Showcasing vintage male photography, mostly nude. You must be 18 years of age or older to visit this blog! If you hold a copyright on any material shown on this blog, notify me, and it will be removed immediately.
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Saturday, April 19, 2025
This is supposed to be from Keith Vaughan's private album
Wow, wonderful. I had no idea these images existed. I know the area well. Until not so long ago, it was open for changing, and for nude exercise and nude sunbathing. It had been like this for decades. A good mix of men, some gay, mostly straight, enjoying the freedom of naked exercise. This included some weight training equipment. Then, a screen was added to divide off the naked area. Even so, men in the changing area continued to sit and chat naked. I might be wrong, but I think naked swimming had been banned for some time. I used it several times, for drying off after a swim, exercising and sun bathing. Lots of great, long conversations with other naked men. Post covid, the screen went, and, in theory, nudity. Although some still strip off.
Cool. I'm in a friends of the men's ponds group. Tried to argue for retaining nudity on the grounds that it was a rare "men's space" to sit and talk. It was rejected.
The Highgate Ponds of Hampstead Heath have been a fixture of gay London since the men’s pond was established in 1901. The Ponds are a summer retreat for many. They are a system of eight reservoirs dating to 1777 as part of the then growing city of London water supply. Other popular gathering places for gay men to rendezvous were the Serpentine Lido and the Marshall Street Public Baths. Vaughn’s photos present a rare glimpse at real gay life in Britain from that time. 🇬🇧
Why have I never heard of that place? Can you tell more about it?
ReplyDeleteIt has long been a popular swimming spot on North London.
DeleteWow, wonderful. I had no idea these images existed. I know the area well. Until not so long ago, it was open for changing, and for nude exercise and nude sunbathing. It had been like this for decades. A good mix of men, some gay, mostly straight, enjoying the freedom of naked exercise. This included some weight training equipment. Then, a screen was added to divide off the naked area. Even so, men in the changing area continued to sit and chat naked. I might be wrong, but I think naked swimming had been banned for some time. I used it several times, for drying off after a swim, exercising and sun bathing. Lots of great, long conversations with other naked men. Post covid, the screen went, and, in theory, nudity. Although some still strip off.
DeleteThanks for the details and the personal angle, David.
DeleteCool. I'm in a friends of the men's ponds group. Tried to argue for retaining nudity on the grounds that it was a rare "men's space" to sit and talk. It was rejected.
DeleteWhoever is in charge needs to listen. I'm sure you're not the only advocate.
DeleteOne of my favourite places when in London.
ReplyDeleteThe Highgate Ponds of Hampstead Heath have been a fixture of gay London since the men’s pond was established in 1901. The Ponds are a summer retreat for many. They are a system of eight reservoirs dating to 1777 as part of the then growing city of London water supply. Other popular gathering places for gay men to rendezvous were the Serpentine Lido and the Marshall Street Public Baths.
ReplyDeleteVaughn’s photos present a rare glimpse at real gay life in Britain from that time. 🇬🇧
All true, but from what I've been able to ferret out, most of those spots were not exclusively gay in the old days.
Delete