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@victurk.bsky.social Oct 3, 2026, 1:25 PM

#onthisday, 3 Oct 1896, William Morris died. Morris, Arts and Crafts movement textile designer, poet, artist, writer, and socialist activist, was a regular frequenter of Victorian #TurkishBaths with his friends Luke Ionides, Philip Webb, & Edward Burne-Jones (who drew these caricatures). 🗃️ #C19th

Lying prone, Morris is being shampooed on his back.

Lying on his back, Morris is being shampooed.

@victurk.bsky.social Oct 3, 2026, 11:35 AM

#onthisday, 3 October 1863, Dr Charles H Shepard added Victorian #TurkishBaths to his hydropathic 'sanitorium' at No.63 Columbia Street, #Brooklyn Heights, #NewYork &, in doing so, opened the first Turkish bath in the USA. www.victorianturkishbath.org/_2HISTORY/At.... The baths closed 1913.🗃️ #C19th

Engraving showing the front of the baths building. Originally the baths occupied only No. 63 Columbia Street (on the left of the building), but in 1867 a new Men's bath was opened next door at No. 65, while the original baths at No. 63 were converted for use by women.

Illustrated cover of a booklet, 'Rheumatism and its treatment by Turkish baths' published by Dr Shepard in 1892.

@victurk.bsky.social Oct 3, 2026, 11:28 AM

#onthisday, 3 Oct 1870, Dr Richard Barter died aged 68. An Irish physician, he built the 1st experimental Victorian #TurkishBaths at his St Ann's Hydro, realising David Urquhart's 30 yr dream of reintroducing the bath to the Br Isles. Barter associated with 9+ Tbs in Ireland, & 1 in London. 🗃️ #C19th

Dr Richard Barter, shortly before his death, standing next to the entrance to the latest of the Turkish baths built at St Ann's.

Portrait bust of Dr Barter by his namesake, the sculptor and architect Richard Barter, who designed all of the doctor's Victorian Turkish baths in Ireland, as well as the one in London.

@victurk.bsky.social Oct 2, 2026, 3:33 PM

#onthisday, 1 October 1876, the Imperial Bath Company opened a Victorian #TurkishBaths at the rear of the Hollman House Hotel at 7 W 24th St, #NewYork, NY. Hot rooms, marble shampooing room, with "various showers, and the needle-bath", dressing and cooling-rooms for men and women. 🗃️ #C19th

@victurk.bsky.social Oct 2, 2026, 3:32 PM

#onthisday, 1 October 1860, Dr Barter opened #TurkishBaths for the Working Classes at 43 Little Donegal St, #Belfast. They were actually 2nd Class baths attached to the 1st Class baths opening on 1 November, but entered from 112 Donegal St. www.victorianturkishbath.org/_6DIRECTORY/... +ALT 🗃️ #C19th

Advertisement for the baths shortly after they opened, detailing opening hours and charges. While the baths were never advertised as Turkish Baths for the Working Classes, this is how they were popularly known, possibly because they opened before the first class baths. Newspapers initially referred to them as such, and when Barter opened similar baths in Maylor Street, Cork, they were officially called Turkish Baths for the Destitute Poor and, more popularly as The People's Turkish Baths. (M'Comb's Guide to Belfast: the Giant's Causeway and adjoining districts of Antrim and Down…, 1861)

In 1892 the baths were bought by John North (who had previously purchased Barter's Upper Sackville Street baths in Dublin). He rebuilt them (image above) and renamed them the Belfast Hammam. Under further owners, they remained open till 1936 and were demolished ten years later. (Image courtesy the Belfast Telegraph)

@victurk.bsky.social Sep 30, 2026, 10:21 PM

#onthisday, 30 September 1800, was born architect Decimus Burton (son of James Burtonm, designer & founder of St Leonards-on-Sea). Decimus owned 5 shares in the company which built its #TurkishBaths (victorianturkishbath.org/_6DIRECTORY/...). The baths failed but (now) Listed bldg remains. 🗃️ #C19th

The Turkish baths building on a card posted in 1907. The photograph would have been taken some years previously, probably soon after Uplands School completed the building of their swimming pool in 1871. (Photo: Castro collection)

Photo I took of all that remains of the Turkish baths building in 2006, shortly after it failed to find a buyer at auction. It was later sold more than once.

