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used as a filming location, musical venue, and artist’ s studio and of course is the subject of countless photographs. Following an opportunity to explore and photograph the Baths, we spoke to Gill Wright the restoration Project Manager about the renovation and what the future holds for Victoria Baths, particularly regarding their interest in developing the space as an Arts venue.
The restoration process has been quite a journey, why do you think local people have fought so hard to preserve this space? Local people started the campaign because it was a valued local facility( the pool, Turkish baths and Aeratone) and because some local people recognised what wasn’ t acknowledged by anyone else- that this is a really special building architecturally. The campaign has widened since though a number of local residents, myself included, are very much at the core of the
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organisation. We are driven by the building itself, its architectural and historic significance, and its potential to serve the public in so many ways. So the public’ s reaction to the building keeps us going.
The baths original use was perhaps slightly different to how we might think of a swimming pool now; can you tell me a bit about the social history of Victoria Baths? Public baths were important facilities because in the early 20th Century they were the only place for most people for a proper bath, and they provided much better laundry facilities than people had at home. The Turkish is a unique facility and swimming has always been the most popular participative sport. People swam with school, with family, with clubs, with their workplace( e. g. insurance company galas). In the winter dances were held here so it was a social centre too. Many couples met here for the first time and
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went on to get married. And of course it employed plenty of staff, so a workplace for them. I understand Victoria Baths has an important relationship with the creative industries and has been used for a number of artistic projects, what have been some of the most memorable works? Royal Northern College of Music- Noise of Many Waters, an amazing use of lots of different spaces including a jazz speakeasy in the Committee Room. Most choir performances in the Gala pool move me to tears, the acoustics are so special. And a French aerial dance group Retourament, who paid homage to the building in the Females Pool and played in the Gala Pool, both times hanging / swinging from the roof beams- amazing. And Tod Hanson’ s Fast Tracks, part of For the Time Being in 2004- he lined the Gala Pool with paper and painted it all. And the schools drama productions we have hosted- Titanic |
and Aftermath. And... And...
What are your hopes for the future of the building- particularly with regards to developing its role as an arts venue? We want to see the building fully restored with at least one pool and the Turkish baths in public use. This is the“ party line” and I fully support it. Alongside this we’ d like to see a variety of other uses and I really hope that includes some creative uses. I also want to see a development of the heritage / history element because we hold a unique collection relating to the history of swimming, baths & washhouses and Turkish baths. In terms of the arts use, I think artists should continue to take the lead- we are primarily a heritage organisation but are very happy to have facilitated some unique arts activities and to have been at the beginning of what has now become a trend of artists using historic buildings for their work.
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