Western Baths
Encyclopedia
The Western Baths Club is a Victorian era
private swimming and leisure club founded in 1876. The club remains at its original site at 12 Cranworth Street, Hillhead
, Glasgow
. The 19th-century baths are proteced as a category B listed building. Along with the Arlington Baths
it is the one of two clubs of its kind left in Glasgow.
In recent years the club acquired adjacent ground and erected a new building, sympathetic to the surrounding architecture, to house a modern sports hall & gym thereby further enhancing the Club's facilities.
The Baths are well-known locally, and remain distinctive for their period trapeze
and exercise rings
over the swimming pool
.
The 'Baths' as they are more commonly known have survived through mix fortunes over their many years of existence. Having at one point closed and lay almost derelict but were reopened, a similar fate nearly closed the Baths in 1970's known as 'the day the roof fell in.' The huge Victorian roof collapsed at the shallow end of the pool and with the Cochrane Oil fired boiler rarely working, the whole place was trading at a loss and the membership rapidly dwindling.
Then 'cometh the hour' when a longstanding member who had previously offered to restore the Baths fortunes at an earlier AGM (and had been rejected) once again stepped forward and under his term as Secretary the Baths began a slow process of renewal. The boiler was replaced, despite there being no money to replace it and the whole roof was replaced. The Secretary William M Mann, known to most as Billy traded on his contacts and reputation in order to achieve advance funding - although there remained an element in the Club that were suspicious of his involvement as WM Mann was a 'property developer' and some believed that was his motive. Now in 2011 it is clear that the motives were entirely honourable, perhaps twinged with sentiment but the Baths are now a thriving 'wet and dry' complex and no longer the bastion of the elite.
Since its opening in 1876, the Baths has been served by many distinguished people, John Mather famous for his involvement in Clydeport Authority, Ross Higgins of the John Smith and Son Ltd, Booksellers and Stationers as well as other hard working individuals; Ian G Crombie, John Dunbar, Mearns Brown and the current Chairman Sandy McGarvey.
The position of Bathsmaster was simply 'manager' but the title referred to those of Victorian swimming pools/clubs. In its long life there have only been five postholders; Campbell, Jamieson, Wilson and Anderson. (First Bathsmaster's name to follow). Perhaps the best known to the older generation of members were Messrs Jamieson and Wilson, the latter being renowned for his long service to the Baths. When Mr Anderson retires later this year, the title of Bathsmaster will retire with him, thus bringing to an end an institution.
The Baths will continue to have a manager but the term has changed to General Manager with overall control of all aspects of the Club.
Changed days since Alison F Blood with her book Kelvinside Days, she wrote, "there were of course other bath's in Glasgow, but the Western Baths were simply known as the 'Baths' and no one would have thought otherwise..."
Victorian era
The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
private swimming and leisure club founded in 1876. The club remains at its original site at 12 Cranworth Street, Hillhead
Hillhead
Hillhead is a district of Glasgow, Scotland. Situated north of Kelvingrove Park and to the south of the River Kelvin, Hillhead is at the heart of Glasgow's fashionable West End, with Byres Road forming the western border of the area, the other boundaries being Dumbarton Road to the south and the...
, Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
. The 19th-century baths are proteced as a category B listed building. Along with the Arlington Baths
Arlington Baths Club
The Arlington Baths Club is a nineteenth century baths in Glasgow, Scotland. It was not formed as a "Swimming Club" in the meaning today and the oldest swimming club in England, and therefore probably in the UK is Brighton Swimming Club formed in 1860...
it is the one of two clubs of its kind left in Glasgow.
In recent years the club acquired adjacent ground and erected a new building, sympathetic to the surrounding architecture, to house a modern sports hall & gym thereby further enhancing the Club's facilities.
The Baths are well-known locally, and remain distinctive for their period trapeze
Trapeze
A trapeze is a short horizontal bar hung by ropes or metal straps from a support. It is an aerial apparatus commonly found in circus performances...
and exercise rings
Rings (gymnastics)
The rings, also known as still rings , is an artistic gymnastics apparatus and the event that uses it. It is traditionally used only by male gymnasts, due to its extreme upper-body strength requirements...
over the swimming pool
Swimming pool
A swimming pool, swimming bath, wading pool, or simply a pool, is a container filled with water intended for swimming or water-based recreation. There are many standard sizes; the largest is the Olympic-size swimming pool...
.
The 'Baths' as they are more commonly known have survived through mix fortunes over their many years of existence. Having at one point closed and lay almost derelict but were reopened, a similar fate nearly closed the Baths in 1970's known as 'the day the roof fell in.' The huge Victorian roof collapsed at the shallow end of the pool and with the Cochrane Oil fired boiler rarely working, the whole place was trading at a loss and the membership rapidly dwindling.
Then 'cometh the hour' when a longstanding member who had previously offered to restore the Baths fortunes at an earlier AGM (and had been rejected) once again stepped forward and under his term as Secretary the Baths began a slow process of renewal. The boiler was replaced, despite there being no money to replace it and the whole roof was replaced. The Secretary William M Mann, known to most as Billy traded on his contacts and reputation in order to achieve advance funding - although there remained an element in the Club that were suspicious of his involvement as WM Mann was a 'property developer' and some believed that was his motive. Now in 2011 it is clear that the motives were entirely honourable, perhaps twinged with sentiment but the Baths are now a thriving 'wet and dry' complex and no longer the bastion of the elite.
Since its opening in 1876, the Baths has been served by many distinguished people, John Mather famous for his involvement in Clydeport Authority, Ross Higgins of the John Smith and Son Ltd, Booksellers and Stationers as well as other hard working individuals; Ian G Crombie, John Dunbar, Mearns Brown and the current Chairman Sandy McGarvey.
The position of Bathsmaster was simply 'manager' but the title referred to those of Victorian swimming pools/clubs. In its long life there have only been five postholders; Campbell, Jamieson, Wilson and Anderson. (First Bathsmaster's name to follow). Perhaps the best known to the older generation of members were Messrs Jamieson and Wilson, the latter being renowned for his long service to the Baths. When Mr Anderson retires later this year, the title of Bathsmaster will retire with him, thus bringing to an end an institution.
The Baths will continue to have a manager but the term has changed to General Manager with overall control of all aspects of the Club.
Changed days since Alison F Blood with her book Kelvinside Days, she wrote, "there were of course other bath's in Glasgow, but the Western Baths were simply known as the 'Baths' and no one would have thought otherwise..."