Its One Ull of a History- Part 60 Hull public baths and wash houses At least three baths were in use in Hull in the early 19th century: in Bond Street, in Dock Street, and on the bank of the Humber. The last of these stood at a point later called Bath Place and now covered by railway yards. The Humber baths were built shortly before 1805, when there were separate cold, warm, and swimming baths. In 1831 there were two bathing establishments there, with hot, cold, tepid, and vapourized water. In 1844 the Hull Public Bath Company was formed and it constructed baths in the same locality, perhaps replacing the old ones. The companys baths had been closed for some years before the ground was bought by the corporation in 1866. The corporation first decided to provide baths , They were to be at the waterworks, but it is not known whether the plan was in fact carried out. When, however, the new waterworks were built at Stoneferry in 1845, baths were certainly included. Although extensively used, the baths were distant from the town and in 1850 the corporation built new ones in Trippett Street, designed by David Thorp. These included individual baths for men and women, vapour baths, a womens plunge bath, a mens swimming bath, and a laundry. They were closed in 1903 and the building was later used as a telephone exchange. The building, which still stands, is nine bays long and incorporates red and cream brick as well as stone. The centre and two end bays break forward and contain the entrances. There is a Doric order to the ground floor and an Ionic to the first floor, all linked by round-headed arcading in which the doors and windows are placed. On each of the end bays the shaped parapet has spiked ball finials. The most striking feature of the building is its tall campanile, designed to contain the chimney and air-extract flues; it terminates in a stonebracketed and modillion cornice and an arcaded parapet. Baths were next opened in 1885, in Madeley Street, and 1898, in Holderness Road (the East Hull baths). The Beverley Road baths followed in 1905, with separate baths for men, women, and boys, and in 1908 the Newington baths were opened in Albert Avenue, on the site of the former Newington Water Companys works. All four included slipper baths; and all but those in Albert Avenue were covered baths. Electro-medical and vapour baths were added at Beverley Road in 1927, and covered baths were built at Albert Avenue in 1933. The East Park Lido was opened in 1964. A pond in the park had been used for open-air swimming before the First World War, and a second, for girls, was added in the 1920s; both these fell out of use in 1949. There are also two public wash-houses: in St. Pauls Street, together with slipper baths, opened in 1928, and in Hessle Road, opened in 1935.
Posted on: Fri, 25 Jul 2014 07:57:37 +0000
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