Artist Ian McKay is bringing an exhibition to the Salford Museum and Art Gallery which showcases the oldest surviving public baths in Great Britain.
Collier Street Baths was in the Greengate area of Salford and was designed by Thomas Worthington, who was regarded as one of Manchester’s greatest architects of the 19th century.
And thanks to McKay, the baths have been brought back to life through a series of paintings and restored artifacts from the original venue.
Ian said: “Collier Street Baths to me is a crucial part of Salford and Manchester’s social history.
“The baths played a huge part in the health and wellbeing of people in both cities and gave people a lot of pleasure so I wanted to create this same feeling with an exhibition that is a tribute to this fine building.”
The exhibition showcased the original signs of ‘Deep end’ and ‘Shallow end’ from the venue as well as a range of paintings which showcase the pool floor and tiles from pool side.
The Grade II building off Trinity way opened on August 27 1856, at the cost of £9913.
The baths proved a massive hit with the locals, having over 3000 visitors to the pools in the first two weeks of its opening.
Unfortunately, due to ventilation issues the baths were closed permanently in 1880, 24 years after it had opened.
McKay hoped that the opening of this exhibition will bring back memories of the baths, in a unique and modern way.
This exhibition runs at Salford Museum and Art Gallery until April 2020.
For more information visit https://salfordmuseum.com/event/exhibition-collier-street/
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