Now one of the things I like about writing history is that you get to meet lots of people all of whom have a story to tell, but in the way that history used to be written, most of these people would have been ignored.
They did not hold great offices of state, did not engage an enemy in heroic combat and didn’t come up with some profound invention.
My history lessons at school were full of Kings and Queens, and generals as well as politicians but never about the army of cooks, maid servants or foot soldiers without whom all these noble people could not have done sterling things.
This came back to me recently when I was rereading a story on the old Chorlton Union Workhouse which had stood on the island formed by Leaf Street, Streford New Road, Nelson Street and Devonshire Street. It was replaced by the Withington Workhouse built in 1855.
And the site was taken over by the Manchester & Salford Baths and Laundries Company opened their third public baths on the site between 1858-60.
The company had been formed in 1855, and built baths in Salford, Mayfield at Ardwick and Victoria Park. Its assets were bought by Manchester Corporation in 1877. The company had added a Turkish bath in 1860 which was the first in a public baths in Manchester. The Leaf Street Baths were demolished in the clearances of the 1970s and today the site is open ground.
All of which is a roundabout way of wondering if any one remembers the baths, and more importantly has stories about them?
Picture; Courtesy of Manchester Libraries, Information and Archives, Manchester City Council, Leaf Street Public Baths, 1920, m57327 http://images.manchester.gov.uk/index.php?session=pass
Hi Andrew I swam here as often ad I could c1958-62 betwern the ages of 7 and 12. Once we could swim 25 yards and got a certificate to prove ot, we got a free pass to the baths. I used to walk here from home in Hulme Street. Cheers Susan Durden
ReplyDeleteHello Andrew my brother and I used to share a bath in leaf St baths every sat morning while my mam was doing the fam wash in the wash house, wre had no electricity and had gas mantel lighting this was in the 50s,my elderbrotner became alifeguard/attendant, and all our family 9of us all learned to swim there also we played football on the croft opposite, and regularly climbed on the baths roof to retrieve the ball. we lived in downside St almost adjacent to the wash house, left Hulme about 1962.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing
DeleteHi Andrew. My family used to live in Clayburn St, Hulme, we used the baths on a regular basis. Learned to swim there as others did obtained my length certificate and then the three free passes. Then as I got older and too big for the tin bath that was put in front of the fire I attended the bath house. Great memories and big part of my early life for me and my family. Every Sunday morning my uncle would go with my Dad, sister and I for a swim. my uncle at that time only having one leg as he lost it in a conveyor belt down Bradford Pit but didn't stop him swimming. Great memories. Thank You for posting Andrew. Mr Laurence French.
ReplyDeleteThank you Mr. French
DeleteMy Godmother lived around the corner in Dodsworth Street, so I literally lived in these baths.
ReplyDeleteWhen it wasn't busy they let you stay in as long as you wanted. Many a time I've looked up and seen her standing there not too happy at how long we had been. 🤣
You had to put your clothes in iron things, whereas the other baths I visited, Broadfield road and Withington had cubicles around the pool.
Happy days.
My ancestors lived at 25 Leaf Street. Would this have been very far from the Baths?
ReplyDeleteAccording to the 1911 street directory the baths were at 95 Leaf Street, and in 1911 no. 25 was unoccupied.
ReplyDeleteWe used to go for there swimming lessons from Gaythorn Primary School and our Mum used to use the wash house there. We lived on Loxford Street until August 1965.
ReplyDeleteWe used to go here for swimming lessons from Gaythorn Primary School and our Mum used to do our washing in the wash house till we moved in August 1965.
ReplyDeleteWhilst waiting for my A Level results in 1970, I was employed as a Swimming Pool Attendant, and my first week was at Leaf Street. As I recollect, Leaf Street Baths looked as though it shouldn't be there, for it stood in virtual isolationat the time as nearby all the earthworks were being dug out for a huge underpass constructionfor the roads. Wish I could have seen it again before it was demolished. Much of Manchester is totally unrecognisable or demolished (like Chorlton Grammar School) since I left 50 years ago. Levenshulme Baths, Wythenshawe Baths, and I believe Chorlton Baths, all now history. Feels like your life being obliterated behind you.
ReplyDelete