(Victoria) Baths: Promenade Southport

NEW BATHS FOR SOUTHPORT - The new baths about to be erected on the site of the late Victoria Baths, Promenade, will be on a more extensive scale than these were. The accommodation will be as follows:  Gentlemen's Department. First class tepid swimming bath 76 feet by 30 feet; second class ditto, 61 feet by 27 feet; first class cold plunge bath 46 feet by 26 feet; five first class private baths, each with two dressing rooms. and shower and douche bath and water closet attached; two first class private medicated bathrooms; twelve second class private baths. Ladies Department: First class tepid swimming bath 66 feet by 280 feet; second class ditto, 50 feet by 26 feet; first class cold plunge bath 27 feet by 14 feet; seven first class private baths, double as for gentlemen; two first class private medicated bath-rooms; eight second class private baths. The whole of the baths will be on the ground floor, and will be lighted by top-lights and ventilated. The entrance or principal front will be towards the Promenade, the centre being two-storied. The style of architecture is Palladio-Italian and the material externally red brick and stone. The directors have arranged to provide Turkish baths. The architects are Messrs Horton and Bridgford of Manchester and the engineer is Mr Charles H Beloe of Liverpool. [Builder 19 February 1870 Page 154]

SOUTHPORT NEW BATHS - In the baths to be erected on the site of the late Victoria Baths, Promenade Southport, the accommodation will be most complete. The whole of the baths will be on the ground floor, the ticket office with separate entrances for ladies and gentlemen, and separate spacious corridors for each class on each side respectively. A flight of stairs at the back of the office, and leading from the gentlemen=s first-class corridor, conducts to a board room, with retiring room and lavatory adjoining; and a second flight of stairs from the landing conducts to the flat on the high pitched roof. The length of the front is 197 feet, and consists of the two-storeyed centre divided into three bays, the middle bay being pierced by the office window, while the side bays form the entrances which are pedimented and have entablatures carried on coupled detached columns. The centre of the second storey is brought forward with coupled three-quarter columns carrying entablature and segmental pediment, the sides being finished with coupled pilasters and quoins. The bays on this floor are pierced by the three windows to the board room, which are circular headed and finished with stone dressings. A high pitched roof, created with ornamental ironwork, with raised centre, and carrying the lead flat before-mentioned, surmounts the whole. The side walls of the second-class swimming baths flank the centre right and left, and are arcaded on the outside, with stone archivolts, imposts and bases, coupled pilasters between arches, broad quoins on each external angle, and surmounted by a stone entablature and balustrading. The style of architecture is Palladio-Italian, and the material externally red brick and stone. The architects are Messrs Horton and Bridgford of Manchester; the engineer, Mr Charles H Beloe, of Liverpool. [The Architect 19 February 1870 page 96]

SOUTHPORT - Baths are now in course of erection by the Southport Baths and Assembly Room Company Limited at Southport. The material externally is Burnley Pierrepoint facing, with Longridge stone dressings. The whole of the baths will be on the ground floor, and will be well lighted by top-lights. All the internal walls will be plastered, and the first-class swimming baths arcaded with moulded caps and architraves. The principals of the large roof are cast iron, elliptical in form, cast in two pieces and will spring from moulded corbels at level of pilaster caps. The stairs at back of office lead to a board-room, 40 feet by 20 feet, with retiring rooms and lavatory adjoining; and a mezzanine floor is formed between this and the ground floor. The whole will be opened for public use by May next, and the total cost, including engineer’s work, will be about £23,000. Messrs Horton and Bridgford, of Manchester, are the architects; Mr H C Beloe, of Liverpool, is the engineer; and the contract has been let to Messrs Swindells and Little of Manchester. [Building News 2 December 1870 page 419]

Reference    Manchester Guardian Saturday 4 December 1869 Page1 - Prospectus
Reference    Builder 19 February 1870 Page 154
Reference    The Architect 19 February 1870 page 96
Reference    Manchester Guardian, 21 May 1870 Page 8 & 24 May 1870 Page 1- contracts
Reference    Builder 25 June 1870 Page 514 (Tenders)
Reference    Builder 26 November 1870 Page 946, 947 and 949 including perspective and plans
Reference    Building News 2 December 1870 page 419
Reference    Hartwell Lancashire North page 633