Baths and wash houses available for public use in Britain were first established in Liverpool. St. George's Pier Head salt-water baths were opened in 1828 by the Corporation of Liverpool, with the first known warm fresh-water public wash house being opened in May 1842[1] on Frederick Street.[2] Wash houses often combined aspects of public bathing and self-service laundry. The Romans, whom the Victorians often sought to emulate, had built many public baths (thermae) open to everyone, but these had long disappeared. For centuries Bath, Somerset, had retained its popularity as a health resort, while during the Georgian era and particularly after the development of the railway, entrepreneurs developed spa towns around the country, catering first to the aristocracy and then to the growing middle class. These commercial endeavours offered nothing for the working poor.
Interior of Frederick Street wash house, the first public wash house. Taken in 1914
The popularity of wash-houses was spurred by the newspaper interest in Kitty Wilkinson, an Irish immigrant "wife of a labourer" who became known as the Saint of the Slums.[3] In 1832, during a cholera epidemic, Wilkinson took the initiative to offer the use of her house and yard to neighbours to wash their clothes, at a charge of a penny per week,[1] and showed them how to use a chloride of lime (bleach) to get them clean. She was supported by the District Provident Society and William Rathbone. In 1842 Wilkinson was appointed baths superintendent.[4][5]
Illustration for Maidstone Baths opened May 1852[6][7]
In 1844, the Committee for Promoting the Establishment of Baths and Wash-Houses for the Labouring Classes was formed with the Bishop of London as president.[8] The Bishop petitioned for a bill for the regulation of public baths and in 1846 Sir George Gray introduced the bill which became the Public Baths and Wash-houses Act 1846. This was the first legislation to empower British local authorities to fund the building of public baths and wash houses.[9]
The Act was intended to encourage cities to voluntarily build such facilities and was not mandatory.[10][11]Manchester, for example, did not adopt the Act until 1876; in the following year, it purchased two large, privately owned, facilities. By the late 19th century, the city had 30 bath houses.[12]
London bathsedit
The first London public baths was opened at Goulston Square, Whitechapel, in 1847 with the Prince consort laying the foundation stone.[13][14] The building was demolished in 1989 and the site re-used to build the Women's Library in 2001, which incorporates a faux wash house frontage (Facadism).[15] A reasonably well-preserved bath house can be found in the Bathway Quarter in Woolwich, south east London.[citation needed]
^"'Slum Saint' honoured with statue". BBC News. 4 February 2010.
^Wohl, Anthony S. (1984), Endangered lives: public health in Victorian Britain, Taylor & Francis, p. 73, ISBN978-0-416-37950-1
^Rathbone, Herbert R. (1927), Memoir of Kitty Wilkinson of Liverpool, 1786–1860: with a short account of Thomas Wilkinson, her husband, H. Young & Sons
^"Baths and Wash-Houses". The Times. 22 July 1846. p. 6. Yesterday the bill, as amended by the committee, for promoting the voluntary establishment in boroughs and parishes in England and Wales of public baths and wash-houses was printed.
^"Baths and Washhouses Act". UK Parliament. 29 April 2018. Retrieved 12 January 2021.
^"'Stunning' Victorian Bathhouse Unearthed Beneath Manchester Parking Lot". Smithsonian magazine. 11 January 2021. Retrieved 12 January 2021.
^"Classified Advertising". The Times. 26 July 1847. p. 1. Model Public Baths, Goulston-square, Whitechapel. The BATHS for men and boys are now OPEN from 5 in the morning till 10 at night. Charges – first-class (two towels), cold bath 5d., warm bath 6d.; second-class (one towel), cold bath 1d, warm bath 2d. Every bath is in a private room.
