Birmingham – Bournville Lane Baths
The following is taken directly from The City of Birmingham Baths Department 1851 – 1951. The work was written and compiled by J. Moth M.N.A.B.S Birmingham 1951 and is presented here.
These Baths, the second provided by the King’s Norton and Northfield District Council, were opened on the 25th July, 1911. Here there is one Swimming Bath with a gallery for spectators and during the winter months this Bath was floored over and used as a Hall. There are suites of Private Baths for Men and Women and until the service was discontinued by the Baths Committee shortly after the premises were taken over, there was a small Russian or Vapour Baths.
A most interesting feature at the Bournville Lane Baths in those days was the system of aeration and filtration for the swimming bath water, which, contrary to the usual practice of the times, when the water supply to the swimming baths was almost invariably obtained from deep-wells, was obtained from the Corporation mains and continuously filtered, obviating the necessity for the filling and emptying of the baths according to the state of the water.
The principles of this system were later to be introduced into all swimming baths controlled by Local Authorities, but the King’s Norton and Northfleld District Council are to be commended as being one of the first authorities in the country to have installed such plant.