A brief history of swimming in Horley
This article was compiled mainly as a result of much research by our long serving member, Henry Pelham. Henry still swims daily although long past the age when most of us give up on any form of physical exercise.
Henry compiled most of this for inclusion in our newsletters of October 2024 and January 2025 and it is reproduced here at the suggestion of Veronica Ballard who felt that the history herein should be published online.
Consequently, Henry’s articles have been very slightly edited and are here for all to read.
They are supplemented by a brief section reproduced from a brochure commemorating the opening of the Horley ‘Anderson’ pool on Saturday 15th September 1973.
Finally, there some brief facts about our present pool at The Horley Leisure Centre at Court Lodge – a far cry from the River Mole bathing station although just a few hundred yards away.
Uploaded to the website by Doug Cox
January 2025.
‘Horley’s First Swimming Venue’
Horley’s Bathing Station’ 1904 – 1914
The need for a designated place in Horley for its inhabitants to be able to swim safely was brought about following the accidental drowning in the River Mole of both Miss Mary Brown (31) in June 1902, near ‘Horley Mill’, and in July 1903 of Frederick Brown (17) near the ‘Six Bells’, both incidents were reported nationwide in all the national and provincial newspapers.
Over the next year there was much prevarication at the Monthly Parish Meetings between the few ‘for’s’ led by Messrs. Brandt and Jennings and the mainly ‘against’s’, who firstly considered prohibiting any bathing in the River Mole, which was soon overruled, as well as to the positioning of Life Saving Equipment kindly donated by the ‘Royal Humane Society’; Should it be kept near ‘The Mill’, ‘Court Lodge Farm’ or the ‘Six Bells’?
The Mill was selected with notices along the river bank. An easy decision but taking over six months.
In the meantime, the equipment was stored in Horley’s Fire Station in Albert-road.
By February 1904 with Parish Council elections looming, and the fear of possibly losing their seats, the mood of the ‘against’ members changed, and a suggestion was made that Mr. Brandt should visit the river to find a suitable and safe site for a bathing station, the costs involved and also to approach the owner of the land with regard to the possible site.
At a well-attended meeting held at the Six Bells on the 1st July 1904, chaired by the Rev H.T. Lewis, the subject of forming a Swimming Club for Horley was mooted. With a splendid river and the possibility of a club being formed, their host Mr Huey, landlord of the Six Bells, kindly agreed to place the river frontage along his meadow at their disposal. It was pointed out that the river between the Six Bells and the Mill was a constant danger to learners and non-swimmers and, to overcome this, it was proposed that a raft be sunk across the river to a depth of four feet and be fitted with adjustable sides, allowing young men and boys to learn to swim in perfect safety, together with a ‘dressing shed’ and diving board. The cost of setting up was estimated at £75. With all at the meeting in agreement, it was decided to form a swimming club to be known as ‘Horley and District Swimming Club’, commencing with 40 members at an annual subscription of 2s 6d and boys under 16, of 2s.
By the end of July two wooden dressing sheds and a springboard had been installed together with safe access when entering the river, the installation of the raft now being eagerly awaited
By September the raft was ready for sinking into position; to facilitate this, the river was held back at Three Bridges and the water held back in Horley Mill Pond was released via its flood gates.
Photograph with kind permission of the copyright holder – www.goodnessgracious.co.uk
(Above photo shows the raft in position ready for use)
With the new raft now installed, which more than passed expectations, by the end of the 1905 season more than 45 boys had learnt to swim.
The club went from success to success including a yearly ‘sports day’ held during the summertime where club members would compete with each other for prizes and cups which were presented at the AGM the following March at the ‘Six Bells, now the clubs official ‘headquarters’, which of course included ‘a capital meal’. There was also much rivalry and competition with visiting local clubs from Reigate, Redhill and Earlswood, Dorking and also Brighton. Horley Swimming Club were kindly invited, and given ‘free’ access, to the indoor pool at Reigate during the winter months. This gesture helped Horley swimmers, who were always at a slight disadvantage when competing in an indoor pool, not being accustomed with the important pool manoeuvre of ‘turning at each end’.
