Orient Baths, East London

East London is famous for its two world champion swimmers - Olympic gold medallist Joan Harrison (Helsinki 1962) and 100m freestyle world record holder Jonty Skinner (1976). It was a thriving watersports culture which includes surf lifesaving at Nahoon Beach, as well as multisport (triathlon, biathle and biathlon).

While the primary Olympic swimming pool in the city is the Joan Harrison pool, the first pool used for swimming galas was the saltwater Quanza Pool, which later became known as the Orient pool.

This swimming bath has a special place in the hearts of East Londoners for it was here that Joan Harrison trained and learned to swim, a place where hours of practice climaxed in a gold medal at the 1952 Olympic Games in Helsinki.

The South African Swimming Championships were held here in 1938, and again in 1951.

The Orient Pool Complex we know today has quite an interesting history. In 1904 the municipality constructed a pair of bathing pools on the rocks at the spot where the MV Quanza had run aground in 1872. The pools would be known as the Quanza Pools. They were constructed as a result of an initial accident. The Town Engineer was experimenting with explosives and had blasted a great hole in the rocks at that point. Water immediately rushed in and the resulting pool became a popular place for women and children. As a consequence, the Town Council decided to build a proper pool, in fact, two pools were built: one for men, the other for women and children. The protests that ensued, however, saw the Council change its mind and mixed bathing was allowed for the first time in the larger pool while the smaller one remained the domain of the women and children. In the 1908/09 summer season electric lights were added to allow bathing during the summer nights. More upgrades followed over the years and the South African aquatic championships were held here in 1938, and again in 1951. It was here where Joan Harrison trained and learned to swim, a place where hours of practice climaxed in a gold medal at the 1952 Olympic Games in Helsinki.

East London Orient Beach circa 1915. Isn’t this card incredible? The children pool, so busy and fun. The Victorian era was such a ‘pretty’ period of life, with elaborate architecture, modes of dress and seasons celebrated in a manner we no longer follow.

Summer holiday we taken seriously in that the crowds arrived, in at first wagons, later in the period of motorisation, in their gleaming cars.

One must note, that East London was the main attraction for folks from as far as King William’s Town for Sunday outings.