Droitwich Lido History

The Brine Factor

Droitwich resident Mrs Eve Booth, aged 86, has vivid memories of the healing powers of Droitwich brine. Her mother took in visitors who came to the town to take "the cure". One young man of 19, Mr. Eggington, came from the North to take the three weeks of treatment which was recommended. He stayed with them in Miller Street and was so desperately affected with an arthritic condition that he could not walk at all. Eve's mother would push him across the town in a wicker bath chair, with little Eve perched by his feet, dodging the long handle by which he could steer right and left. After several visits to take the Droitwich waters he was so improved he walked away, making Eve a present of his long walking cane, which she still has today.

The brine is pumped from the Triassic formation, 200 feet below the town. The supply is said to be inexhaustible. The water is clear with a natural temperature of 45 degrees centigrade. Reports on the healing qualities of spas consistently speak very highly of Droitwich brine, as in "English Spas' by William Addison: "For density and effectiveness there is no brine in the world to equal it. Droitwich is pre-eminently the place for people who suffer from disabilities." This superb brine is pumped into the lido. No wonder people speak eloquently of how much their health is improved by swimming in the lido. Eve Booth has many happy memories of being at the lido and taking her children to enjoy its wonderful water. Children from the old St. Peter's school, nearer to the Hanbury Road than the present school building, used to walk in a crocodile round to the lido to be taught to swim. This consisted of initially lying across chairs miming the breast stroke, followed by an intriguing method of tuition involving the child wearing a sort of heavy brown rope lasso round the back and under the arms, while the teacher standing pool side held the end of the rope. The child walked out 2 black lines to be dragged back towards the teacher, over or under the water and along the bottom depending on the level of expertise. A surprising number of people claim to have learnt to swim by this method.