Photograph – Horley Local History Society Archive G.G.F.Horley Book 3
With a subscription in 1906 from Surrey County Council, boys attending the Horley Council Schools were also taught, using the raft enclosure, to swim in safety. By 1914 Girls attending Horley Council Schools were also admitted under the same scheme.
At the annual general meeting in November 1907, it was decided to widen the river at the bathing station by taking a strip of land, from the bank opposite the ‘Six Bells’ about 140 ft in length, (although there is no mention of how wide the strip would be), the owners, Christ’s Hospital, were not averse to the proposal provided the tenant was in agreement. There would also be some improvement on the ‘Six Bells’ bank. Brewers Page and Overton, owners of the ‘Six Bells’ were in full agreement.
By the start of the 1908 season and with ground works completed and two goal posts purchased, the club formed a water polo section that would hopefully by the 1909 season, with much training and practice, be able to compete with other local water polo clubs. The 1909 season would also see a visit and inspection of the facilities by Surrey County Council officials who, at the end of their visit stated that ‘Horley had one of the best out-door swimming stations in Surrey’ and proposed the introduction of the Surrey Educational Certificate, to be awarded to boys having achieved the required thirty yards distance swim and, later, another award for swimming fifty yards. These photos are from our archive.
(Above photo shows the ‘Ladies Section’ c.1912)
Photograph – Horley Local History Society Archive
From 1911 the swimming club continued to prosper, both hosting and competing in many water-sport events both far and wide together with an ever growing membership,
Photograph – Horley Local History Society Archive G.G.F.Horley Book 2
(Above photo shows the ‘Dressing Sheds’& Raft installation)
But by 1914 with the onset of WW1 most of Horley’s young men left, joining the armed forces, and although the club continued, by 1916 it had all but ceased to exist.
At a meeting in 1923 there was a motion to revive the Swimming Club to its former glory. It was pointed out that Horley had taught more boys to swim than any other parish in Surrey. Unfortunately, the site had now become derelict and the river had silted up and with the country still recovering from the War there was little local interest, due mainly to the costs involved, and the fact that more important local issues needed to be addressed.
Was this the end of swimming in the River Mole? The answer of course is ‘yes’. But few at the time could have ever imagined in years to come both the Anderson pool (1973) and its replacement Horley Leisure Centre pool (2011) would both be built within a few yards of the bank of Horley’s stretch of the River Mole, between the ‘Six Bells’ and Horley Mill’ !!!
The Wagon Shed, Bonehurst Road
(now ‘The Skylane Hotel’)
Horley’s First Public Swimming Pool
The Wagon Shed, owned by Mrs Kate Harris, was well known locally during the 1930s and into the early 1960s. It is remembered mainly as a Restaurant, Luncheon and Tea-room, as well as for holding dances every Saturday evening. But it was also Horley’s first swimming pool which was open to the public. The need for a public pool had long been urged by Horley residents and they now had one within easy reach.
The Wagon Shed pool officially opened on Thursday 18th May 1933, being described by the Surrey Mirror as ‘being pleasantly situated’ in the grounds of the Wagon Shed, Horley, and not affected by the noise of the main road traffic, enabling swimmers to sun-bathe on the neatly grassed enclosure where refreshments could be served. There was also a shaded area for spectators.
The pool was 70ft x 30ft and held 65,000 gallons of water, the depth ranging from 3ft to 6ft 6ins. The water being constantly refreshed through an up-to-date system of constant filtration, although unheated, ‘except by the sun’. At the shallow end the water cascaded into the pool via a rocky waterfall, while at the opposite end were a diving and spring board, a water slide was added in 1934.
The swimming pool was open daily from 10am until 8.30pm including Sundays and Bank Holidays, from May until September.
From an advert in 1946 it can be seen that a season ticket could also be purchased for 30s (£1.50).
During the 50s and 60s the pool was the main attraction in Horley, especially at weekends and during the school holidays, the grass area stretched down to the railway embankment and would be full of sunbathers soaking up the sun, probably quite a shock to the passengers on the passing trains, there would also be families picnicking, playing ball games etc. and generally having fun.
Mrs Harris (the owner) while keeping a strict eye on the restaurant but also the activities in and around the pool, and could be found not only manning the pay kiosk as well as the small snack bar selling sweets, crisps, sticky buns and drinks.
