[4] There is level access to the poolside and there are facilities for disabled swimmers, including dedicated changing rooms and a hoist.

[2] The pool is owned by Guildford Borough Council, although the operation and management of the facility have been outsourced to Freedom Leisure since 2011.

[8][a] On 9 November, he launched an initiative that he called "The Mayor's Work Fund", to employ those without jobs on projects controlled by the borough council.

[10][11][b] By the time the fund closed at the end of March 1933, it had received contributions of £10,720, of which £3000 had been given by the council and the rest donated by members of the public.

[14][15] An open-air swimming pool at the west end of the park was first proposed in 1930, but scheme was not pursued owing to the economic climate.

[20] By early January 1933, 90 men were involved in building the new pool, a number that increased to 120, when floodlighting was installed and a double shift system began operating.

After the fund had been wound up at the end of March 1933, 100 men were retained to complete the work on the lido, which was finished by mid-April of the same year.

In his speech, he described the pool as "Guildford's garden of glad sacrifice" and praised local residents for their contribution to The Mayor's Work Fund.

"Guildford has done it" he added, before removing his mayoral robe, underneath which he was wearing a bathing costume, and diving into the water.

At the inquest into his death, a doctor from the Royal Surrey County Hospital noted that a piece of chewing gum had been found in his throat, which might have caused him to choke under water.