Quasquicentennial celebrations for Glenogle Baths
Edinburgh Leisure’s Glenogle Swim Centre marks a major milestone this September, its quasquicentennial anniversary with a celebration event attended by the Lord Provost.
Article Source: https://www.edinburghleisure.co.uk/
Last Updated: 1 September 2025 11:17
Celebrating 125 Years: A Dive into History, Community, and Art
Edinburgh Leisure’s Glenogle Swim Centre marks a major milestone this September, its quasquicentennial anniversary, at the heart of the Stockbridge community - with a celebration event attended by the Lord Provost.
Affectionately known as ‘Glennies’, Glenogle Swim Centre will host a special event for members and locals to mark its 125th anniversary on Friday, 5th September from 10:30 am, with everyone welcome to join in. Staff have been working hard to plan a celebration worthy of this treasured Victorian building.
George Woodcock, Glenogle’s longest serving customer will be cutting a cake in honour of the celebrations. George, 73, first swam at Glenogle in 1963 while attending Flora Stevenson School. Though no longer local, he still travels across town to enjoy the pool’s serenity and character. “There’s a real soul to this pool,” he says. “I can swim slowly using breaststroke without being disturbed by faster swimmers, unlike at other pools.”
A Time Capsule for the Future
A time capsule curated by Sam Machin, who opened the Glenogle Café on the mezzanine level in April 2024, will be buried in the garden at the Saxe-Coburg. The capsule include will include items suggested by locals following a public call-out.
A Garden Grown with Love
The garden at the Saxe-Coburg entrance is a testament to community spirit. Over the past decade, customers Marjorie Mantle and Andrew Dixon have transformed the once-barren plot into a flourishing green space by improving the soil and plating a variety of flowers and foliage. Their efforts began in 2015 with support from then-manager Wendy Avinou.
“It’s been a labour of love,” said Marjorie. “Seeing the garden grow and hearing kind words from customers makes it all worthwhile.”
Mahboob Ditta, a regular at Glenogle, who often works with the Botanics and a recent recipient of the King’s Award for Volunteering, presented by the Lord Provost, will host a plant stall on the day, offering horticultural advice and sharing his expertise.
Edinburgh Leisure will be unveiling a commemorative bench at the Saxe Coburg garden’s entrance for customers and staff.
Edinburgh Leisure’s pools through the lens and in art
Operations Supervisor and artist Johnathan Elders has organised an art competition involving local primary schools - Flora Stevenson, Stockbridge Primary, and Edinburgh Academy - with the theme Past, Present and Future.
Children’s artwork will be displayed alongside our community exhibition, featuring historical research curated by leisure attendant Isla Miller.
Several artists have drawn inspiration from Glenogle’s architecture:
• Soo Burnell, known for her cinematic style, captures the elegance of Victorian pools.
• Teresa Sumerfield’s Colours of Resilience series, debuted at Dovecot Studios in 2023, is a tribute to her late husband and a celebration of life.
• Dave Thompson’s iconic illustrations of Glenogle are available as prints and cards in the café.
• Rose Cook, a former lifeguard and illustrator, has designed commemorative postcards, with proceeds supporting Edinburgh Leisure’s Active Communities programme.
Edinburgh 900: Great Lengths Exhibition
The Great Lengths exhibition, part of Edinburgh Leisure’s Edinburgh 900 celebrations, will be on display at Glenogle from 1-9 September, before moving to The Living Memories Association’s (LMA) new space at Ocean Terminal. Entrance is free.
Living Memories Podcast
Edinburgh Leisure is also working with Russell Clegg from LMA to collect and share customer stories in a podcast. A stall featuring vintage pool memorabilia will help spark conversations and memories.
A Story of Resilience
Glenogle’s history is one of resilience. In the early 2000s, it faced closure, prompting a passionate community campaign - Save Glenogle - led by Marjorie Mantle and supported by nearly 10,000 signatures. George Woodcock, then a postman, collected signatures on his round. “I learnt to swim here over 40 years ago,” he told the Stockbridge Gazette in April 2007. “It’s a scandal the pool might close.”
Thanks to community efforts, a £5.7 million refurbishment was secured, and the baths reopened in 2010.
Like Edinburgh Leisure’s other Victorian pools - Warrender, Leith Victoria, Dalry, and Portobello - Glenogle blends historic charm with modern amenities, including upgraded heating and energy-efficient systems.
Originally opened on 7 September 1900, Glenogle was designed by architect Robert Morham under the Public Baths and Wash-houses Act of 1846. It has since evolved into a hub for sport, recreation, and community connection.
Looking Ahead
Johnathan Elders said: “Glenogle holds a special place in so many people’s memories. Many of our older customers learnt to swim here as children and now bring their grandchildren. Our celebration will honour the past 125 years and look to the future, with the time capsule capturing life in 2025 for generations to come.”
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