#onthisday, 28 March 1875, #TurkishBaths opened for two days each week in Gordon Street, #Forres, Scotland. Tickets from the Booksellers, Post Office, & members of the Forres Sanitary Association. Thursdays for Females, Saturdays for Males. Charges 10.00-1.00 1/-; 3.00-7.00 6d. Closed 1881. 🗃️ #C19th

Clip from the Hexham Herald (13 Nov 1869) advertises the opening of a new Turkish bath by Mrs Thirwell of Hall Stile Bank. It's open on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. A Turkish bath costs 1/6 or "Plunge, Rain, and Shower do." for 6d.

I don't benefit financially from the British Newspaper Archive, nor am I even hoping for a free sub, but as an original subscriber I must publicly thank BNA. In 30+ years' research into Victorian #TurkishBaths I've uncovered 1000+ in the UK alone, yet today's BNA has a new paper, & a new V T bath.

The first Victorian #TurkishBaths built in England for public use opened in Manchester in July 1857. Barely 6 months later, one was opened in Elsecar by an Urquhartite Foreign Affairs Committeeman, John Maxfield the Elder. This was widely reported nationally, as here in Kendal Mercury on 6 Feb 1858.

Exterior of the baths building, with two main storeys and windowed roof rooms. At the front is a circular portico on which is written SWIMMING BATHS TURKISH.

Drawing of a long corridor with Turkish bath cubicles on either side.

Photo of the plunge pool and a shampooing area with two slabs and sinks. The pool is empty and the steps down one end can be seen. (Photo: Bournemouth Libraries)

Drawing of the mikveh, a ritual bath which requires running water, and is used by Jews on special occasions, but particularly by women after childbirth or menstruation. Bournemouth was one of a number of local authorities which made such provision as part of their women’s Turkish baths suite. The rectangular pool has a ledge around it and its steps at the near end. In front of the steps, at the level of the top of the ledge, is a raised section with a curved front, steps on either side, and a protective rail making the front look rather like a conductor's podium.

#onthisday, 23 March 1937, #Bournemouth Council opened the £80,000 Pier Approach Baths designed by Kenneth M B Cross, with seawater swimming pool, slipper baths, Victorian-style #TurkishBaths, and a mikveh. Each hot room had its own hot air inlet. The baths closed on 1 December 1984. +ALT 🗃️ #C19th

#onthisday, 23 March 1870, the Mayor of #Melbourne officially opened the Victorian #TurkishBaths (with a large "Moresque" style cooling-room) in the Royal Arcade, Bourke Street. Mr Pietriche, the proprietor, was moving from his smaller baths in Lonsdale St. Refurbished 1904. Closed 1929. 🗃️ #C19th

The cooling-room with Lloyd Loom type chairs and tables, glazed brick walls, and a circular rug. (Photo: Teesside Archives)

View through the hot rooms with two bathers reclining. Its cooling-room may have been unexceptional, but in the hot rooms, as in Birmingham's Kent Street baths, there was a 1930s take on the keyhole arch; here it was the main design motif, though the Horlicks sign on the wall was probably a bit of private enterprise on the part of the baths attendant. (Photo: Teesside Archives)  

As late as the 1950s, the baths were so popular that, according to the Belfast News-Letter (and several other papers on 21 Nov 1956), 'Because some women take too long to have a Turkish bath, Middlesbrough's all-male Sanitary and Baths Committee decided to impose a time limit of four hours. Recommending this in his report the baths superintendent[, Mr S Fisher,] said that on women's days some patrons stay in the baths for six or seven hours.'

There were originally three shampooing slabs altogether, but one completely disappeared within days of the baths closing, and when Val Harrison took this photograph in 1995, one of the others was damaged. The pigeon droppings speak for themselves.

#onthisday, 22 March 1933, #Middlesbrough Corporation opened Victorian-style #TurkishBaths in Gilkes Street. There were three hot rooms, a shampooing room with 3 slabs, cooling-room, electric, medicated, and Russian steam baths. Nice 30s' take on keyhole arch. Closed 1988. Demolished 1998. 🗃️ #C19th

Exterior of the baths from an ad in the Evening Post (1 April 1892). Two storey building with canopy over main entrance. A man (possibly the manager?) stands under the canopy.

