Manchester – Leaf Street Baths
Leaf Street Baths was opened in 1860. It was the third swimming baths constructed by the Manchester and Salford Baths and Laundries Company. The company was granted its Royal Charter in 1855.
The architect was Thomas Worthington. He also designed Greengate Public Baths, (also named Collier Street Public Baths) Salford in 1856. This building closed in 1880 when Salford Corporation opened its own baths in Blackfriars Street.
The company added Turkish Baths to Leaf Street Baths in 1860.
Leaf Street Baths was purchased by Manchester Corporation in 1877.
According to The Carnegie United Kingdom Trust Report on Public Baths and Wash Houses in the United Kingdom by Agnes Campbell B.A. 1918 the building accommodated;
Three swimming pools:
75ft x 25ft
75ft x 25ft
70ft x 28ft
Turkish & Russian Baths
51 Male Slipper Baths
17 Female Slipper Baths
Wash House with 20 washing stalls
Leaf Street Baths was damaged in the Manchester Blitz but repaired and kept open until the slum clearances in the 1970s where it was demolished in 1976.
The following links may also be of interest:
Andrew Simpson Blog
Who Remembers Leaf Street Baths
https://chorltonhistory.blogspot.com/2015/10/who-remembers-leaf-street-public-baths.html
Leaf Street Baths in Hulme……what is lost has been found…..if just for a short time
https://chorltonhistory.blogspot.com/2016/04/leaf-street-baths-in-hulme-what-was.html
Ghostly Tom’s Travel Blog
http://www.toms-travels.net/?p=35648
Hi Denise,
My Grandfather Joseph Victor Carlisle was born at 108 Leaf Street Hulme 1919. Other than the bath house, I can find no surviving pictures. Many Carlisle’s and Bibby’s (Great Gran’s maiden), in the Hulme area. Would be nice if anyone has a picture of Leaf Street to share it.
Thanks
Steve
My family lived in Elcom (formerly Eagle) St Hulme and our 2 up 2 down terraced house had no bathroom so we used Leaf St Baths. We used the pool too and my brother swam for Manchester when he attended St Gregory’s RC High School & trained at Leaf St. Women would wheel prams loaded with bundles of washing round to the laundry at Leaf St. Our Mum prided herself on having a washing machine with a mangle so she didn’t need the laundry. We were rehoused in Partington 2 Feb 1961 when the terraced housing was due for demolition.
I remember going to the wash house when I lived in hulme as a child in the 50sI wanted to find information to remind me about it. Leaf Street rings a loud bell in my head.