think the circuit was 2 miles so
20 miles in total) for a sponsored walk for
Help the Aged. I was in the brownies when I
did it and I didn't want to go on my own,
even though loads of people were doing it,
so my Dad did it with me. It must have
been in the early 70's probably about 1972
Sally
Born at
The
On warm days during the school holidays my mother would pack up a few
sandwiches and drinks, we would walk through the woods and spend long idyllic
days on the beach. I seem to recall that the sand was too coarse to make proper
sandcastles and left a yellow stain on clothes and skin. If you dug too deep
(about 18 inches) you hit the layer of blue clay that kept the reservoir
waterproof!
Does anyone else remember when Donald Campbell brought his Bluebird to the
| Yes, these really are pictures of Bluebird on Ruislip
Lido. I doubted them at first, here is what I was told. (ROL)
The pictures of Bluebird were taken by
me. (My father was a keen photographer and gave me my first camera when I
was about 6 years old - a box Kodak Brownie of about 1940 vintage!) The
pictures were taken from the east shore (Park Wood side) of the |
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Click on any picture to enlarge |
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A previous entry from Bryan (above), recalls the speedboat racing which I think was held in the late 50 s and early 60 s. These pictures probably taken in about 1962, may jerk a few memories.
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The second picture shows that even the
I also recall in the mid 50 s, again after having got in by the backdoor,
seeing Yana (or was it Sabrina?) at the
Andy
Robert
Sheila
My abiding memory of the lido was the residential black tom cat. He was gorgeous, beautiful and huge ; everyone used to stroke him or if they were strong enough, pick him up for a hug. Dogs gave him a wide birth.. All the fishermen used to give him their catch and he devoured them with relish. He was always on the bank near the boat sheds near where the rowing boats were moored.
My other memories were running around the lake. I belonged to Ruislip and
Northwood Athletic Club, just at the back of the woods in Coronation Road.
Sadly and just like the Lido, the athletic club is derelict and the track
overgrown. Finally, the Lido was superb for courting in the 60's.
The people today are so different to those of that long lost age and I
suppose, the Lido has had it's day.
Dick (living at Northolt in the prefabs then)
I was always told that my Mother thought up the Woody Bay name for the station but that may only be legend!
In October I filmed muntjac deer, teal, pochard, shoveller, ruddyduck, fieldfare, redwing, fox, Canada goose, kingfisher x 3. The animals and birds I have missed are buzzard, sparrow hawk, roe deer. I am still filming and as you can see you can not visit many places in London and see this amount of wildlife. So in one respect we lose some things but we have certainly now got a good place for wildlife now. I have seen deer in the lido itself, and have witnessed people going past with out seeing them so my advice to people is keep your eyes open you never know what you might see.
Anthony
The Lido froze to a depth of about 700 mm in the winter of either 1951/2 or 1952/3, I would have been 13 or 14 years old.
The council had a bore taken and declared it to be safe to walk on or do anything you wanted on the ice.
Naturally an admission charge was made, and people came for miles, I was a keen skater (usually going to Wembley Rink) and for me this was fantastic, although later the surface ice became so dirty that it wore the edge off my skates and they had to be reground.
Other people made slides, had picnics and walked their dogs, there was an atmosphere of excitement everywhere. Does anyone remember these days?
John Brindle
My wife and I now live in Fremantle W.Australia but we have fond memories of the Lido, as we only lived around the corner in Bury Street. We were both saddened by the greed of the local council who caused the demise of a great attraction. Who does not know of its feature in one of the Cliff Richard films. Get out the video, and see what it was like in its heyday. Perhaps a highlight on this website could be arranged. We can both remember when there was a managerie which included small monkeys around by the beach area. Can any body else remember that? (ROL would comment that nobody seems to remember this, do you?)
John & Iris Russell
As we became teenagers and went with our friends we preferred the
swimming pool side where you could swim out to the raft where the
life guards sat. We sat on the grass in front of the cafe and the
outdoor changing rooms.