Picture postcard overprinted with Christmas and New Year Greetings. Wide view of Lambton Quay with buildings on either side and a tram running down the centre. Behind waiting horse-drawn conveyances is a large hoarding advertising the Turkish baths.

#onthisday, 21 March 1892, J W Hall & Sons, of Dunedin and Christchurch, #NewZealand, opened #TurkishBaths in Manners Street, #Wellington. The local council purchased them in 1915 to run temporarily prior to road widening, but the war intervened and the baths closed that year. 🗃️ #C19th

A trade card for the Turkish baths at the Bridge of Allan Hydro. An oval vignette shows the exterior of the building in its ‘quasi-oriental’ style. The building appears to be in three sections, the large one being the same length as the two shorter ones taken together. Its main ground level feature is a series of high arched ‘cloisters’. The inner short section differs and has a number of domes above. The outer short section has a decorated chimney above. All the corners have faux minarets. Underneath the image and title, lines of text at each corner note that the bath was 87 feet long, and that the hot rooms were from 18 to 25 foot high. (Image: Aberdeen City Libraries)

Although captioned 'Turkish Baths, Bridge of Allan' this view shows only the hydro which was built three years later. (See next image)

A treen wool-holder, around 10 cm in diameter, with three vignettes illustrating aspects of the Bridge of Allan Hydro. The one in the previous illustration is shown at the front.

An advertisement, probably from a contemporary local directory, showing the hydro building prior to the addition of the Turkish baths in 1862, although built three years later than the baths. According to the Stirling Observer (16 March 1865) these had not been as popular as expected since, without adjoining accommodation, those wishing to spend several days at the baths had to find local places to stay.

#onthisday, 19 March 1862, William Archibald opened #TurkishBaths at #BridgeOfAllan, Scotland at a cost £2,000. There were separate days for men & women. "Refreshments, Cigars, Tobacco, etc, of the Best Quality" were available. See also +ALT. 🗃️ #C19th

#onthisday, 19 March 1892, #Bingley Council opened public baths within its then Town Hall, Myrtle Grove. In addition to its four-room #TurkishBaths, there were two First Class and five Second Class slipper baths. They closed some time around 1927 when the town's first swimming pool opened. 🗃️ #C19th

Barter’s first Turkish bath for the general public designed by Mr Richard Barter (no relation to the doctor) and constructed by local builder Denis Murray. This detail shows what was described as a ‘Grecian’ front with three windows and two doors, all arched and surmounted by circular lights of stained glass. Between the two entrances, one for men and the other for women, was a central ticket office. Both sets of baths were similar, being 80ft × 20ft (24.4m × 6m) in area. (Detail from a photo in The Lawrence Photograph Collection Lab 6448. The National Library of Ireland)

The baths seem to have closed in the late 1880s, and in my 2006 photograph the building appears, at first glance, to have been replaced by an apartment block. But closer examination shows that the ground floor façade is basically the same, while there are two additional floors above. The corners of the front of the building remain rounded at the ground floor level although door and window openings have been interchanged.

The upper image shows the cooling-room in Barter’s second Turkish bath in the Irish capital (the Dublin Hammam) at 11 and 12 Upper Sackville Street, later renamed Upper O’Connell Street. The room is two storeys high with a balcony behind which are changing cubicles above those at the ground floor level. At the far end is a large arched opening. In the main area are deck chairs and recliners, and an occasional table. There are two statues, one of which is on the balcony. The lower image shows the exterior of the building. The frontage shows a typical Georgian four storey building, previously occupied by Reynold's Hotel. The Turkish baths were built behind and adjoining the renamed Hammam Hotel.

Armoured cars outside the Hammam during the 1922 Irish Civil War. Most of the windows have been broken and the main doorway and remaining windows destroyed. Although pounded by rifles, grenades, and machine-guns from 2–5 July, those hiding inside escaped. A few hours after this photo was taken, the building was completely destroyed by shells and fire. The baths were never rebuilt. (Dublin City Library and Archive)

#onthisday 17 March—St Patrick's Day—Dr Richard Barter opened 2 Irish-Roman (Victorian Turkish) baths: in 1859, the 1st #TurkishBaths in Ireland for public use at 9 Grenville Place, #Cork; & in 1869, his 2nd #Dublin baths at Sackville—now O'Connell—St. Before & after pix +ALT 🗃️ #irishhistory #C19th

Contemporary newspaper advertisement for Le Hammam Bains Turco-Romains. Cut shows large betowelled male bather facing forwards. To his right a view of the double-galleried cooling-room overlooking the plunge pool. Beneath the illustration are the admission charges: men Fr 5.50; women Fr 10.00. A special Turkish bath for women is entered at 47 Bd Haussmann [round the corner from the men's main entrance].

