It is not yet known when this Turkish bath was opened. It was
certainly open in 1864 as it was mentioned in local newspaper
quoting from a recently published book.
The author, Senior Physician to the Royal Infirmary for Diseases of
the Chest, writes that the bath 'proves of great service both to the sick
and the healthy' and recommends it for consideration by all workhouse
managers.
The writer goes on to praise Mr. Kendall, the Medical Officer to the Lynn
Workhouse, who, he claims, was responsible for introducing the first hot
air bath 'for the benefit of the poor in the manner described'.
If this is correct, then the Turkish bath must have been installed
early in 1863 (or even before then) as it is known that the workhouses at
Fermoy and Lismore both had such baths by then.
It is possible that the author was unaware of the baths in Ireland and
really meant that the Turkish bath at King's Lynn was the first to be
installed in a workhouse in England.
Further research is needed
here, not only to determine when the baths were actually opened, but how
they were used and how long
they survived.