Gloucester's Public Baths

The baths, as the information on the photograph confirms, were opened on 30 July 1891 in an opening ceremony performed by the mayor, Joseph John Seekings.  The two pools could, at one time, be converted into use as a gymnasium.  Based at the baths in 1945 were the Gloucester City Swimming & Polo Club, the Gloucester Ladies’ Swimming Club and Gloucester Gymnastic Club.  The baths were situated between numbers 85 and 87 Barton Street.  The main pool was retained as a training pool after 1966 when the new Barton Pool opened nearby.

You can click on the image to see a larger version.  It is taken from the Gloucester Pictorial of c.1900.

You can find memories of working at the Baths in the 1950s here.

Would you like to share your own memories of the baths?  You can make a comment below.

NV3/3/1 (Gloucestershire Archives)

Comments about this page

  • I enjoyed finding this account when I was looking up the date of when the new pool was opened. I have many good memories of playing water polo in the old pool, and later the newer pool, from about 66 to 75. Earlier days in the Gloucester Swimming Club with coach Henry Mienika(?) who could not turn me into an international swimmer so I turned to having much more fun playing the game of water polo.

    By Clive Martin (06/03/2022)
  • I worked at Barton St. Baths from 1965/67 as a pool attendant along with Clive Nibbs, Richard ?,(later joined police force) my brother Alan Evans, and Terry ? Used to draw animation pics.
    Manager Mr Archer.
    I became a highboard diving coach at the time and opened a highboard diving club alongside Gloucester swimming club until I left in ‘67.

    By David Evans (16/05/2021)
  • Often went there to watch the Water Polo there, also an England Table match Gloucester v Essex, local player Brian Merritt played for England ,the famous Johny Leach played for Essex. Around 1946 Percy Allan was the Caretaker, lived in the house next door past the main entrance to the car park. Not forgetting Dale Martin’s promotions of the Wrestling; Jacky Pallo was my favourite. Also saw some Boxing there including the Gloucester legend Al Bagwell. Great days an awful lot went on there as well as the Swimming.

    By Philip Langley (11/02/2020)

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