Given her tough exterior Mrs. Harris had a soft spot for the local Scout association which can be summed up in the following newspaper extract from the Surrey Mirror dated 28th July 1950
‘The Annual Swimming Gala’ of the Horley and District Boy Scouts Association was held at the Wagon Shed swimming pool, Horley, on Thursday of last week. This was through the kindness of Mrs. Harris, who for many weeks beforehand had to cope with swarms of boys practising for the gala and proved herself a true friend of scouting’.
Note:-Henry Pelham was one of those boys and remembers that the water was always so very, very cold.
The newspaper fails to mention that cubs and scouts practising for the Gala were granted a reduced admission of 6d (2½ p) by Mrs Harris.
The Wagon Shed restaurant and pool closed in 1964 following the death of Mrs. Harris. Horley would have to wait until 1973 for a new public swimming pool. ‘The Anderson Centre’.
In the meantime, ‘Horley swimmers’ had the choice of either Reigate or Redhill indoor pools or in the summer East Grinstead open-air pool.
‘Today‘- The Skylane Hotel
The accommodation block now stands where the pool used to be.
The Horley Anderson Pool
The idea for this pool was first put forward by John L. Roberts, at that time Horley Youth Committee Chairman. Colin Burgess was his Vice-Chairman, and Rotarian Doug Anderson was a committee member. The Youth Committee had just taken over the use of the Youth Field and John had discovered that grants totalling 75% of the cost of a Youth Pool were obtainable and thought the Youth Field would provide a suitable site. It was agreed to call a public meeting – notifying more than 70 local clubs and associations as well as the Press, and the result was a decision by the meeting to go for a public pool for the town. A committee was formed and Doug Anderson became Chairman with Colin Burgess as Vice-Chairman. The first meeting was to be in Eton House office but no-one had organised the key – so the first meeting took place in Doug’s car!
There was a good deal of scepticism locally as to the likely outcome of a meeting called in 1961 to consider raising funds for a Swimming Pool for the people of Horley 8 District; but the quiet optimism of the four men who sat in a car was handsomely justified in the end.
It was ascertained that a suitable charitable organisation could obtain a government grant for such a purpose. A visit was made to Petersfield where an open-air pool was being built on a similar basis; and before the end of 1962 the Horley Swimming Pool Association was established with a constitution approved by the Charity Commissioners, and fund raising had started in earnest.
From the outset it was a “grass roots” endeavour. Area committees staged local fund raising events and organised the sale of football “pontoon” tickets. Dinner dances, later to flourish into “Aqua Balls” with attendant celebrities, were held. A Skittles week was inaugurated, later to become an established feature of the Horley scene; and proceeds of the annual Carnival were donated to the Swimming Pool Fund.
By 1965 it was considered that the Association had raised enough money and rallied sufficient popular support to justify an approach to Horley Parish Council for a site. The response was favourable and the Council agreed to the building of an indoor swimming pool on part of what was then its only Recreation Ground, centrally situated beside the Brighton Road. The Dorking & Horley R.D.C. as the local planning authority approved this scheme and the Department of Education and Science gave its blessing with the provisional offer of a grant in aid of £10,000, to be taken up within a year. The likely cost of a pool of the kind then envisaged was thought to be between £40,000 and £60,000, but all this was vetoed by the County Planning Authority, which considered the site unsuitable and the scheme too ambitious.
It took another year. much correspondence. and a confrontation at County Hall, to persuade the Surrey County Council that the people of Horley meant to have a Swimming Pool and should be helped to find a suitable site. Eventually towards the end of 1967 a site in the corner of a new estate, by the River Mole, was made available for the Swimming Pool Association by the Dorking & Horley R.D.C. and the Horley Parish Council with County Council approval. Mercifully the Department of Education & Science agreed to keep open its provisional offer of £10,000 and detailed Architect’s plans and specifications were prepared. Fund raising went on all this time, but rising costs were out-stripping the fundraiser’s efforts. Not until mid 1971 was it feasible to put the building of the pool out to competitive tender. By then the total funds available from all sources, including some generous local authority support, amounted to less than £50,000 and the lowest tender received was for more than £100,000, with some possibility of savings if the pool could be erected in conjunction with a pavilion for the adjoining Parish Council Recreation Ground.
