EPW006215 ENGLAND (1921). View along the Thames from Deadwater Ait and Windsor Railway Bridge, Windsor, from the south-east, 1921

The main areas of interest in this view are the swimming baths either side of the railway arches, and the poplar trees in the foreground. None of these trees survive these days although there were still some in the early 1960s. In 2012 the Sydney Camm Memorial, a replica Hurricane, was erected in this area.



Barry Avenue is clearly visible from bottom centre, under the railway and on towards Clewer Village, becoming Stovell Road just past the houses. There are extensive allotments to the left of the view. Centre left the open space is now Windsor Boys' School playing fields, and across Stovell Road is the area that would become Windsor's first swimming pool in 1963.



The railway line divides the river baths which were actually part of a back water of the Thames. They are believed to have been created in 1904. In Victorian times the swimming area had been moved from this point further downstream, by Jacobs Island, as Queen Victoria did not believe the travelling public on the trains should see bathers undressed! After her death the baths were moved back to this part of the river.



The river was not a healthy place to swim, these baths fell out of official use in the 1940s.



As of 2012 the concrete sides of the river bank remain but the changing cubicles have long gone.



Adjacent to the GWR Railway, Bowstring Bridge, stands a clump of trees, Brocas Clump. In the far distance is Windsor Racecourse.