It was a mammoth bus ride with two changes to get from W12 out to farthest reaches of Middlesex eventually arriving there on a LT number E2 I can remember being there in the long hot summer of 1976 where the Mr Softee ice cream van parked outside on the concourse served a queue a quarter of a mile long at least the heat really was blistering and the grass around the Lidos edge was scorched browner than a British Leyland Austin Allegro at that point I also remember being there in 1977 the day Elvis Presley died lots of those "Tinny" Jap transistor radio's blaring out Elvis DJ Tribute tracks all day long around the lidos edge also remember some younger kids on skateboards trying to get long straight runs on increasingly crowded footpath s!
Funny thing I was watching a Dave Allen sketch series on BBC1 recently and one sketch shows Dave himself trying to retrieve a £10 note from under the front left wheel of a hideously bright orange coloured VW Beetle but what was of interest? It must of been filmed around 1975/1976 because clearly in the background is the Punch and Judy Cafe and the Lido garage which were both seated at the entrance road to the Ruislip lido at that time its a brief snippet but its a memory stirring one all the same
John van Eerde
My name is Bob Randall. My family home was in South Drive,
parallel with the High Street, where we lived from Christmas
1949. I was a frequent visitor to the Lido, belonging to the
sailing club from about 1954. The RSC started with Heron
dinghies, one of which was No 13, the club boat. This was
available to junior non-boat owning members. The sailing was
most competitive and the club well supported. The weekend was
divided between the sailing club and the water-skiers -- to try
to keep both parties happy. My regular skipper was Andy Salanson.
Another Ruislip sailing mate of mine was David Moore. We were in
the same class at Bishopshalt, and my wife and I stayed
with him in new Zealand 2 years ago. We often did a dog walk
from Ruislip to the Lido, through the woods. Sometimes taking
the 158 bus back home.
One of the contributors mentions "netting" over part of the Lido
in the war. My understanding was that the triangular plan of the
flooded valley when viewed from the air, pointed to the Command
Headquarters in Northwood. Somebody realised that this was
aiding the
Germans bombing runs on the HQ. Pontoons and netting were rigged
on the east side/north end of the Lido to "point" into Haste
Hill. That may explain why there were so many bomb craters in
that area.
I remember Donald Campbell and Bluebird running at the Lido.
Billy Butlin was there, I believe as organiser of the event.
I am pleased to have had many years of sailing, rowing and
walking at the Lido.
Rab Randall
We spent a lot of time in the Pinn fields sliding down the slopes there I recall. But what I remember most is a trip to the Lido which was completely frozen over.
Apart from the skaters what impressed me the most was a Landrover had been driven out onto the ice and the barbecues being held on the ice - I couldn't understand why the heat from the fires didn't melt the ice (still don't actually) and fall into the Lido!
Penny King
I was one of the English kids that use to ride by the base
when I was 12 to 16 year’s old looking from outside the fence
and little did I know at that time I would later be looking
from the other side of the fence.
I went to the states in Dec 1950 joined the USAF did my
training at F E Warren AFB etc and in 1953 I was station to
Ruislip AF Base, stayed for a very short period and then went
to good old Sidi Slimane AF Base in French Morocco. I then
returned to Ruislip AF Base in 1954 assigned to AACS Sq and
worked in the Communications Centre in the building with the
NCO club.
It was very interesting in that all of my buddies married
girls from UK and I married my American pen pal back in the
States (we have five children plus 12 grandchildren).
I was born in Hanwell and lived in Harrow until I was 18
year’s old so I could not have been stationed any closer to my
home and while stationed at Ruislip I lived with my parents.
Very good memories of my day’s at Ruislip looking from the
other side of the fence.