Reproduction of a sepia photography by Félix Nadar of the tepidarium, a large circular, domed room with benches round the periphery. Full height keyhole arched openings lead to other parts of the baths. Bathers sit around, while some chat together.

Cut, being the main central part of a plate from Le Recueil d'Architecture, showing the two level cooling-room with low level partitioned rest cubicles, each with a couch. Halfway down the room a central plunge pool continues under a plate glass division into the tepidarium. The style of decoration is simpler than that in the London Hammam.

Exterior façade in recent years. The building seems to be seven storeys high and the interior has been gutted and converted to offices. At street level, and at the third and fourth floor levels, original keyhole shaped windows and doorways remain, with some horizontal polychromatic brickwork.

#onthisday, 16 March 1876, Le Hammam Bains Turco-Romains, the Victorian #TurkishBaths in #Paris modelled on the London Hammam, opened at 18 Rue Neuve des Mathurins. Bathers included the Prince of Wales, Toulouse-Lautrec, Oscar Wilde, & Paul Verlaine. Closed in 1954; only its façade remains. 🗃️ #C19th

Monochrome photo of the exterior of the five-storey hotel, with a HOTEL ST GEORGE sign on the roof. On the ground floor, on either side of the main entrance, are a number of shops. To the left of the main entrance is a smaller one leading to the Turkish baths, with a banner sign over.

Close up of the entrance to the Turkish baths. The baths company went into voluntary liquidation in 1913 and the baths were re-opened by The New Turkish Baths Co Ltd. Some of the original company directors were well-known local names such as S H Reece (Dairyman), R Kirkland (Baker) and MJ Blackler.

#onthisday, 16 March 1910, the #Liverpool Turkish Bath & Toilet Co Ltd opened #TurkishBaths in Lime Street below St George Hotel, opposite Lime Street Station. They comprised frigidarium, tepidarium, caldarium, and laconicum (hottest), showers & shampooing room. Destroyed in the Blitz +ALT 🗃️ #C19th

Turkish baths attendant sitting outside the hot rooms reached through three doorways designed as a 20th century take on the Islamic keyhole-shaped arch. Two bathers working up a sweat in the hot rooms.

Are internal doorways allowed on #AdoorableThursday? If so, here are three interlinked doorways to the hot rooms in the Victorian-style #TurkishBaths at Gilkes Street, Middlesbrough, opened in 1933 and, sadly, demolished in 1998. 🗃️ #C19th

The Architecture of The Afterglow: A Visit to the Harrogate Turkish Baths Steaming chambers, cold transitions, and the quiet geometry of North Yorkshire’s most storied sanctuary.

Stepped into a time machine yesterday at the Royal Turkish Baths in Harrogate. Pure Victorian opulence, steamy sanctuaries, and a plunge pool that’ll wake you right up. Feeling thoroughly revitalised. A very specific pleasure indeed. #Harrogate #TurkishBaths #SelfCare #UKTravel

A vintage postcard version from one of my photos of the super sexy Kilker Alcaraz (Mr. Leather Europe 2012) shot in Chicago, 2019.

#jacksonphotografix #gaysky #gayfineart #AIsky #vintage #homoerotica #turkishbaths #MrLeatherEurope

Diagram of hot air flow through the hot rooms, cooling as it goes until finally extracted.

Only after Tesla invented the alternating motor was it possible to efficiently ventilate Victorian #TurkishBaths.

Sepia photograph of the four storey Hotel Victoria in a busy street scene with a tram, and single decker and double decker open top buses. Demolished in the 1960s. The last sighting of the baths so far was in 1915 and it may be that they were, as were several others, originally closed ‘for the duration’, but never reopened after the war.

The hotel’s Turkish baths advertisement in the Southend Standard (1 Jun 1905) gives prices and opening hours. Tickets cost 2/- or 21/-for a book of twelve—though this had been reduced to 18/- by 1907. The baths were open from 11 am till 10 pm, and were closed on Sundays. Ladies day was on Friday.

