Victorian Turkish Baths
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victurk.bsky.social
Victorian Turkish Baths
@victurk.bsky.social
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Malcolm Shifrin FRHistS—"Victorian Turkish Baths": 'a major act of historical recovery', 'readable', 'scholarly', 'something in it for everyone'. Profusely illustrated. worldcat.org/title/931082056. Complementary website http://www.victorianturkishbath.org
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victurk.bsky.social
Victorian Turkish Baths @victurk.bsky.social · Nov 30
See pages from the book: www.victorianturkishbath.org/EBOOK/ZBookD...
Read review extracts: www.victorianturkishbath.org/_EBOOK/5Revi...
What is a Victorian Turkish bath?
www.victorianturkishbath.org/_1INTRODUCTI...
Which baths are still open in the UK? www.victorianturkishbath.org/stillopen.htm
Book jacket shows the cooling-room of the Victorian Turkish baths at Harrogate, leading to the red curtained changing cubicles at the rear. On the right are four white sheet covered loungers; on the left are two more loungers separated by a fretwork panelled door leading to the hot rooms. The floor shows a repetitive design executed in mosaic tiles. A reproduction of one of the pages from the book's illustrated glossary. The four images (accompanied by definitions) show: a fäience corbel in the Victorian-style Turkish baths at Carlisle; a patterend encaustic tile; a drawing of a Roman Doric column; and a section of a fäience tiled wall at Nevill's New Broad Street baths in London. A reproduction of page 37 of the book, part of the chapter 'Urquhart, his committees, and their Turkish baths. The page includes two images: Mrs Butcher who "looked after Turkish Baths" in Winchester; 2 pages from a letter from Joseph Foden to John Johson about the Turkish Treaty, but with a sketch of the floor plan of his newly discovered Turkish bath in Stockport. A flowchart showing the various paths which can be followed during a Victorian Turkish bath.
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architecture.bsky.social
The Landgericht Halle (Regional Court) in Halle (Saale), Germany
The Landgericht Halle (Regional Court) in Halle (Saale), Germany
February 18, 2026 at 6:15 AM
victurk.bsky.social
#onthisday, 18 February 1861, Job Tolley opened the new #TurkishBaths he had added to his 1827-built swimming baths. He later added Fives, or Racquet, courts. Prices were lower during university vacs and women had two half-days. The baths closed in 1877, about 18 months before Tolley died. 🗃️ #C19th
Advertisement in the Oxford Chronicle (2 March 1861) shortly after the bath opened 'to the Members of the University, and Public generally' giving opening hours and charges. Entrance was 2/- or 1/- according to the time of day, with shampooing an extra 6d. Advertisement in the Oxford Chronicle (25 May 1861) announcing that the first two hours each day would now be reserved for women. There follows a testimonial from a lady praising its therapeutic capability and recommending it to other ladies. Auctioneer’s advertisement in the Oxford Chronicle (2 March 1878) for the sale of the baths after Job Tolley's death the previous year. Lists the facilities including the Turkish baths with cooling-room and two hot rooms, showers, etc, two courts, the swimming bath 44ft x 83ft long, and a substantive house. The Bath Street frontage was 64ft with 156ft on the River Cherwell. The baths were unsold, and were presumably sold later by private treaty, but the Turkish baths never re-opened.
February 18, 2026 at 10:46 AM
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danielwilson.bsky.social
Don’t take my word for it… 🗃️💾
February 16, 2026 at 10:57 PM
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alisonfisk.bsky.social
Happy #WorldHippoDay! 🦛❤️

To celebrate here’s a lovely naturalistic painting of a hippo on a small flake of limestone. Painted by an Egyptian artist some 3,500 years ago!

📷 The Met www.metmuseum.org/art/collecti...