Walter A Mackinem
My brother and I have lots of happy memories of Ruislip
Lido. We lived in Ruislip during the 1940s and early 50s. As
soon as we were old enough to go out by ourselves we would
walk the three miles or so - unaccompanied by any adult - to
the Lido and its adjoining woods, where we played safely. We
remember the little railway, donkey rides (ponies were too
expensive and they just galloped quickly round the ring),
and the sight of a girl who had cut her foot on broken glass
in the water.
Does anyone know anything about
the photograph of the man, woman and boy
in the boat on
the Lido? She looks remarkably like our mother (who is no
longer alive to confirm it) but it might just be the
hairstyle that was popular at that time.
Gordon Gibson and Moira O'Brien (nee Gibson).
I remember the Lido through the 1970's as we would go swimming there. I remember that you could walk from the grassy bit outside the cafe building into the water down a concreted floor section until it stopped and you suddenly dropped to the softer sand. There used to be a floating pontoon a little bit out into the water which we would swim to and dive from. I loved the place, although the cafe was totally awash with wasps... I was amazed the place was allowed to fall into disarray. My last visit there was in the early 1990s when there was some event on there and as a member of the local TA unit we put a stand up to advertise ourselves. We were tasked with walking around the sandy bit in full uniform to chat with people...
Martin
My name is Gordon Langston. In the late 50s and early 60s I used to go to the lido. I was 7-10 yrs old I used to fish and swim I have fond memories of it seeing the land rover fall through the ice when testing for skating, Cliff Richard on the beach in the film Summer Holiday, the floating boat to swim to, the row boats to go out in, the kids paddle boats. the skiing man with a kite, (I went swimming with his children) coming out through the turnstile when it was closed (always frightened about getting stuck in it ), pike fishing of the pier and the train.
It used to cost me tuppence on the bus. I think it was
the 158 from Eastcote it went past where I lived in S
Harrow.
Gordon
Also on one occasion
Donald Campbell, and his boat Bluebird were there, and the
pin up of the day Sabrina, to add a bit of glamour.
I’ve seen body’s pulled out of the water, the first aid
hut kept busy with people coming out of the water with cut
feet from broken glass or a fish hook stuck in their foot,
and nether put us lads off!
Rod
I have some happy memories of The Lido from The 70s, when myself & friends used to fish it when teenagers. We used to camp out at the 'top' end- i.e. the northern, shallow bit, away from the main entrance-, & fish through from early evening to early morning. (I'm not sure this was actually allowed, but...) We never caught much, really- just small roach, bream, perch & the occasional tench-, but it was a lot of fun, of course. On the other hand, a bloke caught a 22lb pike back in February this year, I believe! A 35lber came out back in about 1910, too. It was a shame that half of it dried up back in the late 80s/90s (?), & the water is far from clean now. I think this is as a result of stagnancy- no flow in or out, blanket weed, silt etc-, & perhaps something could be done on this. The Lido in Venice- whence, its name!- is a bathing resort, but our Ruislip version has 'Do not enter the water' signs & the possibility of Weil's Disease... Unfortunately, too, I do not find The Water's Edge pub much to my taste, this is another shame, as the location is pretty stunning with its views, wildfowl & general picturesqueness. A good pub instead of a mediocre one would improve The Lido's appeal. Still, you can't have everything, & The Lido is on the whole a place to be thankful for!
L Barron
Had many a good time at the Lido when I was little...we used to walk through the woods from Salisbury Lane I vaguely remember the woods opening out into something I thought was magical...there were even water-skiers....I had a red seersucker swimsuit that was more like pants with a bib (tres fashionable at the end of the 1950's....I remember complaining to my mum that I hurt once only for mum to realise that somehow some (quite a few as I remember) earwigs had found their way in and had bitten or pinched me.....and when I left the water half of the Lido would be in that swimsuit.....and I loved the train....I think I remember we were visiting at the time Cliff Richard made Summer Holiday..you never know me and my little red swimsuit may been on footage there somewhere ... Very happy memories.