#onthisday, 25 February 1905, Mr E A Broadhurst, owner of the Hotel Victoria in #Southend, opened the town's only #TurkishBaths in the hotel basement. 'Splendidly furnished & fitted with the latest conveniences'—there was no longer need to go to London for a Turkish. Closure date unknown. 🗃️ #C19th

Advertisement from the Aldershot Military Gazette (4 March 1882) for the Aldershot Turkish baths. They had three hot rooms, washing rooms, 1st and 2nd class dressing rooms and a large plunge. The charges ranged from 2/6 to 1/- with discounts for a dozen bought together. There were also hot and cold slipper baths at 1/6 and 1/-. Refreshments were supplied.

1/3 #onthisday, 24 February 1882, at 2.00 pm, General Sir Daniel Lysons KCB, commanding the #Aldershot Division, opened Sutherland Macdonald's Aldershot #TurkishBaths at 1 South Avenue. Sutherland also let rooms, & used one at the front to #tattoo soldiers from the nearby camp. Prior to this he had…

Advertisement from the Bridgend Chronicle (10 March 1893) for the recently opened baths which were open daily from 8 am till 8 pm. A two guinea subscription allowed unlimited baths during the year. Otherwise the charge was 2/- until 2 pm, and 1/6 afterwards. A book of 12 tickets cost 15/-, and Tuesdays were set aside for 'Ladies only'.

#onthisday, 23 February 1893, the #Neath Turkish Baths Co Ltd opened new #Turkishbaths in Alfred Street. The managers, Mr & Mrs Fraley, had previously managed those in Church Pl which closed 6 yrs earlier. Christadelphian converts were baptised in the plunge pool. The baths closed in 1912. 🗃️ #C19th

#onthisday, 23 February 1863, The #TurkishBaths for the Destitute Poor (popularly known as the People's Bath) opened at 17 Maylor Street #Cork, run by Miss Lizzie Barter & a 'committee of ladies'. Baths cost 1d or—in some cases—free. Cooling-room, 2 hot rms, & bathroom. Closed early 1890s. 🗃️ #C19th

Original drawing of Brodrick’s Baths in Cookridge Street, c.1864. In this first design, each section of the building fits perfectly with the others. The colour image shows a single-storey building, with a central section flanked by two wings, each with a small pointed dome at the end, its façade decorated with horizontal polychrome brick stripes and surmounted by a decorative parapet. The central section has a wide arched recess which frames the doorways for male and female bathers. Above this is a pointed dome; behind it two pointed saucer domes; and behind that, a much large saucer dome with a low cone-topped lantern. At the rear is a tall minaret-styled structure designed to conceal the boiler-house chimney.

Decline and fall of a design - 1. The building actually constructed, included on an early advertising poster, was severely modified. Apart from the striped façade, decorative parapet, and some domes, the building was considerably changed being smaller and simpler. The ‘minaret’ and large central saucer dome have gone, and the remaining three central domes are differently shaped and sized. The central archway is now purely decorative and there are separate entrances, for gentlemen (on the left) and ladies (on the right). The building is smaller, with five instead of six windows in each wing, and these are of a simpler, less expensive design. Finally, the absence of any boiler house flue in a building with Turkish baths, suggests that even this view is not an accurate representation of what was built.

Decline and fall of a design - 2. The more prosaic drawing on the letterhead used by the company at the time is similar to the poster image, but a plain business-like flue is clearly shown behind the central, square-based pitched roof which has replaced the saucer dome.

Decline and fall of a design - 3. In 1880, the company had to increase its income and added a second storey to provide lettable offices, leaving the building looking more or less the same as in this 1969 photo. All the domes were removed and the façade refaced so as to fit in better with its neighbours. Brodrick had not been involved, and local newspapers did not consider this an improvement! When re-opened in 1882, the first-class Turkish baths had a cooling-room with fourteen divans, a fountain ‘with a figure representing one of the naiades holding a water-lily from which a jet of water is thrown’, a plunge pool, and a gallery for smokers made possible by the addition of the second floor. There were three hot rooms at 125°F, 170°F, and 230°F, a shampooing room with four slabs, and a washing room with a variety of showers. The second-class baths were similar, but without a third hot room. Additionally, there were separate baths for women, including a mikveh 'built at the request of the Jewish community, from plans supplied by the Chief Rabbi, and used exclusively by Hebrews…'

