These pictures brought back memories of when my son got his mile certificate, it was a freezing afternoon in the late 70s and he came out of the pool blue and exhausted. He then enjoyed a cup of hot Bovril to thaw out. Thinking back even earlier to the early 50s I can remember a swiming show, I think it was called The Frollies where a man would dive from a very tall diving platform as part of the show. His name may have been Dave Perry and if anyone can confirm this I would be most grateful.

This Is On The Site Where The Marina Center Is Today!

After showing pictures to my dad I can confirm that the high diver was Perry Blake which also stared water clowns and aqua maids for Mr George Baines from 1954 to 1964.During this time Perry Blake hit the bottom of the pool on first dive of the season and Leo from America took his place for the remainder of the season. I myself had six years with the water follies.

These images bring back powerful memories.
My father John Lake had a strong association with the pool having won numerous medals for swimming in the 1950's. My earliest memories go back to the early 1960s when dad taught me to swim and, later, as he encouraged me to jump off the boards.
Probably the strangest memory however, was of a swarm of ladybirds which infested the area one day in the 1960s and absolutely every surface was covered in red crawling insects.

Oh happy, carefree days!

The Yarmouth pool was the best ever. In 1966 it used to be 12 shillings and sixpence for a whole year of swimming. We all met there. Wonderfull memories.

The outdoor pool was where I learned to swlm: Not through the swimming lessons we had from school, we would walk down St.Peters Road from the Nelson School, and Miss Bransby would teach us....she was a rather formidable woman only short & quite stout, but she used to scare the crap out of me!!! And never got the hang of swimming....(All that teaching) but during the summer holidays on a rare occasion I was allowed to go to the pool.... I learned how to swim that day!!!! Some boys from school pushed me in the deep-end FULLY CLOTHED.......I only had two choices!!!! Great fond memories of that pool! why was it ever replaced with the DUMP we have now??

I too am from YARMOUTH!! Now living in Rotterdam for the 36yrs, I can also remember the outdoor pool, went to Styles school and we used to have our swimming lessons and swimming galas there,this would have been in the 60s. Loved going there and can remember when it was closed down...what a shame..nothing like swimming outdoors...good memories...

My father was George Baines and he and my mother, Vera brought me as a young baby to live in Gt.Yarmouth as he fell in love with the huge outdoor swimming pool in which he produced the Water Follies for 10 seasons. He always said that it was one of the best pools in the country. They were certainly very happy days for me growing up with all the swimmers and divers in the shows. I had the biggest dressing up box in the world!!

My mother was an Aquabelle in the George Baines Aqua shows back in the mid 50s. Her name was Rita Stone who met my father at one of these shows, Dennis Burnip who was a stunt diver.  They both had many fond memories and made many close friends including Vera Baines Tosh, as they both called one another, they remained close friends throughout there lives.  I look back fondly at my mother's photo albums of the Aqua shows and the great times they had even when the pool was icy cold she always came up smiling.  Great to see Jan Baines comment above I must say.  I tried to contact Jan some years ago as I'm sure she would remember Rita, and who knows maybe exchange some photos.  It would be great to hear from anyone who were in the Aqua shows back then, or if you knew anyone who may have known them.  Please call me at d.burnip@hotmail.com Thanks and Happy New Year to you all. Danny