An early image of the original White Rock Baths which were, like the later baths, underneath the promenade to the left of the road. The Turkish baths were closest to the front of the image, with the boiler house on the right. An underground tunnel went under the road, somewhere just behind the woman with the pram. This continued under the shop opposite, taking the boiler fumes 350ft away to the base of a cliffside chimney, over 120ft high. The tunnel and part of the chimney survive the end of the 20th century.
The bandstand can be seen in the centre of the image. The whole of the public walking and sitting area, which forms the roof of the baths, was constructed by the Hastings and St Leonards Public Baths & Aquarium Company for the benefit of the town, for which they received a somewhat parsimonious contribution of £1,500 from the local council.
The bandstand can be seen just beyond the entrance to the baths beneath the parade, to the right of the photo at the rear.
© Malcolm Shifrin, 1991-2023