Julie D
I lived in Ruislip Manor at 31 Filey Waye from 1939 - 1960. My Mother continued to live there until 1971 - 72. I can remember walking up Windmill Hill and going through the woods to pick Bluebells and of course slip into the Lido. When Mum took us we had to ride the 158 bus. I can remember always having a tadpole net with me and caught some pretty good sized Newts at the Lido. I also went to Lady Bankes School. I started in Sept. 1944, Miss Fosters class. I married a Yank and now reside in the States
Mary
I lived in Ruislip from 1963 – 1988 and the Lido was a big
part of my growing up! My strongest memories were going up
to see the fireworks in November. My dad and I used to stand
outside the wire fence (cheapskates!). There was always a
lesser display at the athletics club in Bury Street (near
the blue Dr Who Police Box!) and the traffic crawled up Bury
Street all the way from Ladygate Lane. The Lido was a
fantastic venue for a display – you got twice as much for
your money with the lovely reflections! I never seem to
remember it raining. Summer Sundays were sometimes spent up
there on the swings, etc at the edge of the woods. The
stalls never seemed to be open. Ice creams from the paper
shop on the corner of Reservoir Road on the way home!
David
I read the section on Ruislip Lido with much interest.
Already I have added some comments to the section on Ruislip
Lido Sailing Club. No one seems to have mentioned that very
special time on the Queens Coronation in 1953? when all the
local schools were given a holiday. We were each given a
teaspoon and commemorative mug but best of all was a free coupon
which could be used at Ruislip Lido. There were 3 or 4 sections
on the coupon for different rides you could go on. The paddle
boats was one of them and the donkey rides also the steam train.
Lots of children went up there on the day and had a great time
with all the free rides. The common next to the main Lido
entrance was also a great place to play. There was a pond up the
slope towards the woods which I always thought was a flooded
bomb crater. There was a small stream running down towards the
Lido which was great fun to dam. We had a camp just inside the
woods with a tent made of sticks and leaves. For some unknown
reason there was a china wedding cake there too. Not sure where
that came from! The first Ruislip Scouts used to hold 'Wide
Games' on the common at night. The target of the two teams was
the others base. Usually a lighted candle in a jam jar tied up
in a tree or in a spiky bush. We wore pieces of cotton on our
arms as 'lives' If the other side broke your cotton (life) you
were disqualified. I remember coming home late at night cut and
bruised after these games as no quarter was asked or given.
Patrick
I lived at 36 Keswick Gardens North Ruislip from August 1957 until October
1963 and have good memories of that bitter winter of 1963 and the Lido being
frozen over until early March.
The Council declared it safe to go on when the ice depth reached 7 inches.
Dozens of people bravely dared to venture out onto the ice, including me, who
was able to walk out of my back garden and through the woods down to the Lido. I
was able to gain access through the Lido's back turnstile which was open all
that winter and I was able to skate for free for the next 6 or 7 weeks. As each
week went by, more and more daring feats were carried out on the ice including
Penny King's memory of a Land-Rover driving on the ice towing several skiers
behind it. (See photo)
.
I remember also one evening. I think in October 1957, being told by my mother
that they were filming down on the Lido. In semi gloom I walked through the
woods and watched fascinated as filming of 'A Night to Remember' was being shot.
I didn't know it then, but the y were shooting the final scenes of the film.
Large Arc Lamps shone down on a lifeboat that was filled with Edwardian clothed
film extras. Two men with a large wooden plank were plunging it up and down in
the water so as to create a bit of a sea swell.
My other memory is one warm sunny August evening in 1959, suddenly hearing a
deep throated roar of an engine like I had never heard before. The noise was ear
shattering and my immediate thought was, 'Its the Bluebird', which indeed it was
and testing its engine for the next day performance in front of a 20,000 crowd.
I have a short colour cine-film of Donald Campbell with his Bluebird on that
memorable Saturday afternoon.
