St Marylebone Institutions

Very few of the poorer homes within the parish of St Marylebone had running water, let along hot water. This necessitated the building of the St Marylebone Baths and Washhouses. Every week about 12,000 residents flocked to the Baths to wash themselves and their clothes.

The building was erected in 1850. Of the opening of the Baths, The Illustrated London News reported on January 12 1850 that: ‘The Wash-houses are not quite completed; they will contain 89 separate pairs of wash-tubs and boilers, supplied with hot and cold water, and with a drying-closet to each compartment, and arranged in two classes. There is also a large ironing room, plentifully supplied with hot irons. The whole establishment is spacious, well lighted, and ventilated by means of a lofty shaft (seen in our View), which also makes a good feature in the general effect of the building; and will, when completed, accommodate 5000 persons daily.

It does great credit to the skill and ingenuity of the architect, Mr. C. Eales, under whose direction the whole has been executed; and bears testimony to the public spirit of the Vestry in adopting the Act of Parliament and carrying it out so liberally – the cost being about £20,000, including the freehold site.’

To learn more about these Baths and Washhouses, visit the Victorian London website linked below.