Gilmais Swimming Pool Gt Bookham

A group for those who remember and had good times at Gilmais - upload photos

Open air swimming pool and clubhouse - with tennis club and clubhouse too - off the Leatherhead Road, Great Bookham. Used by generations of people of all ages as a meeting place. The area on which it once stood is now a small estate of houses called Gilmais

There was a kiosk / hatch off the main clubhouse kitchen selling sweets, snacks and hot and cold drinks.

A licenced clubhouse also proved to be a meeting place for older people in the evenings. The clubouse was a venue for small dances and parties.

There was also a tennis court and clubhouse. The Tennis Club was a thriving affair holding regular adults and young peoples tournaments.

Doug and Mrs Lee ran it until around the late 1950's when Joan and Dick Jackman took it over. During the Jackman years some of the facilities were updated and what had been rough fields were mown and became part of the general amenety ground around the pool. The photo shows Gilmais before this time.

During those years it was always known as a safe place for youngsters to meet up with their friends and kick a ball around and generally have have fun. Sometimes kids would be seen doing their homework on the grass in groups of 4 or 5 or more. Many cycled for miles to join in the fun on the weekends and after school. All ages and backgrounds mixed and played together.