@victurk.bsky.social Sep 30, 2026, 10:03 PM

#onthisday, 30 September 1868, James Bryning opened the #Surrey #TurkishBaths at 191 Blackfriars Road, London. More about the image (with link to more about the baths) at www.victorianturkishbath.org/6DIRECTORY/A... The baths closed in 1888, becoming site 4 the New Surrey Chapel & Schools. 🗃️ #C19th

Contemporary photo of exterior of the baths with three men and a small girl at the door. (Photo courtesy of 'Paul')

Advertisement for the baths in the South London Press (2 January 1869) shortly after their opening, with charges and times.

@victurk.bsky.social Sep 26, 2026, 4:26 PM

#onthisday, 26 Sept 1929, Paddington Borough Council added the wonderful Art Deco #TurkishBaths to the Porchester Baths. A proposal that Paddington Vestry include them in their 1874 baths bldg was unsuccessful although they did agree to set aside space for them—a wait of only 56 years. +ALT 🗃️ #C19th

This baths building is the only one in the world with a direct entrance from the street, through a heat-locked lobby directly into a Turkish baths cooling-room, shown here with its original sign. Since refurbishment and outsourcing, the council refuses to indicate this unique entrance with its original sign, or a replica. Instead the new sign suggests that the entrance is to (a non-existant) "Porchester Spa". So much for a council's respect for its unique historic entrance.

Part of the cooling room with a gallery overlooking the plunge pool.

Poster for the baths produced shortly after its opening in 1929.

Part of a leaflet dating from when the Turkish baths were run by the City of Westminster itself.

@victurk.bsky.social Sep 26, 2026, 4:00 PM

#onthisday, 25 September 1859, Frederick S Rawnsley, Sec. of the St Peter's Foreign Affairs Committee in #Leeds, and Mgr of #TurkishBaths in St Peter's Square, opened his own establishment in Wade Lane. Surviving under several owners for almost 60 years, this early bath closed in 1916. +ALT 🗃️ #C19th

Advertisement in the Leeds Times (17 September 1859) announcing the forthcoming opening of Rawnsley's new bath, below which is an advertisement for Rawnsley's original baths, now under new ownership. Both men were Foreign Affairs Committeemen, and the dispute between the two also had political ramifications. More at https://victorianturkishbath.org/3TOPICS/AtoZArts/Porticos/pix/StPeters_w.htm

@victurk.bsky.social Sep 24, 2026, 9:38 PM

#onthisday, 24 September 1927, #Bermondsey opened its £150,000 Grange Road Baths. Some papers lammed the council for providing 'luxurious' #TurkishBaths on the rates as they were well fitted out for a local authority facility. Gay friendly. Closed 1973—"structural defects". Demolished 1975. 🗃️ #C19th

Main frontage of the baths building in Grange Road, just south of the Thames.

Plan of part of the basement which housed the Turkish baths. These comprised three hot rooms, plunge bath, shower room, shampooing room fitted for two shampooers, and provided with the usual shampoo slabs and bowls. There was also a complementary steam room.

The carpeted cooling-room at the baths, with loungers, tables and chairs, and thirteen cubicles, each containing a couch and small table, etc.

A still from a 1930s Bermondsey Council film 'Where there's life there's soap' promoting their Turkish baths. Can be viewed online, courtesy Wellcome Collection at https://wellcomecollection.org/works/zrgauwtq

@victurk.bsky.social Sep 23, 2026, 12:17 PM

#onthisday, 23 September 1889, died author Wilkie Collins, advised by his friend and doctor, Francis Carr Beard, to visit #TurkishBaths for his health. He wrote to his mother, 'excellent shampoos and great care in attendance.' (Thanks to @paullewismoney.bsky.social) 🗃️ #C19th

Caricature of Wilkie Collins (1824-1889) by Adriano Cecioni. Caption read "The Novelist who invented Sensation".