While this was being considered an ultimatum was received from the Department of Education & Science. Unless work on the pool could be commenced before the end of March 1972, the provisional offer of a grant of £l 0,000 would have to be withdrawn. At this point the only hope seemed to be to turn to the R.D.C. for a bridging loan, which would leave the Association to raise a large sum of money after the Pool was built. But the Dorking & Horley R.D.C. did better than this and it offered a grant of £50, 000 to bridge the gap.
This looked like the end of the road, but there was one more crisis to come. Just before Christmas 1972 the company which had submitted the lowest tender for the Pool was taken over and the tender was withdrawn. With time running out a local firm of first-class reputation but no experience of building swimming pools agreed to take on the work at the price previously tendered. It was in every sense a rescue operation.
Doug Anderson led with optimism through all the stages of fund-raising and various frustrations and it was Doug’s company that stepped in to build the pool when the original contractor withdrew.
Those deserving of thanks in this long period of fund raising include Kath Allard, Secretary of the Horley Swimming Pool Association (the fund-raisers) and her predecessor Cicely Foster; Janet Pocock, Secretary of the Management Committee to build the pool; the two Trustees, James Clarke and Gervase Whale. Ray Worboys, the Architect and his assistant Cliff Wilkins; Eric Lowrie, Hon. Treasurer of both Committees and Jack Pearce his predecessor. Without the collective hard work of these and many others and the support of the whole town it is doubtful if the pool would have been built.
Mr. Carlton R. Bell, M.Inst.B.M., A.M.A.A.R.M., A.S.T.A. was appointed as Baths Manager in April 1973 and gave the committee much good advice, resulting in a number of practical improvements.
The Anderson Pool served Horley for almost 30 years until it closed its doors for the last time on the night of Sunday 8 January 2012. The site then became public open space, forming part of Horley’s Riverside Green Chain.
The Horley Anderson Pool
The Horley Sports Pavilion.
The Horley Leisure Centre
The £9m Horley Leisure Centre opened its doors to the public for the first time on 9 January 2012, providing much improved leisure facilities for local people.
The new state of the art facility features a 25m six-lane swimming pool with ramped access for disabled users, a teaching pool, fitness gym with 45 exercise stations and free weights, four-court multi-use sports hall and an exercise and dance studio.
It also has separate male, female, family, group and disabled changing areas, reception with viewing gallery, cycle parking and parking for 150 cars, shared with neighbouring Horley Town Football Club.
The new centre, in Anderson Way on Court Lodge Road, replaces the ageing Horley Anderson Centre, which opened in 1974.
The building is designed to be accessible to all and has full length ramped access with waterproof wheelchairs and a pool side hoist for disabled users.
There are four fully equipped disabled changing rooms, two of which are fitted with ceiling mounted electrical hoists to assist carers.
The centre has also been designed to be as energy efficient as possible, to minimise the centres impact on the environment and reduce running costs. Among the many energy saving measures are:
- a biomass heating system, which uses waste wood chippings to heat the air and water should supply 100% of the heating during the summer months and approximately 75% in the winter. This is a first in a GLL operated centre.
- roof-mounted photovoltaic solar panels capable of producing energy throughout the year, not just on sunny summer days
- a UV system for cleaning and removing bacteria from the pool water, which uses half the amount of chlorine than would usually be required for a pool of this size
- an advanced building management system enables areas of the centre to have different temperatures, lighting levels and ventilation, depending on use
- lots of natural light and low energy lighting throughout and a system of vents and ducts to create natural air flows throughout the building, reducing the use of mechanical systems
- the pools have thermal covers that are fitted when the centre is closed and reduce water heating costs by 30%
- much of the buildings structure uses renewable/recycled building materials including wooden structural beams and wooden cladding in the sports hall.
The Horley Leisure Centre was built on the site of the former Court Lodge School, which was demolished in September 2010. Construction of the new centre took just over a year to complete, starting in November 2010 and finishing in December 2011.
The new road created as part of the Horley Leisure Centre development is called “Anderson Way” in memory of Doug Anderson.