Cooling-rooms at Charles Bartholomew's baths
in Birmingham and the City of Bath
Bartholomew created a 'brand image' for his establishments very early on. The supporting posts, the painted glass panels, the gas lights on the wall, and the recliners; all would be instantly recognisable in any of his Turkish baths.
It is of some interest, therefore, to compare the artist's drawing of the Birmingham bath (dating from around the mid-1880s) of which we have no photograph, with a photograph of the cooling-room in the City of Bath establishment (probably taken in the first years of the 20th century).
I am most grateful to Norman Ashfield for the photograph of Bartholomew's Turkish Baths
at 2 Edgar Buildings, and for being the first to encourage me in my research into the history
of the Victorian Turkish bath.
This page enlarges an image or adds to the information found below:
Bartholomew's Turkish Baths: George Street: Bath
Sources for a history. Part 4: Some early publications
Women and the Victorian Turkish bath. Part 1: introduction
Victorian Turkish Baths: their origin, development, and gradual decline
Comments and queries are most welcome and can be sent to:
malcolm@victorianturkishbath.org
The right of Malcolm Shifrin to be identified as the author of this work
has been asserted by him
in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988
© Malcolm Shifrin, 1991-2023