The Jubilee Pool, Penzance
The Jubilee Pool, pictured below, was opened in 1935 to mark the Silver Jubilee of King George V. Today, it is one of the few remaining 1930s lidos in the entire country. Measuring 100 x 73 metres on its longest axes, the Jubilee Pool is Britain’s largest surviving open air lido. However, the severe storms in February this year caused major structural damage to the pool and it didn’t open for the 2014 season.
Looking at the pool under leaden December skies, it’s clear the lido is in need of some fairly major maintenance all round. The good news is that Penzance Town Council and the Friend’s of Jubilee Pool, jointly bid for £2 million government funding this year and the bid was successful. I’m not sure when work is due to begin but I’m so glad that this wonderful Art Deco pool with its sweeping curves will survive. It was definitely built for hardier souls than me however. It’d have to be an exceptionally warm day for me to venture into a lido like this one.
The pool is 80 next year and this funding ensures it’s going to be a very good year for the Jubilee pool. I hope it’s an equally good new year for you. Happy New Year! :-)
14mm f/11 1/80 sec ISO-100
14mm f/11 1/80 sec. ISO-100
14mm f/11 1/80 sec. ISO-100
14mm f/11 1/80 sec ISO-100
Happy New Year!
Cornwall Photographic 
And a very happy new year to you too!
December 31, 2014 at 6:56 pm
Thank you very much Shimon! :-)
December 31, 2014 at 6:59 pm
Having just returned from Australia where they have seawater pools at practically every beach I’d like to see more pools like the Penzance lido in England, and preferably free to use! I hope the restoration goes well. HNY to you too Adrian – I look forward to your take on Cornwall next year and LOVE the last image with the red sky – XD
December 31, 2014 at 8:14 pm
Thank you Jude. I agree, there should be more pools like this one. I think an awful lot of them have been lost. It’s good to know the Jubilee Pool’s future is secured, at least for now. It’d be nice to have a bit of that Australian sunshine to go with them though wouldn’t it? Lets hope for another good summer in 2015! Have a great one Jude! :-)x
December 31, 2014 at 9:09 pm
I’d have a hard time myself plunging into that one!! Looks so sad and forlorn Adrian, hope you’ll post a new series after the renovations are complete! That red sky is really something!! All the best to you in 2015.
December 31, 2014 at 8:50 pm
Thank you Tina. I will definitely be following the renovations. I’ve seen photos of the pool in happier times with sunshine to boot and it looked great. I’m really looking forward to seeing the pool when it’s finished and will certainly post the pictures. :-)
December 31, 2014 at 9:12 pm
Great news about the funding for the renovations, Adrian. What a beautiful setting! It looks like a great place for warm summer days, but not this time of year. Love the sky in your last image. Happy New Year to you too. :)
December 31, 2014 at 9:06 pm
Thank you very much. I think they used to open the pool May to September. I’ll definitely be following the renovations and will post as and when. Enjoy your new year celebrations Sylvia and all the best to you and C for 2015! :-)x
December 31, 2014 at 9:15 pm
Happy New Year Adrian!
December 31, 2014 at 9:50 pm
Thank you Bente! :-)
December 31, 2014 at 9:53 pm
Thank you, Adrian, and the same to you . . . and I sure wish someone would raise money to renovate me.
December 31, 2014 at 9:50 pm
I know the feeling Emilio! Need for renovation aside, have a fabulous new year! :-)
December 31, 2014 at 9:55 pm
NIce to hear the pool will be saved and restored. I had never heard of lidos, I had to look it up. There are lots of tidal pools here, but more Sydney, they wouldn’t really work here in Melbourne.
Happy New Year Adrian, I hope you have a fantastic 2015.
December 31, 2014 at 10:03 pm
Thank you Leanne! I hope you have a very happy and successful 2015. With all the hard work you put in you certainly deserve to! :-)x
December 31, 2014 at 10:17 pm
Happy New Year Adrian!! I love the ‘abandoned’ aspect of these photos though I hope there’s a use to the pool soon. See you in 2015!
January 1, 2015 at 12:09 am
Thank you Marina! Happy New Year to you! :-)x
January 1, 2015 at 10:16 am
Happy New Year to you, Chilli!
January 1, 2015 at 1:26 am
Thank you Gunta! And to you! :-)
January 1, 2015 at 10:17 am
The Jubilee Pool will be a great project to follow … I love all the art deco design, it sets it apart and deserves to be restored . Super pictures .
Happy new year ChillB … 2015 … adventures and a fresh burst of creativity in new projects to set free … check that passport , get your batteries charged and let the camera roll … not long now ;-) xx
January 1, 2015 at 8:57 am
Thank you Poppy! Have a smashing new year. Lots of exciting projects to follow, new places to visit. It’s what it’s all about! :-)x
January 1, 2015 at 10:19 am
Happy New Year to you, Adrian. The pool looks a great place to photograph. Great series of images. Will have to visit this location next time I’m in Cornwall!
