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34
handed over to the Vestry in a good substantial state
of repair and in a sound financial condition, as a perusal of
the statement of accounts on pages 124-126 will show.
It may not be inappropriate to present to the Parishioners
the following particulars relating to the Public Baths and
Washhouses in this Parish which were published in the
Annual Report of the Vestry for 1893-4:—
The Vestry of St. James adopted the Act to encourage the
establishment of Public Baths and Wash-houses within
four months of its having received the Royal assent.
On the 26th August, 1846, the Royal assent was given
to the Act in question, and on the 10th December, in
the same year, the Vestry decided to establish Public
Baths and Wash-houses in the Parish. Consequently
St. James was one of the first Local Authorities to
give the ratepayers the advantages afforded by the
legislature. Seven Commissioners having been appointed
to carry the Act into execution, some delay
occurred in the selection of a suitable site in consequence
of the difficulty of obtaining land owing to the
whole of the parish being built upon.
Ultimately, with the approval of the Vestry, Public Baths
and Wash-houses were erected on the site of 16,
Marshall Street, the freehold of which belonged to the
Parish, and over a portion of the Workhouse stoneyard
adjoining. The building was opened to the public
in 1852 and proved itself an immediate success. In
the course of a few years to meet the increased demand
for improved accommodation for bathing, especially for
women, the Commissioners decided to extend the
building, and in 1860 they obtained the necessary
consents to appropriate a further portion of the Parish
property in Marshall Street (Nos. 17 & 18). The
increased accommodation provided by this extension
was generally appreciated and the number of bathers