1. RATIONAL RECREATIONS
Swimming and Bathing

2. Swimming and Bathing
Develop understanding of the development of bathing to it becoming a rational activity
Consideration of the cultural influences on these developments
Investigate how participation is affected today

3. The transition from… The Village The Regency Spa Movement
Victorian Sea Bathing
Public Schools
Nineteenth century Public Baths

4. Swimming and Bathing

5. In the Middle Ages almost all towns were built by rivers for …..
Towns and Villages
In the Middle Ages almost all towns
were built by rivers for …..
SECURITY
SUPPLY OF FOOD
COMMUNICATION
CROSSING POINT
CLEANLINESS

6. Activities on the Riverbank
The Town
Activities on the Riverbank
Boating
Fishing
Sailing
Shooting
Bathing
Swimming
Ice activities

7. Swimming in the Town and Village
Bathing for recreational purposes
Bathing for fun in the warm weather
Learning to swim to save life
Swimming to win races
Cleanliness
Where would you swim?

8. The Inland Spa … Bath

9. The Regency Spa Movement
‘The Water Cure’
Initially for the Upper Classes
Aristocracy wished to display their wealth
Led to the development of fashionable inland ‘spas’ such as Bath, Buxton and Harrogate
Springs to drink from, baths to bathe in, cold water immersion , indoor plunge baths
Therapeutic treatment after exercises
The middle classes wished to copy the upper class
Upper class reluctant to mix socially with urban middle class
The upper class went to continental spas and seaside

10. Harrogate…taking the Waters Springs to drink from …

11. …. baths to bathe in, cold water immersion, indoor plunge baths

12. Before taking the Waters

13. After taking the Waters! Therapeutic?

14. The Middle Classes … wished to copy the upper class and enjoy the spas
… the upper classes reluctant to mix socially with the urban middle class
…. the upper classes went to continental spas to escape the middle classes
But….
The seaside was the main attraction!

15. Health Social Fashionable Holidays
Victorian Sea Bathing
Health
Social
Fashionable
Holidays

16. Bathing in the nude led to exclusive beaches, socially exclusive and single-sexed.
Bye laws restricted beaches to certain social groups and denied mixed bathing

17. Only when bathing machines were introduced were men and women allowed to bathe on the same beach.
Use of changing cabins and ‘dippers’ to introduce / immerse the ladies into the water

20. Oh, I do love to be by the Seaside
Resorts such as Brighton, Margate attracted the aristocracy

21. Consider the impact of the railways on the growth of the seaside habit
The railways.. ‘made available facilities previously enjoyed only by a privileged minority’

22. First Class….. The Upper Class
Initially a fashionable winter activity for health
Gentry had time to enjoy prolonged stay
Upper class moved on to avoid the middle class

23. The seaside.. an expression of class and wealth

25. ‘to drink and bathe in the seawater soon established itself as a fashionable medical and social regime’

26. ..any garment ‘which did not completely cover the body from the neck to the knees’ would have been judged indecent

27. ….taking advantage of Thomas Cook’s tours
The Upper Class
With the middle classes invading the previously exclusive seaside resorts the upper classes moved on….
….taking advantage of Thomas Cook’s tours

28. Second Class….. The Middle Class
Middle class copied the gentry going to resorts for a shorter time
Middle class only had weekends and a week’s holiday
Middle class moved on to avoid the working class

29. The Middle Class and the Working Class … would go to the nearest resort…. North = Blackpool, Scarborough South = Margate, Brighton, Swanage When the w/c arrived in Brighton / Blackpool the m/c moved to Hove / Lytham

30. Third Class….. The Working Class
Working class only had day excursions, little time
or money
Patronised by factory owners who paid expenses
Trains took w/c right to beaches to avoid upsetting locals

