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Old Monument Lane Baths 1920's

  • Thread starter Thread starter O.C.
  • Start date Start date
The Monument Road baths were opened in 1883, and had 48 washing baths, in 1939 Monument Road baths received reconstruction (taken from City of Birmingham handbook 1939) :flower: :cat:
 
Loisand What a great shame that great building was demolished it was built out of red pressed bricks in a Gothic style with red terra-cotta dressing, mouldings and even the doors and window openings where faced with red terar-cotta with sunk panels over them with carved lily designs
The buildings we put up and tore down in the name of progress
 
:angel: One of my remote lot... 1891:
Public Baths Monument Road,1,Mary Dugmore,Head,W,,39,Baths Money Taker,,,
Florence Dugmore,Dau,S,,14,,,Selly Oak Staffordshire,,


Chris :angel:
 
Just prior to the Second World War the city decided to demolish Monument Rd Baths and erect on the same sight a modern building it was opened in June 1940 below is a drawing done about 1950
 
I imagine the original building looking similar to Spring Hill Library - another piece of wonderful architecture. As kids we used to walk from Winson Green to Monument Road as it was cheaper to get in to. If my memory serves me correctly, we'd be given three pence each; a penny each way on the bus and a penny to get in, using our swimming passes. By walking each way we could spend the tuppence we saved on buns or even liquorish root.

I was told that hard, green rubber tiles used for the actual swimming pool were quite revolutionary at the time it was built. I know they fascinated me, as did the underwater mirrors fixed to the sides. In latter years, despite often being closed for refurbishment or repairs, it hadn't changed a lot when my kids learned to swim there. I think the building has been demolished altogether now; it's certainly been closed for quite a while.
 
HI CROM, AND OISIN,FIRSTLY CROM , THAT DRAWING IS HOW I LAST SEEN THE BATH,S AND WHEN I VISTED THEM , AND IT WAS IN A STATE OF DISREPAIR THEN SOME OF THE TILES WAS MISSING ON THE BOTTOM AND ON THE SIDES WHEN YOU WAS GETTING OUT YOU WOULD GET A CUT FOOT OR TOE, THE PLACE WENT TO RACK AND RUINS, BUT I SURPOSE IT WAS THHE DEMOLITION OF THE AREA AND NOBODY HARDLY WENT THERE , IT STOOD EMPTY FOR A GOOD MANY YEARS IT LOOKED A EYE SIGHT ME AND MY MATES SPENT MANY A HOUR THERE WE WAS ALWAYS THE LAST PEOPLE TO GET OF THHE POOL, THE ATTENDANT USED TO GET ANNOYED WITH US AND HE WOULD FETCH THE BIG HOOK TO GET US OUT, WHEN WE GOT OUT WE WOULD GO UPSTAIRS AND GET A CUP OF BOVRIL,, BY THE WAY OISIN, I CAN REMEMBER THE ORIGINAL FRONT WITH THE LITTLE HOUSE,S AROUND IT AND THE BACK TO BACK HOUSE,S THAT SURRONDED IT ,AND I AGREE WITH YOU THE ARCHITECTURE WAS FANTASTIC, AND I TRULY BELEIVE THEY SHOULD NOT TOUCH SPRINNG HILL LIBARY,,THEY SEEM TO DEMO, ALL AROUND THAT AREA AND KNOCKED DOWN THE SHOPS AROUND IT SO LETS PRAY TO GOD THEY HAVE IT DOWN AS A LISTED BUILDING HEY , I HOPE THE CHIEFE LIBERIAN, AS GONE HE WAS ALWAYS WALKING UP TO OUR HOUSE TO COMPLAIN ABOUT THE OVER DUE BOOKS AND HE USED TO GIVE A FINE , EVERY TIME , IN FACT I MAY HAVE A BOOK OR TO NOW , FROM 1959, AH/ WE LIVED IN KING EDWARDS ROAD THE POSH END WICH WAS WAS CALLED THE LITTLE END , THE OTHER END WHICH WAS THE BIG KING EDWARDS RD WHERE ,,IT TOOK YOU UP TO BASKERVILLE HOUSE, AND THE HALL OF MEMORY, AND OF COURSE THE GOOD OLD BINGLEY HALL, BEST WISHES TO YOU BOTH , ASTONIAN, ;;;;;
 
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