Building Name

Blackfriars Road Public Baths Salford

Date
1878 - 1880
Street
Blackfriars Road
District/Town
Richmond Hill, Salford
County/Country
GMCA, England
Architect
Client
Borough of Salford
Work
New Build
Status
Demolished 1970s
Contractor
John Wilkinson

These were the first public baths built by Salford Corporation construction being commenced in March 1879. They stood on the corner of Blackfriars Street and Richmond Street and included 35 private warm baths (22 male and 13 female) with a large swimming bath for males, 75 feet by 24 feet, and a ladies swimming bath 32 feet by 16 feet. Demolished in 1970's. Not to be confused with the Manchester Swimming Club Baths adjoining the Racquets Club.

The site chosen for the baths is a vacant piece of land at the junction of Blackfriars Street and Richmond Street, a situation that will meet the convenience of the inhabitants of the central parts of Salford and of Lower Broughton. The design shows a structure that will be an ornament to the locality. The front elevation is towards Blackfriars Street, and it is treated in what is known as the Queen Anne style. The material used is deep red brick with terra cotta ornaments and stone dressings. In height the frontage is 40 feet and 86 feet long, and the building will extend backwards about 130 feet. There are to be two principal entrances - one for men and the other for women, - and the ante rooms are necessarily in duplicate. There is, first of all, the vestibule, and this conducts the visitor into the waiting hall, whence access is gained to the baths on the ground and upper floors. On the men's side a corridor leads to the plunge baths. This is a spacious room, lighted from the roof. The extent of the water area will be 80 feet by 24 feet and the depth will vary from 3 feet 6 inches to 6 feet. About 50 dressing boxes are provided. The women's plunge bath is to be 31 feet by 16 feet in water area; the greatest depth will be 5 feet and the least 3 feet. An ample number of slipper baths is provided for. On the upper storey overlooking Blackfriars Street are to be placed the first class baths - seven for women and eight for men. Around a gallery projecting slightly over the plunge baths there are to be constructed sixteen second class baths for men. The women=s second class baths , twelve in number, are situated on the ground floor. As at present arranged, the boilers and heating apparatus will be placed at the Raveld Street end of the premises. A residence for the superintendent of the baths forms part of the plan. [Manchester Guardian 27 June 1878 page 5].

PUBLIC BATHS, SALFORD, LANCASHIRE - The Corporation Public Baths which have been erected in Blackfriars Street were formally opened by the Mayor, Alderman Robinson, on the 9th inst. The building has a frontage of 71 ft., and extends backwards 131 ft. to Ravald-street. The arrangements are - at the entrances, for ticket-office and waiting-rooms, separate for gentlemen and ladies. The men's plunge-bath has a water space of 81 by 24 ft., the one end being 3 ft. 8 in. deep to the water-line, and the other 6 ft. 6 in. The ladies' swimming-bath has a water space of 32 ft. by 16 ft., and the depth varies from 3 ft. to 4 ft. 6 in. The side walls to each bath are lined with enamelled white bricks, and the bottom with 6 in. by 6.in. white glazed Minton tiles. There is also a galvanised handrail for the convenience of bathers fixed above the water-line, and also spittoons fixed to the sides, which answer for the overflow. Also at each end of the plunge- bath there is a water spray which comes out of the perforated handrail. The side of the plunge-baths have a moulded concrete coping, with inverted channelling to carry away the dripping water from the bathers; and this is covered with a lattice wooden flooring, which gives access to the side dressing-boxes, of which there are fifty in number to men's and twelve to women's plunge-baths. Each dressing-box is 4 ft. by 3 ft., and formed with wooden partitions, 7 ft. high, and contains seat and looking-glass. There are also a foot-bath, for the washing of feet, supplied with hot and cold water, in each of the plunge-baths, and likewise a shower-bath. On the ground-floor there are twelve slipper-baths second class, for women, and also shower-baths and on the first or upper floor twelve slipper-baths, which are fitted up little superior, and marked first class. There are also on the men's side of the building eight slipper-baths, marked first class; and on the overhanging gallery to men's plunge-bath sixteen slipper-baths. This gallery has a good feature with it, and is well constructed. It is supported on cast-iron columns, with cantilevers, floriated spandrels, and brackets, in the centre of which is introduced the crest of the corporation. The soffit or ceiling of this floor is formed with the joisting being wrought on all sides, and also the flooring-boards, which all visible, also the wrought-iron girders; and these combined denote the mode of construction. The front of the gallery is surmounted with a balustrade, handrail, and newel-post, the whole being of polished birch. The access from the ground-floor to the first floor is approached by stone steps and landings, the staircases having ornamental cut-iron balusters and polished birch handrails. There are also ceiling-lights heavily moulded and having a marginal perforated zinc panel round same, and these give light and serve as ventilators to both staircase and private baths. The entrance-halls are laid with encaustic tiles by Faulkner, of Manchester. The basement contains two boilers of 25-horse power each, and these generate the steam required, which boils the water for washing (towels) purposes, and supplies hot water for slipper baths, and the warming of plunge-baths. This latter has had special consideration by the borough engineer, Mr. Jacob, and is said be a great success. The circulation of the water is conveyed through 9 inch cast-iron pipes along arched subways, the crown of which forms the pathway round the plunge-baths and the floor of the dressing-boxes. Attached to the boilers there is chimney rising 90 ft. above the street level, with square base and octagonal shaft. Also there is a drying- stove for linen, fitted up by Thomas & Taylor, Salford, and the requisite wash-tubs and cold water. These are also fitted with steam-jets, to boil the water when required. The roof is formed with wrought-iron principals, wood louvres, and iron purlins, and the ceiling plastered to raking line. The interior walls are faced with stock bricks to the plunge-baths, and the remaining walls are plastered, and have moulded cornices. The front of the building is designed in the style of the Queen Anne period, and is faced with red Ruabon bricks and moulded terra-cotta from the same locality, the windows having quaint appearance by being in small squares above the transoms, and form the ventilators, the whole being glazed with cathedral tinted glass. The middle portion of the front elevation has a moulded cornice of bricks, with iron gutter, and the gables on each side have a heavily-moulded stone cornice, filled in with ornamental terra-cotta panelling.

The cost of the building is about £10,000, the contractor being Mr. John Wilkinson, of Pendleton; the ironwork and pipe circulation by Messrs. Barningham, of Pendleton; the decoration and painting by Mr. Cook, of Salford; the general arrangement and supervision by the borough engineer (Mr. A. Jacob) ; the architectural work by Messrs. Brockbank & Wormall, of the engineers department; and the whole has been carried out under the superintendence of Mr. John Handford, clerk of works for the Corporation. [Builder 26 June 1880 page 807]

Reference        Manchester Guardian Saturday 22 June 1878 Page 9 (Contracts)
Reference        Manchester Guardian 27 June 1878 page 5
Reference        British Architect 28 June 1878 Page 305
Reference        Manchester Guardian 2 April 1879 page 3]
Reference        Salford Weekly Courier 1 May 1880 Page 3
Reference        Manchester Guardian 10 June 1880 page 7 - opening
Reference        Salford Weekly Courier 12 June 1880 Page 3 Column 7
Reference        Supplement to Manchester Courier 12 June 1880 page 6
Reference        Manchester Guardian 17 June 1880 page 5 - usage
Reference        Slater's Directory. Topographical 1903
Reference        Building News 7 May 1880 page 556
Reference        Building News 18 June 1880 page 728-729
Reference        Builder 26 June 1880 page 807