31. Boy Culture Liberal Heads Athleticism
In their free time, similar to that found at home
Place to play, release from study
One of the main facilities for washing
Meeting place for the boys
Survival, boys teaching others
Liberal Headmasters
Control of the boys, discipline
Place where the Sixth Form showed responsibility
Constructive use of free time
Prevented illness, disease in School
Discouraged trespass, poaching
Spartan, character building
Safety, concern over drowning, importance for rowing

32. Boy Culture Liberal Heads Athleticism
The ’Ducker’ equipped for swimming and diving
Purpose built facility, supervised, therefore, safe
House / School / Public School Championships
Organised lessons, regulations before rowing allowed
Concern over a healthy lifestyle / personal hygiene
Effort / physical endeavour encouraged
Prowess at swimming recognised but not seen as important as team games
Saving life / bravery / toughness / leadership
Athleticism reflected in quality of facilities

33. The Harrow School Duck Puddle It may have started out as a duck pond, but Old Harrovian money had long since changed it into a major bathing facility.

34. ‘The Ducker’
‘Ducker lies just across the road, and therein swimming, diving and racing of all kinds is practised. Every boy, unless he holds a medical certificate, is compelled to learn to swim, though the distance which qualifies for a pass is not great. On a hot holiday afternoon, boys lounge there for hours, sometimes in the water and sometimes wrapped in their large ducker towels lying on the warm pavement, eating the “tuck” they are careful to provide for themselves’

35. Nineteenth Century Public baths

36. Public Baths Wash House Acts 1846 to “clean up the lower classes”
… the smell, the dirt, the habits
Government grants to encourage building of baths
Particularly industrial towns with large numbers of w/c
Impact of Cholera epidemics of 1830’s
Separate indoor heated baths for men and women
Separate plunge pools for m/c and w/c
Maximum of one penny per visit, ‘penny baths’
Included washing and clothes washing facilities

37. Nineteenth Century Public Baths

38. Town Baths
Industrialisation and urbanisation initiated the building of urban, public baths
Major towns encouraged to build public baths to reduce incidence of disease
Swimming baths and public parks a matter of civic pride
Towns provided Turkish baths which usually had a plunge pool

39. Motives… “to clean up the lower classes”
Prevent the spread of disease
Increase work efficiency
Provide opportunities for sport
Provision for washing
Pleasure, fun, recreation

40. Nineteenth Century Public Baths

41. Competitive Swimming
Plunge baths allowed organised club swimming and club championships
WHO DID THIS?
1869 – mc clubs meet to set laws for amateur swimming
1874 form Swimming Association of GB
1884 becomes Amateur Swimming Association
Initially seeks to exclude lower classes (like rowing and athletics) – but soon (by 1880’s) clubs for the lower classes became established with grudging support of ASA

42. By 1880s swimming and water polo clubs were being formed by the working classes in industrial areas

43. Water polo was a popular game for the working classes

44. A Wintery Summary RECREATIONAL Natural facilities / rivers / ponds
Fun/ Cleanliness / Safety / Food
WATER CURE/ SEA BATHING
health / fashionable
Spa towns e.g. Buxton for ’the cure’
Therapeutic – indoor plunge baths
Summer bathing made the custom more popular
Impact of the railways on w/c, m/c, u/c

45. Stage 1 – informal bathing in natural facilities = similar to Pop rec
PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Stage 1 – informal bathing in natural facilities = similar to Pop rec
Stage 2 – more regular & regulated bathing – part of healthy lifestyle
Stage 3 – technical developments – changing huts, diving boards, improved facilities. Competitions. Swimming attendants for teaching & safety
PUBLIC BATHS
Wash House Acts to prevent spread of disease
Government grants for public baths
Intended to “clean up the lower classes”
Separate pools for men / women; m/c / w/c
Cleanliness and learning to swim
ASA 1884.

46. Exam Question Jan 2010
Explain the development of public baths in urban industrial communities in the 19thC. To what extent do developmental factors from the 19thC continue to impact on participation and performance today? (20marks)