Jones' first visit to a Turkish bath

Benjamin Bell produced two versions of this gently humorous advertising booklet of caricatures. The first was printed, and given away to customers of the Grosvenor Turkish Baths in Buckingham Palace Road, some time between 1879 and 1883, when these were the only baths he owned.

The second version was produced later, some time between 1883 and 1889. During this period he also owned the Wool Exchange Baths in Basinghall Street and he added the addesses of both these establishments to the second caricature in the series, originally captioned: Come & have a Turkish Bath!   Apart from the differing covers, this was the only change made.

For a short period around 1886, Bell also owned the Terminus Baths in Railway Approach but no copy of the booklet has so far come to light which refers to this establishment.

The earlier version is in the large private collection of Amoret Tanner, and the later one is in the John Johnson Collection of Ephemera at the Bodleian Library.

Thank you icon

 

Julie Anne Lambert for valuable assistance in locating information and material

Amoret Tanner for her images

This page enlarges an image or adds to the information found below:

The Grosvenor Turkish Baths

The Wool Exchange Turkish Baths

Performance in the raw. Part 4: the ritual of the towels

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Victorian Turkish Baths: their origin, development, and gradual decline

 
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