Danson was opened as a public park in 1925 and was a popular place for meeting up with friends and family. There was an aviary containing birds near the Mansion, a boating lake, miniature railway and deck chairs for hire. A swimming pool opened on 25 July 1936, located on the southern edge of the park. There was a large rectangular main pool with an ornamental fountain, a paddling pool for children and a beginners’ pool. There was a cafe selling pots of tea and on hot summer days it was wise to get there early to avoid disappointment as queues would run all down the road.
Danson Pool 1936
Danson Pool 1950
Although the pool was much enjoyed by locals, the water was freezing cold, it was starting to decay and there were limited car parking facilities. A new indoor (heated!) pool was built at Crook Log (on the north side of Danson Park) and the Danson pool closed in 1979. It was demolished in the 1980s and grassed over.
Surprisingly, there are still some tiny remnants of the pool left in the park today. The location of the pool is on a high ridge to the south of the boating lake, near a park gate on the East Rochester Way.
Below are Google Earth images of the pool in 1960 and its location in 2014. (Click on the images to enlarge).
Some of the walls and wire railings are hidden in copses of trees.
Southern wall of Danson Pool in copse of trees, 2014. A road sign on the A2 (East Rochester Way) can be seen behind.
North wall of Danson Pool, 2014
Blackfen Past and Present 
I re,ember the Pool well, There was a group of very fit men who were great divers and did some great stuff to watch. One was a Johnny Yearsley, a right muscular fella.
I attended Days Lane School then Blackfen when it was devided – boys 7 girls..
The Oval – As kids we watched them digging the Air Raid Shelters and spent some night in there until we got our Anderson in Beech Avenue.
The sweet / tobacco shop man was caught selling black market cigarettes. I did a paper round from the Newsagens every morning and worked at the greengrocers in the evenings and all day on Saturday.
I remember the Bombs at the Willersley Park depot and at the Oval / Sherwood Pk / near the clinic. Rough Times
Jim Ellard
There’s a lot more memories of Sidcuo and Blackfen if required
Danson Park Lido
I and my friends used the lido from 1958-1966
I was one of the high divers
Although we generally congregated around a small lawn in the north west corner where the muscle men used to sunbathe we were not part of their group
They were in their 40s we in our teens
I remember them making their own tanning concoctions mixing olive oil with vinegar and other ingredients
Can you imagine what that did to their skin?
More like tanning leather!
Even in hot summer the water was always cold around 59 degrees!
But what a pool
It only opened for the summer months when it was a youth club for us
The diving boards were good
There were swimming galas and competitions
I learnt to swim when I was 10 with Lamorbey Swimming Club who, I think, usually organised the galas
Danson Park Lake
There were 2 motor launches which gave rides around the lake, one large, light blue and a smaller pea green one
Sculling skiffs could be hired
Rowing regattas were held as well as hydroplane racing and sailing dinghys
Some people fished although I dont know of any sizeable fish as we only knew sticklebacks and tiddlers (although there were gudgeon in the overflow stream on the east side od Danson Road beyond the lakes dam)
The lake was drained sometime in the early 60s because I am told it was diseased
I was also told it was drained during WW2 so that the enemy bombers could not use it as a navigational aid
The much smaller lake at the west end was overgrown within trees, like a jungle, wonerful for nature studies, but now an ornamental garden
Danson Park
As a child I remember many events in the park
A funfair near the childrens play area by the stables 3 or 4 times a year
Cycling and running races used the narrow roads within the park and went out the gate by the church onto public road and back in the Danson Crescent gate
A model aircraft club met most sunday mornings to the north east end of the lake
Firework displays were mounted on the south side of the lake and spectators on the mansion side
Athletics events and flower shows in marquees were held on the north side of the lake down from the mansion
This park was so popular on summer sundays, packed
It was our daily playground, we used to disappear for hours
I forgot the wonderful miniature train that ran along the south bank of the lake
There were at least 2 engines and the driver and passengers sat astride, the latter on flat carriages
They were garaged in a long half round corrugated iron shed near the west end of the lake
I am told these trains were privately owned but run in a public area
Unfortunately when the owner drivers retired or left us that was the end of this wonderful facility and spectacle
Everybody loved it and it gave life to the park on thise endless crowded summer days
Thank you, Does anyone else remember the lake being drained in WWII.
Jim Ellard MBE
All good memories, please keep them coming Jim Ellard MBE
Thank you,Any member recall the JU Incendary Bomb in The Plaza Cinema which fortunately did not explode or thelarge bomb at the junction of Sherwood Park Ave – Wellington Rd – the Oval Jim Ellard MBE
my dad (95) lived in Days Lane and worked as a life guard and maintenance at Danson pool in the 1950’s. He remembers the guys using olive oil and vinegar to sunbathe and also the divers like Johnny Yearsley. He also remembers the lake being drained during WW2 and all the fish that died.