#onthisday, 21 February 1867, the Victorian #TurkishBaths in Cookridge St, #Leeds, designed by Cuthbert Brodrick for the Oriental & General Bath Co of Leeds Ltd, was opened. The baths were purchased by Leeds Corporation in 1898, were refurbished, and remained open till 4 February 1965. +ALT 🗃️ #C19th

Advertisement in the Oxford Chronicle (2 March 1861) shortly after the bath opened 'to the Members of the University, and Public generally' giving opening hours and charges. Entrance was 2/- or 1/- according to the time of day, with shampooing an extra 6d.

Advertisement in the Oxford Chronicle (25 May 1861) announcing that the first two hours each day would now be reserved for women. There follows a testimonial from a lady praising its therapeutic capability and recommending it to other ladies.

Auctioneer’s advertisement in the Oxford Chronicle (2 March 1878) for the sale of the baths after Job Tolley's death the previous year. Lists the facilities including the Turkish baths with cooling-room and two hot rooms, showers, etc, two courts, the swimming bath 44ft x 83ft long, and a substantive house. The Bath Street frontage was 64ft with 156ft on the River Cherwell. The baths were unsold, and were presumably sold later by private treaty, but the Turkish baths never re-opened.

#onthisday, 18 February 1861, Job Tolley opened the new #TurkishBaths he had added to his 1827-built swimming baths. He later added Fives, or Racquet, courts. Prices were lower during university vacs and women had two half-days. The baths closed in 1877, about 18 months before Tolley died. 🗃️ #C19th

Monochrome photograph of the two storey Victorian Turkish baths in Mill Street which, apart from the single storey wings at each side, looks very little different from the neighbouring houses. Clearly divided into men's and women's areas, there were separate entrances, each one up a few steps. Behind the building can just be seen the top of an apex roof, probably over the swimming pool.

#onthisday, 14 February 1871, 16 years after their swimming pool opened, #Kidderminster Borough Council added #TurkishBaths. Costing £300, they initially paid their way, taking an average of £1 per week. They closed on 1 December 1932, though the swimming pool remained open till Oct. 1935. 🗃️ #C19th

The Turkish bath end of the pen factory. Although the baths were partially open to men at the end of December 1862, the formal opening of the whole baths was on 12 February following. The red doors led to the baths. A second entrance was later bricked up and converted into an extra window. Built mainly of red brick, the building is exuberantly decorated with polychrome brick chequered arches and panels, and black and white banding. According to the National Heritage List for England, ‘The building’s arcaded elevations take their inspiration from Florentine-Lombard early Renaissance palazzi with corner towers…'

Colour photo taken in 2019 behind the northern end of the building where there is a four-storey section with a tall tapered square chimney. This is next to what was originally the boiler house. It is here that Wiley decided to build his baths. The beauty of this location, from his point of view, was that fresh air could be inexpensively heated by being passed over the flues and steam pipes connecting the boiler house to the factory, and then ducted into the hot rooms.

Sepia head and shoulders portrait of William Edward Wiley, owner of the pencil and pen factory. Wiley was a public-spirited entrepreneur and offered free admittance to his Turkish baths to members of the working classes ‘on the recommendation of any Medical Gentleman.’

#onthisday, 12 February 1863, William Edward Wiley officially opened the #TurkishBaths he built next to his pen & pencil factory in the #Birmingham #JewelleryQuarter. More about it at www.victorianturkishbath.org/_6DIRECTORY/... The hot dry air was heated by excess steam from the factory. 🗃️ #C19th

Remains of a crude Victorian hypocaust. (Photo: Oxford Archaeology)

You post some really fascinating images. Here's the remains of a crude Victorian hypocaust heating one of the earliest Victorian #TurkishBaths, excavated by Oxford Archaeology in 2013. More on the baths at www.victorianturkishbath.org/_6DIRECTORY/... Pilae were unnecessary as channel was bridgeable.