Ashpitel, Arthur (1851), Observations on baths and wash-houses, pp. 2–14, JSTOR 60239734, OCLC 501833155
Metcalfe, Richard (1877), Sanitas Sanitatum et Omnia Sanitas, vol. 1, Co-operative printing company
Low, Sampson (1850), The charities of London, OCLC 5362638
External linksedit
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December 15, 2023
baths, wash, houses, britain, baths, wash, houses, available, public, britain, were, first, established, liverpool, george, pier, head, salt, water, baths, were, opened, 1828, corporation, liverpool, with, first, known, warm, fresh, water, public, wash, house,. Baths and wash houses available for public use in Britain were first established in Liverpool St George s Pier Head salt water baths were opened in 1828 by the Corporation of Liverpool with the first known warm fresh water public wash house being opened in May 1842 1 on Frederick Street 2 Wash houses often combined aspects of public bathing and self service laundry The Romans whom the Victorians often sought to emulate had built many public baths thermae open to everyone but these had long disappeared For centuries Bath Somerset had retained its popularity as a health resort while during the Georgian era and particularly after the development of the railway entrepreneurs developed spa towns around the country catering first to the aristocracy and then to the growing middle class These commercial endeavours offered nothing for the working poor Interior of Frederick Street wash house the first public wash house Taken in 1914The popularity of wash houses was spurred by the newspaper interest in Kitty Wilkinson an Irish immigrant wife of a labourer who became known as the Saint of the Slums 3 In 1832 during a cholera epidemic Wilkinson took the initiative to offer the use of her house and yard to neighbours to wash their clothes at a charge of a penny per week 1 and showed them how to use a chloride of lime bleach to get them clean She was supported by the District Provident Society and William Rathbone In 1842 Wilkinson was appointed baths superintendent 4 5 Illustration for Maidstone Baths opened May 1852 6 7 Contents 1 Regulation 2 London baths 3 Timelines 4 See also 5 References 6 Bibliography 7 External linksRegulation editPublic Baths and Wash houses Act 1846Act of Parliament nbsp Parliament of the United KingdomCitation9 amp 10 Vict c 74In 1844 the Committee for Promoting the Establishment of Baths and Wash Houses for the Labouring Classes was formed with the Bishop of London as president 8 The Bishop petitioned for a bill for the regulation of public baths and in 1846 Sir George Gray introduced the bill which became the Public Baths and Wash houses Act 1846 This was the first legislation to empower British local authorities to fund the building of public baths and wash houses 9 The Act was intended to encourage cities to voluntarily build such facilities and was not mandatory 10 11 Manchester for example did not adopt the Act until 1876 in the following year it purchased two large privately owned facilities By the late 19th century the city had 30 bath houses 12 London baths editThe first London public baths was opened at Goulston Square Whitechapel in 1847 with the Prince consort laying the foundation stone 13 14 The building was demolished in 1989 and the site re used to build the Women s Library in 2001 which incorporates a faux wash house frontage Facadism 15 A reasonably well preserved bath house can be found in the Bathway Quarter in Woolwich south east London citation needed Timelines editFirst public wash houses in Liverpool 16 Wash house Opening datePier Head 1828Frederick Street 1842 rebuilt 1854Paul Street November 1846Cornwallis Street May 1851Margaret Street 13 June 1863 with an extension in 1868Steble Street April 1874Early public wash houses in London with building costs 17 Opening Location Original cost1849 Marylebone 23 6711851 St Margaret and St John Westminster 15 0001852 St James Westminster 21 0001852 Poplar 11 5001854 St Giles and St George Bloomsbury 20 8571854 Bermondsey 16 5001855 St George Hanover Square 33 8611856 St Martin s in the Fields 21 000Other bath and wash houses The Wells and Campden Baths and Wash Houses 1888 1978 Hampstead Heath See also editBirmingham Baths Committee Self service laundry WasherwomanReferences edit a b Ashpitel 1851 pp 2 14 Metcalfe 1877 p 3 Slum Saint honoured with statue BBC News 4 February 2010 Wohl Anthony S 1984 Endangered lives public health in Victorian Britain Taylor amp Francis p 73 ISBN 978 0 416 37950 1 Rathbone Herbert R 1927 Memoir of Kitty Wilkinson of Liverpool 1786 1860 with a short account of Thomas Wilkinson her husband H Young amp Sons Metcalfe 1877 p 62 Figure 1 from Ashpitel 1851 Low 1850 p 90 Baths and Wash Houses The Times 22 July 1846 p 6 Yesterday the bill as amended by the committee for promoting the voluntary establishment in boroughs and parishes in England and Wales of public baths and wash houses was printed Baths and Washhouses Act UK Parliament 29 April 2018 Retrieved 12 January 2021 Timeline Baths amp Wash Houses Historical Archive Retrieved 12 January 2021 Stunning Victorian Bathhouse Unearthed Beneath Manchester Parking Lot Smithsonian magazine 11 January 2021 Retrieved 12 January 2021 Classified Advertising The Times 26 July 1847 p 1 Model Public Baths Goulston square Whitechapel The BATHS for men and boys are now OPEN from 5 in the morning till 10 at night Charges first class two towels cold bath 5d warm bath 6d second class one towel cold bath 1d warm bath 2d Every bath is in a private room Metcalfe 1877 p 7 The Women s Library Londonmet ac uk 26 March 2007 Archived from the original on 17 February 2011 Retrieved 10 January 2011 Metcalfe 1877 pp 66 67 Metcalfe 1877 p 41Bibliography editAshpitel Arthur 1851 Observations on baths and wash houses pp 2 14 JSTOR 60239734 OCLC 501833155 Metcalfe Richard 1877 Sanitas Sanitatum et Omnia Sanitas vol 1 Co operative printing company Low Sampson 1850 The charities of London OCLC 5362638External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Baths in the United Kingdom Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Baths and wash houses in Britain amp oldid 1161918804, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