#Archaeology
Photo of an Ancient Egyptian artists’s small, naturalistic painting of a standing hippopotamus on a flake of white limestone, dated c. 1479–1425. The hippo is painted in profile with head lowered and to the right. The body is outlined with black paint and painted brown. The belly, eyes, and ears are painted red. Although the ancient Egyptians were well aware of the danger and destructive power of hippos, this painted hippo has rather a friendly face! Dimensions: H. 10.8 cm (4 1/4 in); W. 12 cm (4 3/4 in); Th. 1.7 cm (11/16 in) Egyptian artists made practice sketches on flakes of limestone, sometimes for use as templates when transferring an image to the wall of a tomb or a temple. Limestone flakes were readily available because of the constant construction of temples and rock-cut tombs. A number of such sketches were recovered at Deir el-Bahri during the 1922-23 MMA excavations. This painting was acquired by the museum in the division of finds.
February 15, 2026 at 11:30 AM
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ruizvidal7.bsky.social
Egon Schiele 1911
February 14, 2026 at 5:02 PM
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artinsociety.bsky.social
Elegance of the art nouveau elevator and staircase in Majolika House in Vienna, designed by Otto Wagner in 1898
February 13, 2026 at 7:00 AM
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dean.bsky.social
Nina Hamnett's wonderful portrait of Osbert Sacheverell Sitwell, c. 1918
Sitwell poses in a top hat & scarf, in front of a bookshelf
February 14, 2026 at 5:03 PM
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soxgnasher.bsky.social
#merseyhour Woolton village, Liverpool, 1901
February 14, 2026 at 2:09 PM
victurk.bsky.social
Here's her picture of Edith Sitwell whose poems, set by William Walton in their Facade, opened a whole new world to me as a teenager at a concert during Liverpool's Festival of Britain.
February 14, 2026 at 6:12 PM
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loesjez.bsky.social
A painting a day keeps the doctor away. Charley Toorop; Self Portrait with three children. #art
February 14, 2026 at 8:11 AM
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soxgnasher.bsky.social
#merseyhour The Crown Street tunnel, constructed in 1829, into Crown Street Station goods yard/station.September 23, 1925(Image Mirrorpix)
#merseyhour The Crown Street tunnel, constructed in 1829, into Crown Street Station goods yard/station.September 23, 1925(Image Mirrorpix)
February 14, 2026 at 1:31 PM
victurk.bsky.social
#onthisday, 14 February 1871, 16 years after their swimming pool opened, #Kidderminster Borough Council added #TurkishBaths. Costing £300, they initially paid their way, taking an average of £1 per week. They closed on 1 December 1932, though the swimming pool remained open till Oct. 1935. 🗃️ #C19th
Monochrome photograph of the two storey Victorian Turkish baths in Mill Street which, apart from the single storey wings at each side, looks very little different from the neighbouring houses. Clearly divided into men's and women's areas, there were separate entrances, each one up a few steps. Behind the building can just be seen the top of an apex roof, probably over the swimming pool.
February 14, 2026 at 7:44 AM
victurk.bsky.social
"…My best love to Mrs. Darwin. I dont like the idea of your long beard. Mr. Davenport who is here—wears one from the same cause, but he has benefited wonderfully from the frequent use of the Turkish Bath—& is beginning to look perfectly handsome—Always Sincerely & affectionately Yours | Mary Butler"
February 13, 2026 at 7:28 PM
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ideasroadshow.bsky.social
🪩 It's Friday, let's play music & dance! Look at this stunning terracotta vase by the so-called Berlin painter of a young man singing and playing a kithara, c. 490 BC.

🔎 Note how the cloth below the instrument sways gently 🍃.

