Remembering Liverpool Structures - St George’s Baths

The first baths in Liverpool were Bathing Houses built in 1756 at New Quay, with a plunge pool fed with water from the Mersey or swimmers could use steps down to the river itself, purchased by the local authority in 1794. They remained in use until 1816, when the first stone for Princes' Dock was laid. About the same time a Floating Bath was launched, on the the 11th of June 1816, privately owned it was built in the form of a ship and was moored nearly opposite George's Dock parade. The menace of cholera and Liverpool’s experiences contributed to the 1846 Baths and Wash-houses Act which set a requirement for public washing facilities and Liverpool was a pioneer in this field. Presumably this Floating Bath was used until George's Baths was opened 13 years later, the first municipal swimming pool in England. It stood in front of what is now the Port of Liverpool building and at their peak the baths were highly sophisticated. River water was diverted into a reservoir, then pumped into heating pans via a filtering apparatus using sand and charcoal.

Known as St George's/Pier Head Baths, they were Liverpool's first publicly funded baths costing £24,481, a vast amount of money at the time. In addition, when problems were found with the foundations, a further £19,178 was spent. They may have been owned by Liverpool Corporation but the price of admission was still beyond the reach of the working classes. Designed by John Foster Junior, who was also the architect of the Aintree racecourse main stand, they opened on the 8th of June 1829. There were separate pools for men ( who bathed nude until 1865 ) and women, plus private baths.

Interior view of St George's Baths (negative )

A prospectus described them as 'worthy of particular commendation from the casual or critical observer. The walls, rusticated, are finished upwards by a cornice surmounted by a parapet. The roof projects to form two piazzas and is supported by a colonnade of 18 columns. The gentlemen's baths are behind the north colonnade. The most extensive is... 45 feet by 27 feet. A spacious saloon leads to the private warm baths. In the south wing are the ladies baths of which the principal is 39 feet by 27 feet. Four private and two cold baths are annexed to this branch. A reservoir containing 800 tons of water is immediately under the building, by which means an ample supply of salubrious element will be always at hand. The structure viewed as a whole is chaste and unique, and forms a striking, tasteful addition to the architectural beauties of the town.'

The Baths Committee had intended to build new baths on an adjacent site bordered by Mann Island but war intervened in 1914 and the plans were mothballed. The Baths remained until 1906 when they were demolished and as a result there have been no baths in the city centre since. It is believed patrons wore black armbands on the final day.

see also :- http://www.thefootballvoice.com/2022/02/remembering-liverpool-structures.html