10th August 2017
Save the date: forthcoming talk and AGM: Thursday 19th October at Central Community Centre
“He Wrote the Book on Victorian Turkish Baths!”
Malcolm Shifrin is the author of the definitive Historic England publication “Victorian Turkish Baths”.
Mr. Shifrin will outline the background to the evolution of Turkish Baths in Britain, and then focus on the Swindon Turkish Baths in Milton Road, now managed by Greenwich Leisure Limited.
Swindon’s Turkish Baths are one of only a few still operating in Britain, and feature in Mr. Shifrin’s beautifully illustrated book.
He will also explain the significance of Swindon GWR Medical Fund Society, which in the 1890s developed a full spectrum health facility in Milton Road in massive premises surrounding the Turkish Baths.
With the future of this facility a major talking point in Swindon recently, Swindon Civic Voice hopes to schedule another event later in the year to report on the current consultants’ study of the historic significance of this complex facility.
The talk will be preceded by SCVoice’s AGM, at 6.30. Members are urged to attend in order to support the planned work for the coming year!
Limited Parking – suggest Brunel North carpark, open until 9pmWe’ve been super fortunate to secure the services of Malcolm Shifrin to talk at our AGM in October.
£2 entry fee for members. £4 for non-members
Join on on the night and get the discount.
SCV Membership
The admission fee to our talks (to cover venue costs and refreshments) is reduced for members of Swindon Civic Voice. So if you’re not a member now’s a good time!
It’s only £5 for a year or £2 if you’re unwaged. Find out more here: https://www.swindoncivicvoice.org.uk/membership-2/
Victorian Turkish Baths
Find out more about the Health Hydro:
http://www.victoriansociety.org.uk/news/health-hydro-swindon/
http://swindonian.me/2016/12/29/swindon-health-hydro/
Mr Shifrin has written a book on the subject. Taken from his website: ‘Malcolm’s unique book, Victorian Turkish Baths, is the first ever to be written on the subject, and was commissioned in 2011 by Historic England (formerly part of English Heritage).’
If you’re curious as to how his interest began: ‘In Bath in 1990, he happened to notice a decorated initial B on a stained glass door panel in a health club which had once been a Turkish bath. This was his introduction to the strange world of Charles Bartholomew who (falsely) claimed to have built the first modern Turkish bath in England. Finding that no one else had made a study of the Victorian Turkish bath, he determined that this was how he would spend his retirement.’
Find SCV on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/swindoncivicvoice/
And on Twitter: @SwindonV