@victurk.bsky.social Sep 20, 2026, 1:15 PM

#onthisday, 20 September 1909, #Carlisle quietly opened #TurkishBaths in James St. Victorian-designed by City Surveyor Percy Dalton—later erected by local builder Wm Johnstone. It's now Grade II Listed. www.victorianturkishbath.org/_6DIRECTORY/… Closed 2022, but active campaign to reopen. 🗃️ #C19th

Early photograph of the changing cubicles and plunge bath in the cooling-room

Detail of the wonderful glazed faïence corbels and tilework

Plan of the three hot rooms, and the shampooing room with its needle douche

From Twitter page of the campaigning group, Friends of Carlisle Victorian & Turkish Baths. Please do visit the page (and one of the organised visits to the baths) and please support the Friends. The baths may have been quietly opened, but when they are re-opened it will be much much louder!

@victurk.bsky.social Sep 16, 2026, 9:32 AM

#onthisday, 16 September 1868, #Hobart Town Turkish Bath Co Ltd, encouraged by John Le Gay Brereton (who introduced the bath in #Australia), opened #TurkishBaths on the corner of Collins & Harrington Streets. Scene of an unusual incident in 1870 www.victorianturkishbath.org/_7CHARIVARI/... 🗃️ #C19th

Detail of the single storey Turkish baths building. (Courtesy of the State Library Of Tasmania)

Outer cover of booklet published in 1869. Front titled 'The Turkish Bath: a Lecture given by J[ohn] Le Gay Brereton, MD…'. The back comprises an advertisement for the Hobart Turkish bath, with several testimonials.

@victurk.bsky.social Sep 16, 2026, 9:23 AM

#onthisday, 16 September 1886, #TurkishBaths were opened at the St Petersgate Public Baths in #Stockport. Hot rooms 135°, 175°, & 260° F, shampooing room, & cooling-room. Stained glass windows and gas-lit by night. JC Prestwich of Leigh beat 90 other architects in competition. Closed 1993. 🗃️ #C19th

Photo of the façade of the public baths building. Mainly two storey with smaller central third storey. Built in free "Queen Anne" style, with Ruabon bricks and terracotta dressings. Arched windows.

@victurk.bsky.social Sep 11, 2026, 1:32 PM

#onthisday, 11 Sept 1860, Foreign Affairs Committeeman Roger Evans—who'd earlier that yr opened London's 1st Victorian #TurkishBaths in Bell St—had to open larger one in Golden Square. Closed 1866—bldg to be Hosp for Throat Diseases extn (RNENT). www.victorianturkishbath.org/_2HISTORY/At... 🗃️ #C19th

Typographic advertisement for Evans' Turkish Baths, managed by another Foreign Affairs Committeeman, John Johnson, who went on to manage the Jermyn Street Hammam.

Handwritten accounts for the first 16 weeks of Roger Evans’s Turkish baths in Golden Square. (Wellcome Library)

Advertisement for both of Evans's Turkish baths from the Weekly Register and Catholic Standard (20 Oct 1860) published shortly after the Golden Square baths opened.

@victurk.bsky.social Sep 10, 2026, 8:40 AM

#onthisday, 10 September 1927, the London borough of #Woolwich opened Public Baths including #TurkishBaths in Plumstead High Street. Hot rooms at 150°, 180° & 220°F, steam rm, shampooing rm with 2 Sicilian marble slabs, plunge, needle & shower baths, & oak-panelled cooling-rm. Closure date? 🗃️ #C19th

Typographic cover of a booklet 'Turkish and Russian vapour baths: their uses and advantages' which was a 1928 reprint with illustrations of the original 1927 version.

Photograph of the entrance to the Turkish baths, with a star and crescent roundel above the central sign.

The shampooing room with two slabs and a needle shower.

The Turkish baths refreshments menu included a cup of tea for 2d., a cup of Bovril (very popular) at 3d., or a poached egg on toast for 6d.

@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