January 1, 2015 at 12:25 pm
Thank you Simon. I would love to have been able to access the pool. As it was I was perched, a bit precariously, on a wall with my tripod balanced on the railings. Perhpas when the refurbishments begin I’ll be able to access the pool. Have a fabulous 2015!
January 1, 2015 at 12:56 pm
It’s a fascinating ‘structure’. I’m glad it’s repairable, and you have photographed it beautifully!
Warm wishes to you, Adrian. May 2015 be filled with good health and heaps of creativity. Your work is always inspiring and brilliant.
January 1, 2015 at 6:03 pm
I’m touched that someone as creative and accomplished as yourself might find my work inspiring. I will endeavour to keep doing what I do. I’ve just been getting the kit together to start developing and printing my own medium format black and white images. This is a new avenue for me and I hope it’s going to be a creative one. My very best wishes for the new year to you Karen! Thank you once again. :-)x
January 1, 2015 at 7:03 pm
It’s worthy of the restoration, and of your eye – that last shot is pretty crazy! :-) I know it will be another fruitfulyear fro you – I wish you good health, happy travels and continued creative play!
January 1, 2015 at 6:47 pm
Thank you so much Lynne! I wish you the same. Hmm, that last shot.. I was playing around with coloured filters in post. I liked the way the red filter brought out the turquoise colour of the water in the pool. Crazy definitely. I’m going to be keeping an eye on the pool restoration and will post periodically. I don’t know if they’re aiming to open this year. I’ll have to make some calls. :-)
January 1, 2015 at 6:56 pm
(Wow, pushed that mouse too fast! Sorry for the typos!)
January 1, 2015 at 6:47 pm
Happy New Year!
January 1, 2015 at 10:24 pm
Thank you Isabel. Have a fabulous 2015!
January 2, 2015 at 10:02 am
that is a big one :)
happy new year :)
January 2, 2015 at 10:30 am
Thank you!Happy New Year to you too Joshi! :-)
January 2, 2015 at 10:37 am
What a lovely pool and it’s great to hear that it’s going to be saved; we destroy far too much of our history in the name of progress and cost cutting.
January 2, 2015 at 11:24 am
It’s only through tireless campaigning by the ‘Friends’ that this pool will be saved. Similar campaigns will not succeed.. :-(
January 2, 2015 at 12:38 pm
I trust you had a fabulous Christmas and peaceful New Year – looking forward to you blog in 2015 :-)
January 2, 2015 at 7:50 pm
Thank you Scott, it was a good Christmas, I hope the same for you. Happy New Year and all the very best for 2015, I think it’ll be a busy one for both of us! :-)
January 2, 2015 at 8:28 pm
That’s very cool Adrian. All the best to you and your family in the New Year.
January 2, 2015 at 9:14 pm
Thank you very Much Edith! :)
January 3, 2015 at 8:35 am
Visited the pool in 2013, your photos capture it perfectly!
January 2, 2015 at 9:47 pm
Thank you Nathan!
January 3, 2015 at 8:35 am
Beautiful!
Happy New Year to you!
January 2, 2015 at 10:10 pm
Thank you very much Hans!
January 3, 2015 at 8:36 am
Happy New Year! Keep posting wonderful images :-)
January 4, 2015 at 11:04 am
And to you Rhys, all the very best for 2015. You’ll get your L this year and then who knows, perhaps your A as well? :-)
January 4, 2015 at 12:36 pm
Such fabulous images! Wishing you the Happiest of New Years!
January 4, 2015 at 2:11 pm
And the same to you Elena. I’m looking forward to many more of your wonderful paintings in 2015!
January 4, 2015 at 5:24 pm
I saw this quite a few years ago and was impressed with it – particularly because of its Art Deco properties. Sadly didn’t get a real chance to photograph it. I recall some superb images of it by Susan Brown FRPS – a photographer from down your way. She has a short profile in the RPS journal that reached me just this morning. Happy New Year, Adrian – a bit late but I’m just surfacing from a two-week break.
January 5, 2015 at 6:07 pm
Thank you Andy. Happy New Year to you too.
I have met Sue on a couple of occasions. She was on the panel assessing my Licentiate in March last year. I haven’t seen her pictures of the pool. I’d certainly like to. I’m hoping to gain access to photograph the refurbishments this year. It is a very attractive pool because of the Art Deco features as you say.
January 5, 2015 at 6:35 pm
Sue used to live up here in MK – that’s how I got to know her, and her husband was a consultant ENT surgeon.
January 5, 2015 at 10:44 pm
What a fascinating project to follow and can’t wait to see it back in its glory. Happy New Year!
January 10, 2015 at 2:15 pm
Happy New Year Patti! I’m looking forward very much to seeing how the refurbishments progress. I will hopefully be posting updates! :-)
January 10, 2015 at 2:29 pm
I love your last photo, how surreal the turquoise green pool is when juxtaposed against the pink sky, it looks like an run down, ghostly place. And feels like something out of a dream. xoxo Anais
January 28, 2015 at 12:35 am
Thank you very much Anais! I’m glad you enjoyed the picture!
January 28, 2015 at 6:52 am