Michael
On your Ruislip Lido remembrances page, someone named Dave left
the following comment:
"I also recall seeing the first person to water-ski without skis showing off at
the Lido, I believe in the early 60's. "
That would have been my dad, Jack May. He was a member of the
ski club at Ruislip, and a close friend of its director, David Nations.
Dad was the first man in England, and one of the first half-dozen or so in the
world, to successfully water-ski barefoot. It requires
glassy water, a very powerful and fast boat, and great strength. I skied for
years when I was a boy and never managed to do it barefoot.
Dad was on the UK national team, and later a judge for international
water-skiing competitions. He taught hundreds of people to ski. He is
still alive in 2009, at the age of 86, and resides in Prescott, Arizona.
Just back from visiting the lido today [Sept 09] with my now 87 yr old mother after around 45 years since my last visit shortly after we moved from Greenford in late 1962-memories coming back of the roped off swimming area, digging down in the sand to find what seemed like coal dust [yes, me too!] the original railway, water skiing, turnstiles, bus ride et al- such simple pleasures!
Much quieter now but in a different way still worth future
visits. [Been flying for a [quite!] big airline from LHR past 20 yrs or so &
when landing on the easterly runway sometimes pass over the lido-looks a real
oasis in an otherwise built up area!]
Pete B
I worked in the lido cafe during my summer holidays in
1962, 1963 and 1964. In 1962 I worked in the main (art deco) building but
the following year spent a lot of time at the beach hut cafe. This used to
get “raided” sometimes by visitors in the night who would make a mess with
the sweets, ice-cream cones, and anything else that was edible and left
around. At the time I was told that it was squirrels, but I have often
wondered since if it might have been Gliss Gliss (edible dormice), who are
now established in woods nearby. The catering was run by an independent
contractor and I earned 2/6 per hour but towards the end of the of my last
summer I doubled my wage to 5/- by going to work for the Council on the
paddle boats. As mentioned by others, the boss was Mr Newstead, and the
foreman was Mr Murphy (no first names in those days!). Above the cafe in
the main building they used to undertake catering jobs. This included a
regular rotary club dinner but also various one-off functions. I had my 21st
birthday party there in 1968.
Keith
I Lived in Reservoir rd which led up to the Lido from
the age of 9 in 1965 until 1973 my Father was “Fred “ the life guard and my
mother worked in the canteen mainly on the beach side. My father would do
maintenance such as repairing fences and laying pipes in the off season
(winter months) or mending the row boats.
It was a great place for a kid to grow up with the lido full of thousands of
people in the summer making an exciting holiday atmosphere. There was a
small “Gang” of us consisting of Kingsley, Mick, Kevin, Paul and Myself
getting in to all kinds of mischief that kids our age would.We would spend
from sun up to sundown playing in the Lido or the woods surrounding it.
My older step brother hung an old crane cable from a tree in the car park by
Ruislip common and at one time i think we had 14 kids swinging on it at the
same time, I wonder if it still there?. It was a great place to grow up
learning to swim and fish making rafts from old drums and building tree
houses in the trees being there every day even in winter we saw and did
things that we never would of in the towns or city.
Trying to put it into words seem inadequate maybe one of the “Gang” can have
a better go.
Dave
I lived in Bury Street in Ruislip from 1975 to 1991, Ruislip Lido played a huge part in my childhood, walking through the woods to the turnstile entrance by the sandy beach, spending many a summer evening there with our inflatable boats. As a teenager it was over to the other side for the ice cream and sunbathing.
November was always firework time and our then next door neighbour was part of the roundtable who did the fireworks always a brilliant display and we had the walk home to beat the traffic.
Someone mentioned the newsagent on the corner of Reservoir Road, I just to do an early morning paper round for them! I moved away in 1991 but the Lido always stays in my memories.
