The door to what was once the Ladies Turkish Baths - from both sides to show the effect of the light shining through it.
The Ladies Turkish Baths - now just the doorway to some treatment rooms
Two of the beautiful star-windows which are tucked away in the more secluded parts of the building. One is very high up serving almost as a skylight, the other small star-window is actually in one of the 'smallest rooms' in the building - but I managed to find it.
Today I finally got around to attending one of the many health therapy sessions at the Milton Road Health Hydro. I had an alternative motive however, as I had been meaning to take a closer look at the little star window which is visible from the road.The history of the Health Hydro is very much linked to the Great Western Railway. To quote from Mark Child's 'Swindon - An Illustrated History' Milton Road Baths. Built in 1892 at a cost of £10,000, the building featured two swimming baths........ Metal rings are still in place on the outside wall to allow patrons to tether their horses.
There is a plaque on the corner of the red brick building which says the following:
There is a plaque on the corner of the red brick building which says the following:
THIS TABLET WAS ERECTED TO PLACE ON RECORD THE EXISTENCE OF THE GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY MEDICAL FUND SOCIETY WHICH FROM 1847 PROVIDED A MEDICAL SERVICE FOR THE EMPLOYEES OF THE RAILWAY AND THEIR DEPENDENTS.
THE SOCIETY CEASED TO FUNCTION UPON THE INTRODUCTION OF THE NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE ACT ON 5TH JULY 1948 AND WAS DISSOLVED ON 31ST MARCH 1949.
