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Tuesday 3 March 2009

Old Swimming Baths


Here is a photo of the iconic Old Baths in Henry Square, Ashton, opened in 1870. We saw this building in last week's Sky Watch, but it is seen here from a different angle.

This is a side view of the building. This eastern end of the building contained private bathrooms, Turkish baths and a small pool for the use of female bathers. During the winter months, when the main pool was closed, the smaller pool was used by men and women at different times.

The 120 foot high tower can be seen in the background.

See Google Aerial View of this location.
See LiveSearch Birds Eye View of this location.

5 comments:

  1. Many of us remember the big yellow letters spelling "EWS" and an arrow pointing to the Ashton Canal. Them were t'days.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Martin,

    1870 not 1820

    ReplyDelete
  3. The local gypsies weren't too pleased when I started using the private bathrooms that Martin mentions - peg sales in our street fell through the floor.

    A shilling (5p) bought you an hotel-style piece of soap and the use of a bath and towel - squeaky clean for a bob.

    Another faded memory that the photo brings to mind is of a pub - the Bath & Junction (or Junction & Bath?) - not a million miles from that end of the baths. From memory, it was just a terraced house with the ground floor dividing wall knocked through, a bar at the back and a few old sofas to sit on. It mustn't have been a memorable pint though, as I only ever had the one in there.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Thanks for that. Gillian. Slip of the figners, I'm afraid!

    ReplyDelete
  5. This makes the old swimming pool that has just closed here look positively modern and faceless.

    ReplyDelete

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