Birmingham – Tiverton Road 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 were erected by the King’s Norton and Northfleld District Council and opened on the 29th September, 1906. The accommodation included two Swimming Baths, one with a gallery for spectators and one specially designed for the use of children, with Private Baths for Men and Women. Here again, the larger Swimming Bath was floored over during the winter months and used for social purposes.
This is the frontice page for the souvenir booklet. The cover is now 117years old, been through a flood or two and torn!
My Great Grandfather and Grandfather were the building contractors – T.A.Cole and Son – whose names appear on the plaque at the front of the building [just under the window]. We have a copy of the Souvenir booklet for the opening ceremony on September 29 1906. After our visit [from Australia] in 1911, I forwarded a copy of the booklet to the librarian at the Northfield Library, Susan Riches. Susan had been very helpful with other queries re the family as blacksmiths in the region. cf the old Northfield blacksmiths on the corner of Bristol Road and Church Road, the photo of which they have/had on their committee room wall. I also wrote a letter 30th July 2011 to Maureen ? [did not have the surname] from the baths who was compiling a history of the Baths at that time, offering a copy of the booklet if required. From subsequent visits to the Tiverton Baths by various members of the family, we know they have been converted to a Gym for the University. It is gratifying to know this building and the St Wulstan’s Church on Exeter/Hubert Rds are still there.