I lived in South Ruislip from 1940 until 1958, and in
March 1959 I got married and moved to Greenford, we had our wedding
reception at the lido, and we celebrated our Golden Wedding anniversary at
the Waters Edge Pub with family and friends in March last year, it brought
back very fond memories. The food and service were excellent on all
occasions.
June
Its been lovely reminiscing while reading all these
stories about Ruislip & The Lido (pronounced by my family & friends as Lie-doh!!).
My mother often recalls her memories of when she visited with her older
brother, unfortunately missing the filming of Summer Holiday with Cliff
Richard - she was and still is a huge Cliff fan (meeting & having coffee
with him in a clothes shop her father used to manage - Cecil G's?, if anyone
knows of it?)
Growing up in Ruislip & Northwood Hills in the 70's and 80's gave us
(myself, brother and few friends) endless opportunities to visit most days
from one or other of the entrances (would like to say thanks to the previous
Lido dwellers for making several holes in the fences on the woods/sandy
side, which we used on more than one occasion to gain 'free' access to a
full day of fun).
As a teenager we lived a few minutes away in Standale Grove, so the longed
for summer holidays were spent in the Lido - usually swimming or sunbathing,
but on a few occasions, after making 'friends' with the lady running the
paddle boats, I would often help out on them - which made me feel very grown
up and responsible!! Luckily, no-one drowned on my 'watch'!!
My older brother was a bit of a rogue in his teens and would on occasion get
himself in trouble by 'running away from home' or the current 'Youth
Hostel'' he was put in because mum was at the end of her tether with him. He
'ran' to the lido one hot day, laying in the sun enjoying life (HAH), fag in
mouth (he was 14 at this time), when he opens his eyes to see mum and four
policemen towering over him ready to drag him back to the hostel he had
escaped from. Needless to say, his future visits to the Lido were spent with
him constantly looking over his shoulder.
.
My last year visiting the Lido before moving north with family (1983), was
spent with my cousin Julia & several young, fit, American Army service men -
that was an amazing few weeks that I am fortunate to remember today.
I have been back to Ruislip on a few occasions since, where the last one was
in 2004. I visited the Lido but only from the outside - it breaks my heart
to see how much it has changed but I suppose we all have to move on. Its
been wonderful looking through all the old pictures of Ruislip and the Lido
and remembering the 'good ol days'.
Does any know if 'Naked Norman' is still lurking in the woods????
Lisa
I've got to say, this is a awesome page. I've been
reading through it and never realised the Lido was such a sweet memory for
many other people, then just myself! And even more, it was an even more
thriving place back in the day, compared to how I remember it!
I was born in 1980, and used to remember my dad taking us to this far away
place (it seems far when you're a kid) as a 6/7 year old kid. I remember the
speed boats and ramps and today, thought I just imagined it all.
It was really fun playing in the sand with my sister, and eating an ice
lolly in the hot summer sun. I seriously loved it, but never knew it was so
close.
Now, I just moved in at Bury Street, and realised the Lido is literally on
my doorstep! I've discovered the path there through the woods and it comes
out right by the beach area – literally 5 mins away from my door step.
Today, the Lido is not like I imagine it, and definitely not like you all
describe it. I had no idea it has so much history. And it was in a couple of
Cliff Richard songs/movies – wow! Funny stories of this Naked Norman – I
never heard about him but I guess that was all before I really knew about
the Lido.
I wonder what happened to the Lido and all the jet skiing, swimming etc? I
know for a fact on hot days people still love to visit, and it's still fun
to go and see everyone there having a blast, and the beach looking full and
all the kids having so much fun under the water squirters on busy days.
It's not like I remember it, but because it once held so many fond memories
for me, even when I go back today – it still feels amazing. I just love the
thought that this is THAT place where I used to come and have SO much fun
when I was a kid.
Thanks for all your messages on this page – please keep them coming. If
anyone (from abroad etc) is interested in pic of the Lido today, I'd be
happy to go and take some for you. I believe there are also some vids on
YouTube if you want to have a quick look.
Billy
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