Timeline

1897
Planning the Build

The plan to provide Baths to serve the three wards of Longsight, St Luke’s and Rusholme was first considered in 1897 by the Baths and Wash Houses Committee of Manchester Corporation and in 1899 the site was purchased.

1906
Completion

By the time the Baths was completed, the cost had risen to over £59,000, which was more than double the usual price of building a public baths. But the Corporation were clear in their justification for the expenditure – they had indeed created a ‘water palace’.

1906
State of the Art Plant

Galloway boilers were installed in 1906 along with sand filters for filtering water from the well sunk at the rear of the complex. These boilers produced the hot water and heating for the building and were fired by stokers who shovelled the coal by hand into the furnaces.

1906
Turkish Baths Suite

The Turkish Baths suite at Victoria Baths was one of several built by Manchester Corporation. It contained three hot-rooms, a shampooing room, a douche (shower), Russian bath (steam room) and two Rest Rooms. You can find lots more information about Victorian Turkish Baths at www.victorianturkishbath.org

1908
Water Polo and Swimming

Manchester boasted many leading swimmers in the early 1900s including Rob Derbyshire, who lived at Victoria Baths while his father was the Corporation’s Superintendent of Baths & Wash Houses. Rob was a very successful swimmer and water polo player, competing in four Olympic Games.

1922
Mixed Bathing

Mixed bathing was introduced in Manchester with great caution in 1914, and by the 1920s sessions at Victoria Baths were held every Sunday morning, enabling families to swim together for the first time.

1930
Progress in Water Treatment

The treatment of pool water progressed over the years and aerators were introduced to freshen it up so that it could be re-used. By 1930 Victoria Baths had a chlorination plant which helped to control any bacteria in the swimming pool water.

1933
Sunny Lowry swims the Channel

Channel swimmer Sunny Lowry (1911 – 2008) began her swimming career at Victoria Baths. She succeeded in swimming the channel on her third attempt in August 1933, becoming the fifth British woman to do so.

1934
John Besford wins the Eagle Trophy

Olympic swimmer John Besford trained at Victoria Baths. He infuriated Hitler by winning the 1934 European 100m backstroke title, held in Germany. Hitler had commissioned a magnificent 1cwt bronze eagle trophy on the assumption that German favourite Ernst Küppers would win.

1938
Zilpha Grant travels to Australia

Zilpha Grant first swam at Victoria Baths with her school, St Paul’s, Withington. She was taught by Mrs Eleanor Redfearn and encouraged to join South Manchester Swimming Club. Zilpha went on to win a silver medal in the freestyle relay at the 1938 Empire Games, Australia.

1946
Dances

The Gala Pool was floored over during the winter months and used as a venue for dances, particularly in the post war years. In the 1950s music was provided by the likes of Percy Pease, Phil Moss and other local bands.

1947
Courtship

Like so many other romances that began at Victoria Baths, Beatrice Hooley and Bill Ramsden met on a blind date at one of the popular dances in the Gala Pool. The courtship blossomed, they married and went on to have a beautiful baby boy, Russell.

Victoria Baths was also a special place for Agnes and George Woodall.

1950
Bowling at the Baths

In the 1950s, bowls became a popular activity, making use of the Males 1st Class / Gala pool when it was covered over in the winter months.

The Botham family

Mr Frank Botham was the Manchester Corporation’s Superintendent of Baths & Wash Houses and lived at Victoria Baths in the Superintendent’s four bedroom flat between 1945 – 1960. His eldest son Roy and youngest daughter Jean were the first brother and sister to swim in the same Olympic Games, in Helsinki 1952.

1986
Sports Hall Conversion

The Council renovated the Males 2nd Class pool and converted it into a sports hall. The pool was covered over and then used for five-a-side-football, badminton, netball and basketball.

1991
Swimming World Champion

James Hickman had a long and successful swimming career spanning three Olympics, three Commonwealth Games and many World Championships. The Bax Shield that he won in 1991 is held in the Victoria Baths Archive. James is a patron of Victoria Baths.

1993
Campaign against Closure

Local residents tried to prevent the closure of Victoria Baths but the council couldn’t justify the expense of keeping it open. The building sadly closed on 13th March 1993. The charitable Trust was formally constituted later that year.

