explore | Grilled Cheese

@victurk.bsky.social Sep 9, 2026, 9:39 AM

#onthisday, 9 Sep 1893, #Batley Corpn's Baths were formally opened after the #Turkishbaths completed. 1st hot room (150°) seated 14 bathers & 2nd (200°) seated 6. Cooling-room had 6 "apartments" with couches, mirror, &c. Shampooing room, showers & needle douche. Also a cabinet vapour bath. 🗃️ #C19th

Postcard showing the exterior of the baths in Cambridge Street, with four children in the foreground.

Advertisement from the Batley News (24 November 1893) giving charges from 27th November 1893. No earlier ads giving the charges have so far been found, so it's not clear if earlier charges have been raised or, more likely, lowered. They cost 1/- from Monday to Thursday, and 6d on Friday and Saturday. They were open to women (at the higher price!) on Wednesday from noon till closing time.

@victurk.bsky.social Sep 7, 2026, 11:27 AM

#onthisday, 7 Sep 1906, #Manchester Corporation opened Victoria baths, incl one of the corp's 5 Victorian or Victorian-style #TurkishBaths . Closed in 1993. Now a community centre run by victoriabaths.org.uk. History: victorianturkishbath.org/_6DIRECTORY/AtoZEstab/England/ManHiS/1MHSEng.htm 🗃️ #C19th

Corner of the cooling-room with changing/relaxation cubicles (Photo: Manchester City Libraries)

A view through the hot rooms (Photo: Manchester City Libraries)

The shampooing room (Photo: Manchester City Libraries)

Protesters marching to save the Victoria Baths, Hathersage Road, Manchester, in 1993. (Photographer unknown)

@victurk.bsky.social Sep 7, 2026, 9:39 AM

#onthisday, 7 Sept 1903, the Midland Railway Company opened its Midland Hotel in #Manchester (designed by Charles Trubshaw) with #TurkishBaths in the basement. Very little is known about them or their closing date but, judging by other original rooms, they must have been luxurious. +ALTs 🗃️ #C19th

Exterior of the hotel (Photo: Brian Lomas)

Advertisement from the Manchester Courier (27 April 1909). An article in the same issue notes that the baths were "open night and day".

Advertisement in the Manchester Guardian (14 March 1925) announcing changed days when baths were open for women. Presumably any travelling woman wanting to stay overnight had to plan her itinerary carefully if she wanted to use the Turkish bath. More likely the baths were open to Manchester's residents also.

@victurk.bsky.social Sep 5, 2026, 11:48 AM

#onthisday, 5 Sept 1884, #Whitehaven #TurkishBaths opened—the 1st in the world to be lit by electricity using Swan's Incandescent Lamps as in Armstrong's nearby #Cragside. 3 hot rooms, salt water plunge, needle douche, shampooing & cooling-room. www.victorianturkishbath.org/_6DIRECTORY/... 🗃️ #C19th