Dr Barter died on 3 October 1870 and The Hammam, as part of his estate, passed to his eldest son, Mr Richard Barter, who wisely retained Walsh as manager. Although Richard Barter’s main interest was in agriculture and the farm at St Ann’s—he was later knighted for services to Irish agriculture—he still kept a close watch on the Turkish bath establishments and was not slow to make improvements, even to The Hammam which was barely two years old.

At the beginning of 1871, an additional set of baths was opened adjoining the original ones which were now to be redecorated and reserved for the use of women. The new baths were on such a scale that they may have been part of Dr Barter’s original plan.

The 70ft × 34ft (21m × 10m) wide cooling-room¹ was carpeted and amply supplied with seats and recliners, and its 25ft (7.6m) high ceiling allowed for 55 cubicles, each one upholstered and curtained, to be ranged around the room or on galleries above