1995
Years of Neglect

Virtually no maintenance was carried out on Victoria Baths for six years following closure, so the building deteriorated rapidly. But the Friends were determined to save the building.

1996
Saving Victoria Baths

The Friends carry out lots of work on the building – cleaning it up and clearing out rubbish that had been left when it closed, to make it safer for public access.

1997
Public Access

We know that public support for Victoria Baths is vital – and that the best way to encourage this support is to enable people to come and see for themselves this wonderful building.

1998
Plans

The Victoria Baths Trust partners with Community Health & Resource Centres and the City Council to develop plans for restoring Victoria Baths as a Healthy Living Centre. A business plan is drawn up and Heritage Lottery bids prepared.

1999
Recruiting more Friends, and Artists…

We expand our membership by recruiting local residents and other visitors who attend Open Days. Swimmers Sunny Lowry and James Hickman give their support. Artist studio ‘Pool Arts’ begin to use the building.

2000
Goodbye Pigeons!

TV companies see the potential of Victoria Baths as a film location. Filming for the crime drama City Central led to the cleaning of the Gala pool and the clearing out of the pigeons!

2001

Manchester City Council gives the Trust formal management responsibility for Victoria Baths, to improve security and raise grants for repairs. We carry out more cleaning work and hold many community events.

2002
Urgent Works

Thanks to English Heritage, the first major repair work is carried out on Victoria Baths since closure – to patch all the roofs and treat dry rot. But our major Lottery bids for the Healthy Living Centre project are unsuccessful.

2002
Filming for Restoration

We were chosen as one of the buildings to appear in the BBC Restoration series. Griff Rhys Jones visits the Baths for the filming.

2003
Restoration Win

BBC Restoration gives the public the chance to vote for the building they would most like to see restored. We spend the summer campaigning and Prince Charles visits. Victoria Baths wins by a huge margin, with more votes than all other finalists combined.

2004
Antiques Roadshow

The Antiques Roadshow is held at Victoria Baths. The Friends publish a book which tells the history of the Baths, written by Prue Williams.

2004
Barclays Make a Difference

60 enthusiastic volunteers from Barclays Bank spend the day at Victoria Baths in November. They transform the laundry and other parts of the building that were previously no-go areas.

2005
Artists…

Whilst the Trust plans the first phase of restoration work, the building becomes increasingly popular as a venue for a wide range of arts events.

2005
Life on Mars

More TV filming takes place at the Baths. We all become Life on Mars fans.

2005
VE Day Dance

We mark the 60th anniversary of Victory in Europe with a VE Day Dance.

2006
Celebrating the first 100 years

In the countdown to Restoration phase 1, we celebrate the 100th anniversary of the opening of Victoria Baths by filling the Gala pool for the first time since 1993 – with water, and art.

2006
100 years : 100 Faces

Portrait exhibitions are held in the building by Liz Lock, Mishka Henner and Theresa Holt to commemorate the Baths 100 year anniversary.

2007
Phase 1 begins

At last! Work begins to completely restore the outside of the front block of Victoria Baths. William Anelay are the main contractor and a range of specialised sub-contractors are kept busy renovating the remarkable architectural features.

2008
Phase 1 complete

The first phase of restoration is completed successfully – on time and on budget. The Culture Minister, Andy Burnham visits as we celebrate.

2009
Phase 1 +

Funds are secured for the next phase of restoration work – to renew the roof of the Males 1st Class / Gala Pool. And the Trust moves its project office to the Baths.

2010
More and More Popular

The Baths becomes more and more popular as a heritage visitor attraction and an arts venue. We exceed 10,000 visitors in the year.

2011
Becoming a Licensed Venue

Victoria Baths becomes licensed for arts events, enabling more regular performances. Many groups take advantage of the inspiring spaces to stage remarkable events.

2012
The Year of the Wedding

As the Trust develops its new strategy for the future of Victoria Baths, 10 couples plan their special day by booking weddings at Victoria Baths.

2013
Who Let the Dogs Out

More filming takes place at Victoria Baths, this time for CCBC’s Who Let the Dogs Out? which sees three kids and their furry friends battle it out to take home the trophy.