#onthisday, 7 February 1875, Victorian #TurkishBaths were opened at #TunbridgeWells Bathing Establishment—Adie's Baths—which had opened in Calverley Rd the previous yr. They remained open under several managements till at least 1888 despite posh competition from Bishop's Down Hydro, 1878-87 🗃️ #C19th

Advertisement in the Freeman's Journal (5 February 1859) announcing the opening of the baths. At 4/- they were expensive, compared with 2/6 for a cabinet vapour bath. Other types of bath and prices are listed, as are opening hours for men and women. There was an additional charge of 2d for the services of an attendant and 'Ladies and Gentlemen are requested to complain to the Proprietor in case of any irregularity or want of attention, &c, on the part of the Servants.' The baths were closed on Sundays.

#onthisday, 7 February 1859, the first #Dublin #Turkishbaths opened in Temple St, a yr before Dr Barter's 1st in the city. Little known about them—even what type they were—but several owners had court cases involving them (www.victorianturkishbath.org/_6DIRECTORY/...). Final sighting 1870. 🗃️ #C19th

Colour photograph of the building taken in 2016. Striped brickwork in the lower half, topped with blue bricks, and 'oriental' style windows and an upper highly decorated layer of terracotta mouldings, the cupola, and the star and crescent. The modern buildings are best ignored.

 Monochrome postcard published by Nevill's showing the Turkish bath cooling-room. The room was divided into a series of divans, or cubicles, each of which was provided with couches, an elaborate mirror, and an occasional table. The ceiling was clad in cream tinted panels with coloured borders, and the floors were covered with soft richly patterned carpets. Around the divans were half-height walnut screens with panels of coloured leaded glass in peacock blue and gold, while the walls, beams, and columns were encased with faïence (tin-glazed earthenware) and tile-work. Even the joints were part of the design, the tiles being purpose-made in various interlocking shapes, in the Moorish manner.

#OnThisDay, 5 February 1895, City of London Alderman Treloar opened the Victorian #TurkishBaths built for Nevill's on a site by Bishopsgate Churchyard which had housed baths of various kinds since c.1817—There's a much illustrated article at www.victorianturkishbath.org/_6DIRECTORY/... +ALT🗃️ #C19th

In the event there were no problems when the Corporation borrowed money for what they called "vapour baths". Sepia photo of the wall-enclosed indoor and outdoor swimming pools and, furthest from the viewer, the Victorian Turkish baths. Behind, part of the town lies into the far distance.

Monochrome photo showing the section of the building, five windows in length, which contained the Turkish baths. Costing £1,100, the suite comprised a dressing room, 3 hot rooms, shampooing room, plunge pool, & cooling-room. The windows are covered with posters with prices, times, etc. The entrance is at the left hand end of the building. Beyond, and adjoining the Turkish baths is the grand main entrance to the baths with a tower at each side, and beyond that is the swimming pool area. A group of children standing on the road are dressed to suggest that the photo dates from the end of the 19th century.

Advertisement announcing the opening of the Turkish baths published in the **Hampshire Independent** on 3 February 1894. Prices for Gentlemen were 1/6 or 1/- according to the time of day. Monday was reserved for Ladies who were initially charged 2/-, though this was soon reduced so as to be the same as the charge for men. The baths were closed on Sundays.

#OnThisDay, 5 Feb 1894, #Southampton Corporation opened #TurkishBaths to complete their Western Shore Road Baths. Because there were no Turkish baths when the Baths & Wash-houses Act was passed, it was thought—wrongly—that local authorities were precluded from building them. Continued…+ALT 🗃️ #C19th

Coloured postcard of Glossop’s Baths and Park. In the foreground is a small lake. A hillside path leads down to a wooden bridge carrying the path over the stream connected to the lake. Behind is a white statue on a pedestal. Beyond the trees and grassy slopes lies a large churchlike building. Connected to it and standing in front as a smaller two section building, one of which is in the shape of a sexagon with a tall chimney stack servicing the boilers. In addition to the baths, the buildings also included a hospital, public library with reading room, and a hall.

#onthisday, 4 February 1889, Wood’s Baths opened in Howard Park, a Jubilee Gift to #Glossop from Samuel and Anne Kershaw Wood. There was a swimming pool, slipper baths, Russian baths, amd #TurkishBaths with their hot rooms, shampooing room, and cooling-room. The Turkish baths closed c.1958. 🗃️ #C19th