In the 19th century Victorian era, there were two men who introduced Turkish baths to Britain and Scotland. They were David Urquhat, a Scottish diplomat and MP, and Richard Barter, an Irish doctor and hydropathist (and founder of St Ann's Hydropathic Establishment).
Urquhart became acquainted with Turkish baths while serving in the Ottoman Empire and described the Turkish bath system in his book The Pillars of Hercules. After his visit to the Ottoman Empire, Urquhart became a lifelong advocate of the Turkish bath. Urquhart's book was read by Barter in 1856 and he was extremely intrigued. Barter, who was already familiar with steam baths, invited Urquhart to his company and offered to provide labor and materials to build a bathhouse here.
His first attempts at a beehive were unsuccessful due to the inability to heat the air sufficiently. Although Urquhart returned to England for his political work, Barter continued his work and sent his architect to Rome to study the ancient Roman baths. Based on what he had learned after his return from Rome and his own studies, the architect built the first Turkish bath, which was not the same as the Turkish bath but contained many elements. This was the first Turkish bath built in the Irish-Roman school.
This bathhouse, built by Barter, opened on May 11, 1858. It consisted of three rooms: sudatorium (the hottest room), tepidarium (the room with underfloor heating) and frigidarium (the cooling room).
On March 17, 1859, he opened the first Turkish bath in the country for the people of Grenville Place, near Cork. Men's and women's baths were separate. Barter and Barter's companies built nine more baths in Ireland between 1859-69. In addition, nearly 40 independent baths were opened in the following years. Unfortunately, there are no Turkish baths in Ireland today.
Urquhart became aware of Barter's advances while campaigning for the Ottomans in the Crimean War. Urquhart was at this time publishing articles in the Sheffield Free Press newspaper of the politician Isaac Ironside. When Urquhart suggested that Ironside visit the St Ann's center, the newspaper became a medium of communication, also publishing articles about Turkish baths.
Both newspapers now became an important medium for the development of Turkish baths. Urquhart's recommendation of Turkish baths to politicians and trade unionists led them to open Turkish baths as a business. The first Victorian Turkish bath in England was opened in Manchester on 12 July 1857 and this opening was announced in "The Free Press" newspaper.
"The Free Press" newspaper was the leading journalist on the opening of baths all over England and Turkish Bath Movement. The news of every bathhouse that opened and would open was reported here. The baths, which opened with a domino effect, were a destination for patients, doctors and those who wanted to get information.
The baths spread from Manchester to Newcastle. From there, they spread to London, first through the Midlands. The first bathhouse opened in London was opened by Roger Evans on Bell Street in 1860.
REFERENCES
Urquhart, David (1850)Â The Pillars of Hercules, or, a narrative of travels in Spain & Morocco in 1848. Say.2 London: Bentley ss.18-88
Laughton, J E ‘David Urquhart’ Dictionary of national biography. Say.58 ss.43-45
Hunt, William ‘Richard Barter’ Dictionary of national biography. Vol.3 p.329