🗃️ #arthistory 🏺 #ancientbluesky #Greek #archaeology
A terracotta vase in orange and black by the Berlin painter of a young man singing and playing the kithara (a type of lyre used in public performances, including recitations of epic poetry), c. 490 BC.
February 13, 2026 at 10:39 AM
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archivetvmusings.bsky.social
The first episode of Bagpuss was originally broadcast on this day in 1974. Created by Peter Firmin and Oliver Postgate, the series ran for just 13 episodes (with voices provided by Postgate, Sandra Kerr and John Faulkner).
February 12, 2026 at 4:07 PM
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richove.bsky.social
The study points to using libraries and visiting museums as bringing these enormous brain health benefits ... who would have thought? Well, librarians and museum folk for a start ... www.theguardian.com/society/2026...
Reading and writing can lower dementia risk by almost 40%, study finds
Cognitive health in later life is ‘strongly influenced’ by lifelong exposure to intellectually stimulating environments, say researchers
www.theguardian.com
February 12, 2026 at 7:57 AM
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halemberg.bsky.social
1913 bronze & glass door by Josef Riedl, Liechtenstein Strasse 9th district Vienna. The panels with curly decorations are lovely
#adoorableThursday
February 12, 2026 at 8:57 AM
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sashasimic.bsky.social
#DarwinDay 'There is grandeur in this view of life...from so simple a beginning, endless forms most beautiful'
February 12, 2026 at 9:28 AM
victurk.bsky.social
#onthisday, 12 February 1863, William Edward Wiley officially opened the #TurkishBaths he built next to his pen & pencil factory in the #Birmingham #JewelleryQuarter. More about it at www.victorianturkishbath.org/_6DIRECTORY/... The hot dry air was heated by excess steam from the factory. 🗃️ #C19th
The Turkish bath end of the pen factory. Although the baths were partially open to men at the end of December 1862, the formal opening of the whole baths was on 12 February following. The red doors led to the baths. A second entrance was later bricked up and converted into an extra window. Built mainly of red brick, the building is exuberantly decorated with polychrome brick chequered arches and panels, and black and white banding. According to the National Heritage List for England, ‘The building’s arcaded elevations take their inspiration from Florentine-Lombard early Renaissance palazzi with corner towers…' Colour photo taken in 2019 behind the northern end of the building where there is a four-storey section with a tall tapered square chimney. This is next to what was originally the boiler house. It is here that Wiley decided to build his baths. The beauty of this location, from his point of view, was that fresh air could be inexpensively heated by being passed over the flues and steam pipes connecting the boiler house to the factory, and then ducted into the hot rooms. Sepia head and shoulders portrait of William Edward Wiley, owner of the pencil and pen factory. Wiley was a public-spirited entrepreneur and offered free admittance to his Turkish baths to members of the working classes ‘on the recommendation of any Medical Gentleman.’
February 12, 2026 at 9:28 AM
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kalmantibs.bsky.social
"Beautiful residential building at Teréz körút 32 in Budapest’s 6th district, designed and built in 1886-1887 by German‑born architect, Henrik Schmahl."

🙏🏼🌍🕊️

📷 Buildings Tell Tales©️
February 5, 2026 at 6:07 PM
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loesjez.bsky.social
A painting a day keeps the doctor away. Pierre Bonnard; Boulevard des Batignolles, Paris. #art
February 7, 2026 at 7:58 AM
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musichallsociety.bsky.social
🎵 #SongSheetSaturday 🎵
A gem from 1901 "Come Out" by Austin Rudd. This piece, with both music and lyrics by Rudd, is complemented by HG Banks' whimsical illustration of a husband in the waves while his wife demands he "Come out!" For the full music, contact our #archive (details on our website)
Sheet music cover for 'Come Out' (1901) written by& performed by Music Hall performer Austin Rudd. Bold red lettering for song title and performer name and comical illustration by HG Banks. British Music Hall Society Archive.
February 7, 2026 at 8:00 AM
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rahaeli.bsky.social
OMFG Green's is now available online for free
February 7, 2026 at 6:30 AM
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darrenmcleanuk.bsky.social
Thinking of interesting signs reminded me of this
A wartime sing from a Las Vegas hotel: LADIES KINDLY DO YOUR SOLICITING DISCREETLY RENO HOTEL ASSOCIATION LAS VEGAS 14 JULY 41
January 27, 2026 at 11:54 AM
victurk.bsky.social
#onthisday, 7 February 1875, Victorian #TurkishBaths were opened at #TunbridgeWells Bathing Establishment—Adie's Baths—which had opened in Calverley Rd the previous yr. They remained open under several managements till at least 1888 despite posh competition from Bishop's Down Hydro, 1878-87 🗃️ #C19th
February 7, 2026 at 6:38 AM