• A Brief History of the Baths Department of the City of Salford
• Salford – Blackfriers Road Baths
• Salford – Holland Street Public Laundry
• Salford – Pendleton Baths
• Salford – Regent Road Baths
• Salford – Seedley Baths
• Salford – The Adelphi Swimming Baths, Reservoir Terrace 1835 – 1858

Baths and Wash-Houses in Manchester & Salford The Builder 14th August 1858

Salford Baths and Wash Houses Key Dates and Events

1835 The Adelphi Swimming Baths opened 29th July 1835.

1854 following a public meeting at the Manchester Town Hall, a Company known as the Manchester and Salford Baths and Laundries Com­pany was formed, which sponsored the erection in Greengate, Salford, of a building housing first and second class swimming baths, with slipper and vapour baths.

1854 Almost on the same day that the Baths and Laundries Company was formed, the General Pur­poses Committee of the Salford Corporation made a recommendation that the Council should undertake the provision of baths establishments in the borough, but this recommendation was not adopted owing to the Manchester and Salford Baths and Laundries Company coming into being.

1860 Greengate Baths opened by the Manchester and Salford Baths and Laundries Company

1860’s Baths Committee appointed to consider the advisability of erecting public baths.

1877 the Baths Committee recommended the purchase of the Baths and Laundries Company’s premises in Greengate, for the sum of £6,000. The Council rejected this recommendation in favour of a project to build four new establishments, two in the township of Salford proper, and one each in the districts of Pendleton and Broughton, authorising for this purpose an expendi­ture of £20,000 exclusive of the purchase of land.

1878 November final acceptance of a tender Blackfriars Road Baths.

1880 Blackfriars Road Baths opened cost of site £2,310, construction £9,600: Two swimming pools (75ft x 24ft; 32ft x 16ft); 33 slipper baths; one vapour bath.

1885 Pendleton Baths opened cost of site £962, construction £8,408: Two swimming pools (47ft x 25ft; 75ft x 28ft); ; 23 slipper baths; two vapour baths.

1891 Broughton Baths opened 189; site conveyed free, subject to chief rent of £50 per annum; construction £12,277: Two swimming pools (60ft x 25ft; 75ft x 28ft); 29 slipper baths; two vapour baths.

1892 Regent Road Baths opened; cost of site £6,500, construction £13,179: Two swimming pools (60ft x 25ft; 75ft x 28ft); 39 slipper baths; two vapour baths.

1910 Seedley Baths, opened; cost of site £1,308 for the site, construction £22,346: Three swimming pools (75ft x 30ft; 75ft x 30ft; 60ft x 25ft); 30 slipper baths; two vapour baths.

1930’s it was found that under-water movement and penetration were cracking the foun­dations and fabric of the Broughton Baths and, on the decision of the Ministry of Health inspector.

1936 Broughton Baths closed and dismantled.

1936 onwards scheme was launched soon afterwards for the purchase of a new site and the erection, at a cost of £84,000, of an ultra-modern establishment to be known as the Salford Central Baths. This, when com­pleted, was to be large enough to serve both the Broughton and Blackfriars districts, and permit the closing down of the old Blackfriars Road Baths. Plans were prepared and details worked out, but the outbreak of war brought progress to a halt, and the steep rise in costs, coupled with the material supply position, has precluded the completion of the scheme.

1928 Hodge Lane Wash House and Slipper Baths opened: cost of the site £1,855, construction and machinery £36,220. 80 washing stalls, 88 clothes drying horses; 4 rotary washing machines; 10 hydro-extractors; and mangling and ironing facilities, 18 slipper baths.

1938 Central Laundry established for the laundering of baths’ towels for all establishments. This laundry was created by the removal from the Hodge Lane building of 16 washing stalls, the erection of a partition, and the installation in the space thus provided of four rotary machines, two 30-inch hydro-extractors, and a multi-roll ironing calender.

1950 January16 washing stalls were taken from the Hodge Lane wash-house and replaced by six rotary washing machines and three 21-inch hydro-extractors, thus bringing the type of equipment more into line with present-day usage.

1952 March Hodge Lane wash-house Installation of two “penny -in-the-slot” operated, steam-heated ironing machines for public use.

1978 August Seedley Baths closed

Last updated 1st January 2012