Six Bells Children’s Swimming Paddling Pool

The Six Bells Children’s Swimming Paddling Pool.
Owing to the success of the Six Bells Lido, the need for a children’s pool was debated and the women of Six Bells banded together to form a group to raise funds and to receive donations in their quest to have a small paddling pool constructed in the Cwm Llwydrew valley close to the original lido in Six Bells.

The New Children’s Pool Ladies Committee.
The new children’s pool ladies committee was set up and the members were as follows – Mrs G. Daggar; (Chairwoman); Mrs Bert Edwards (Secretary); Mrs E. Bull (Treasurer); Mrs F. Allen; Mrs A. Morgan; Mrs E. Norman; Mrs W. Lovell; Mrs J. Cook; Mrs W. Jones; Mrs J. Moore and Mrs D. Powell:

On Thursday 9th and Friday 10th of March 1933, concerts were held by the “Llanhilleth Playtimers” at the Bethany Baptists Chapel Six Bells, in aid of the funds for the Six Bells Children’s Lido. The entertainment was in the form of a revue entitled “Ancient and Modern” there were large audiences on both evenings Mr George Daggar presided on the first evening and Mr Harry Price (Chairman of the Baths Committee) on the second evening. The Llanhilleth Playtimers gave their services for free, the trustee of the church Mr Jack Arndell provided the refreshments, also free. It was announced that a new small children’s pool be constructed, the present pool was too large for the children.

The Official Opening of the Childrens Lido.
On Saturday 17th of June 1933, the Six Bells Children’s Lido was officially opened by Mrs G. Daggar, the wife of Mr George Daggar M.P. The women of Six Bells were inspired to have a children’s paddling pool built after the success of the larger pool a little further up the Cwm Llwydrew Valley between Graig Row and High Street. Concerts had been held to raise funds to defray the costs of materials etc and as in the case of the first lido the labour was given voluntarily by the unemployed men of the district and a most up-to-date pool was the result.

The construction of the pool was under the supervision of Mr Bert Edwards. The pool was 20 yards long and 8 yards wide, the shallow end was 18″ inches with the deep end being 2′ feet in depth. It was constructed entirely of cement and was surrounded by a footway four foot wide. The area was fenced off and the pool was limited to children under twelve years of age.

A party of school children trained by Mrs Harry Jones gave renderings of “Tom Thumb’s Dream”, “Peace Be Still” and “The Children’s Lido” the words of which had been specially composed for the occasion by Mrs Harry Jones. The soloists in the party were – Billie Cooper; George Wilcox; Jackie Shellard and Tom Jones, accompanied by Mrs E. Bull on the piano, which was kindly lent by Mr T. Phippings.

After Mrs G. Daggar officially declared the children’s pool opened, the first child to enter the water was Miss Evelyn Wilcox. Master George Wilcox asked for three cheers for the ladies committee.

The Later Years.
During the 1940’s both swimming pools at Six Bells fell into disrepair and were deemed a danger to the public.

The Council Inspection.
On Friday 26th of March 1948, the South Wales Gazette reported that Mr R. Eke (Deputy Surveyor) for the Abertillery Council had visited the site of the Six Bells Lido and gave the report of his inspection to the Abertillery Council Roads and Bridges Committee. He observed the baths were filled with boulders and debris, the filtration plant was down with several bits of machinery taken away. The dressing cubicles were pulled down and the area was a danger to the public. The only remedy was to pull it down and fill in the baths, it was deemed too expensive and the work should be undertaken by the lido trustees. Further enquiries were to be made.

In the 1950’s the South Wales Gazette reported on the residents’ concerns of large boulders rolling down the mountain from the open-cast mining operations. The stones were settling in the valley on the site of the Six Bells Lido.

Following is A link to – The Six Bells Lido.

(More information to come).