This card was published soon after the 1876 opening of Robert Parry's Turkish baths at 128 Duke Street, Liverpool. It seems to have been part of a mailing to Liverpool's doctors and surgeons in the hope that they might recommend the baths to their patients.

Nothing is known about Mr Lingard, but at some stage the baths became wholly owned by Parry and was the first of at least three Turkish baths which he owned in Liverpool between 1876 and 1918, when he died.

David Taylor, a visitor to our site, sent some fascinating details about Robert Parry, some of which are from his mother, Robert Parry's granddaughter. David writes:

Robert Parry was born in Bebington, Wirral, in 1839. His parents were both born in Flintshire. He was one of 8 children (2 of them died young) and seems to have been the only one to have 'made good'. His parents were labouring folk, as were his siblings.

In 1861 he was working as a barman in Liverpool. He married in Bebington in 1863 (he was then a bar manager). In 1867, when his 3rd child was born, he was living in Birkenhead as a fish dealer. He had 11 children in all, 3 dying young. In 1871 he was living in Park Lane, Liverpool, and was a licensed victualler. In 1873 he was living in Myrtle St (still a licensed victualler), but by 1881 was at 128 Duke St, and was a Turkish Baths proprietor. He was still there in 1884.

My mother (Robert's grand-daughter) used to tell me that Robert became a lay preacher, and would go around Liverpool chasing his sons out of pubs! I was disinclined to believe this, but have since learned that his eldest daughter twice married in Baptist chapels (the 2nd time after being widowed)—which might make the story a little more plausible.

This item is from the collection of the Victorian Turkish Baths Project