7: Publicly
funded Turkish baths
The
building of publicly funded Turkish baths began warily. Some local
government officers argued that such funding was not permitted under
the provisions of the Baths and Wash-houses Acts, while political
opponents pointed out that in any case the acts were permissive rather
than mandatory.
In
Southampton the
Local Government Board,
would
not allow the Council to borrow money for the erection of Turkish
baths, as they said they had no power to do so, but the Town Council
found a way out of the difficulty, and they applied for a loan for £1,000
for vapour baths; these were Turkish baths under another name, and, as
is well known, the work was subsequently carried out.
Southampton
was not the only authority to argue with more common sense than
accuracy, that the Turkish bath was only a type of vapour bath and, as
such, was specifically allowed under the Acts.
Among
the first local authorities to dip their toes in the hot air were
Bradford Corporation whose Sanitary, Baths and Cemetery Committee
built a Turkish baths establishment in Thornton Road in 1865,
and the Ashton-under-Lyne Corporation, whose Baths Committee
incorporated a suite of Turkish baths within their new Public Baths in
Henry Square five years later. Both committees seemed pleased with the
results. In 1867, for example, the Bradford establishment
provided 1,812 Turkish baths at 6d each, and 3,350 at 3d each—a
total of £174. 7. 0. for the year. While, in 1879, Ashton
provided for 4,914 bathers.
In
the early 1870s, Richard Metcalfe served as a member of Paddington
Vestry. He advocated the adoption of the Baths and Wash-houses Acts in
Paddington, and urged that Turkish baths should have their rightful
place in such publicly funded provision. Single-handed, he wrote to
every Turkish bath proprietor known to him (in addition to medical
officers of health, clergymen, and national politicians) asking for
their support. The replies he received give us a sharp, and unusual,
insight into the typical middle-class view, frequently patronising, of
the needs of members of the Victorian working-class."Paddington
Vestry"
"In
1874, when the Paddington decided not to include a Turkish bath in
their new bathing and washing facilities, Metcalfe resigned. The
vestry did, however, agree to reserve space for one in case their
decision were to be reversed at a later date. Paddington’s Turkish
baths, though still open today, were not built until 1929.
Tracing
the history of local authority establishments is greatly helped by the
existence of committee minutes which frequently provide useful
information about running costs, wages, and usage statistics.
8:
Turkish baths for special needs
