In 1885 there was a club known as Great Yarmouth Swimming Club when the sea was used for the Norfolk and Suffolk championships and Breydon water for "Aquatic sports". Mr. Lucas Hunt, solicitor, was our first secretary Mr. A.C. Lay , known as " Dilly " was secretary from 1897-1899 and was sadly killed during the Boer War.
1903 saw the formation of the Britannia Swimming Club under the leadership of Mr. Nat Tuddenham. To be a member of this club a resolution was passed that "Every swimmer must prove himself to an efficient swimmer by obtaining a proficiency certificate before being permitted from swimming from Britannia pier". The Delf brothers together with A.W. Doig, W. Dingle, F. Baird, J. Farrant, G. Wilson were founder members and their families maintained an interest for many years and some until the present day.
Whist the Britannia Club was flourishing a rival club was formed called the T.I.S. which was under the direction of Mr. W.E. Green. Later this club became known as the Otter Swimming Club and the founder President and Chairman was Mr. Humphrey Lynde. In 1914 a suggestion was made to amalgamate the Britannia and the Otter Clubs but this was deferred owing to the First World War 1914-1918.
On June 18th 1919 under the Chairmanship of Councillor Frederick Brett, the Great Yarmouth Swimming Club was formed and the silver trophies from both the Britannia and the Otter Clubs were given to the Club, and are still competed for annually in the Club Championships.
In May 1921 Permission was given by the Corporation, for the new Great Yarmouth Swimming Club, to use the Pool on Southtown Common, and then thanks to swimming enthusiasts on the Council the Great Yarmouth Bathing Pool was opened on July 1922.
The Pool was open air, salt water, unheated, unchlorinated and was 100 yards long and 25 yards wide and served the Club until it was demolished in 1980. A Ladies Section was formed after the opening of the new pool in 1922 and the Club was under the guidance of Mr FE Baird, Chairman and its hard working Secretary, Mr Chas H. Beckett
by Pat Hollis