It
was in May 1869 that a group of businessmen in Cirencester
endeavoured to promote a private enterprise that was to benefit
Cirencester town right up to the present day, well over a
hundred years.
They had conceived
the idea of providing a "swimming bath", and approached
Lord Bathurst for help in finding a suitable site. Finally
it was decided that the best place was the meadow at the rear
of the Barracks Yard, which was approached
by a footpath from Thomas Street, by way of the path beside
the stream leading to the Mill in Barton Lane. Lord Bathurst
also made a donation of £25 towards the scheme, and
a prospectus for launching a limited company was published,
offering for sale shares at £5 each. Apparently the
project was regarded with much favour as within a day or two,
a large proportion of the shares were taken up. On July 10th
1869 the Company was registered with limited liability. The
Directors appointed to act until the first general meeting
were: |
Mr. Anderson,
Mr. T. Cox (who may have been the second husband of Daniel
Bingham's mother). secretary,
Mr. C. Hoare junior.
Mr. Mildred,
Mr. John Mullings,
Mr.Newmarch,
Mr. Parry
and Mr. Zachary. |
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| In September 1869
the Directors held a meeting at which it was decided to enter
into a contract with a Mr. James for the building of the swimming
pool. Mr. James had already built a bridge over the stream giving
access to the site, and although his was not the lowest tender,
it was felt he would make an excellent job of building this
bath, "so noble in its proportions". |
Moreover,
they added, it would be a great 'boon' to the inhabitants and no
doubt the forerunner of other sanitary and hygienic improvements.
The report of this meeting appeared in the local press, and inspired
a letter from someone who signed himself Y.Z. He pointed out that
a boon was a gift or a present, and since the shareholders were
conducting the affair on a commercial basis and obviously hoped
to receive a good return on their money, the only 'boon' given to
the town was from Lord Bathurst who had not only donated the land,
but also £25 toward the project.
The swimming
bath was built during the winter of 1869/70. It was ninety feet
long by forty-five feet wide and contained 100,000 gallons of water.
It was well constructed being lined with white glazed bricks, with
a springboard at one end and dressing boxes along the side. The
water was pumped by steam power from a near-by well. In due course
it was opened and continued to function for the next few years,
but whether the shareholders reaped any interest on their investment
is not known, but I suspect not.
Steps were
taken in 1884 to form a swimming club, and excellent contests took
place, and prizes were given. Nevertheless the swimming bath project
was never wholly successful, and as repairs became necessary it
was used less and less as the years went on.
more.........
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