1. Stirchley Baths
Interpretation Proposal
10 June 2013

2. Stirchley Baths
Interpretation Proposal
Prepared for
Birmingham City Council
by
Simon Buteux and Dr Suzanne Carter
Birmingham Conservation Trust
P O Box 28
Birmingham
B1 1TU
www.birminghamconservationtrust.org Tel: 0121 303 2664
Email: suzannecarterBCT@gmail.com
simon.a.buteux@birmingham.gov.uk
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3. CONTENTS
1. Introduction
2. Structure of the Interpretation Proposal
PART 1: Physical Interpretation within the building
1. Aims and Approach: a light touch
2. Stirchley Baths: the historical resources
3. Stirchley Baths: timeline, stories, themes
3.1
The offer of the land
3.2
The search for a water source
3.3
Architecture and the building of the baths
3.4
The opening of the baths
3.5
The war years: dancing with Den
3.6
‘You’ve never had it so good’: soap, swimming and saunas
3.7
The Mikvah: a Jewish ritual bath
3.8
Closure, campaigns and conservation
4.
What’s in a name?
5.
If walls could speak...
6.
Where, what and why
7.
Panel types: possible use of ceramic tile panels
8.
Copyright of images
9.
Budget
PART 2: Interpretation through participatory activity
1.
Presenting research and information
2.
Talks and Tours
3.
Performance-based interpretation
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4. Stirchley Community ‘Hub’ Interpretation Proposal
“The baths, they may have come and gone, but memories live on and on”.
1. Introduction
Stirchley Baths, a wonderful Edwardian building richly detailed in a baroque style, was
officially opened in 1911 and closed in 1988. The building is now derelict. The essence of
the HLF bid is to repair the building and bring it back into use, not as baths but as a
community centre. The fact of this change of use provides one important starting point for
the interpretation proposal. Although the building will not be a baths, the architecture of the
building proclaims that it is a baths. This is shown in the types of spaces the building
provides (particularly the space provided by the former swimming pool) and the way they are
lit, in the detailing (for example the extensive use of tiles) and in features such as the
chimney. Most obviously, the words PUBLIC BATHS are carved prominently above the
entrance.
A second important starting point for the interpretation proposal is that the primary function
of the building will be as a community centre, not a ‘heritage attraction’. Most users of the
building will be there for some reason other than enjoyment of the architecture and history of
the building. The way that the interpretation of the building is handled must respect this.
Although these points need to be stressed, they should not be overplayed. The change from
‘baths’ to ‘community hub’ is not without significant continuities. In some respects the baths
functioned as a community centre, providing more than just a range of bathing facilities. It
was a place to meet and socialise, a place to keep fit, a place of entertainment, for example
dancing or boxing (the pool was boarded over for this). Functions such as these will
continue, providing an important link with the past. Furthermore, change is part of the story
of Stirchley Baths. In its early years an important function of the baths was as a place where
people could take a bath to get clean, or where clothes could be washed in the laundry. The
requirement for these facilities declined during the use of the baths, with a sauna and gym
being introduced instead. Changes that are being introduced now, although much more
radical than those that happened in the past, are part of a continuum of change in the use of
the building as the needs of the community have changed.
Likewise, although most users of the building will go inside for reasons other than to
appreciate its heritage, extensive community consultation has shown just how important that
heritage is to the people of Stirchley. For those alive today, the baths have always been
there, and many over the age of about thirty remember when the baths were still functioning;
the building evokes a rich variety of memories. The building is loved too for the richness and
quality of its architecture, the craftsmanship and attention to detail. Derelict, the building
stands as a symbol of decline, a sad reminder of past glories. Restored back to its former
glory (and from the outside this will be very apparent) the building will be a symbol of a proud
and vibrant community. People appreciate this; indeed, as community consultation has
shown, they are passionate about it. Because of its heritage, Stirchley Baths offers qualities
as a community centre that no new purpose-built community centre could hope to match.
2. Structure of the Interpretation Proposal
This Interpretation Proposal makes recommendations on both the physical interpretation of
the building and the interpretation of the building’s history through participatory activity.
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5. To enhance the physical interpretation provided through the capital works programme, we
recommend involving and engaging local people as participants in project work, through
tours, talks and drama, and interactive activities to create their own interpretations of the
Baths’ heritage and share this with a wider audience through a range of different media,
including digitally. The second part of this document outlines the participatory activities
included in the Activity Plan which have an interpretative function or output.
PART I: Physical Interpretation
1. Aims and approach: a light touch
Taking account of the points made in the introduction, two main principles have guided this
interpretation proposal. The first is to take a light-touch approach to in situ interpretation
materials. Stirchley Baths has many stories to tell and to a considerable extent the building
will speak for itself. Our aim is to provide interpretation materials that will enhance or further
illustrate these stories, or will lead users of the building to stories that they may not have
been aware of. We will aim to provoke interest and enquiry, and also point the way to where
the curious may discover more. We will do this mainly through the use of photographs and
enlarged facsimiles of original documents, with little or no explanatory text.
A good example of this will be to put a facsimile (or recreation) of the original notice of
admission charges in the foyer. This lists (in old-fashioned pence of course), the different
prices for admission to the swimming baths, the private slipper baths and the Russian bath,
for men and women, boys and girls, first or second class. The amount of information this
simple notice conveys is enormous, and it provokes many questions too. It tells that the
baths included not only a swimming pool but also private ‘slipper baths’ (what are they?) and
a ‘Russian bath’ (what’s that?). It more than hints at the sharp distinctions of class and
gender. And so on.
Another light-touch (and fun) way that we propose to reference the heritage of the building
and stimulate questions is through the naming of the various spaces and rooms. Outside it
says that the building is a ‘PUBLIC BATHS’, but of course it no longer is. We propose to
pick up this theme inside by suggesting that the rooms are named after former parts of the
baths complex. Thus the two rooms situated over the former deep end of the swimming
pool, designated as meeting rooms/flexible space on the architect’s plans for the community
hub, would be called ‘THE DEEP END’. (“We’re meeting tonight at the ‘hub’, in the Deep
End, see you at 7.00.”)
A second principle guiding the interpretation proposal will be to use, wherever possible, the
words of members of the community to provide interpretation. The interviews conducted as
part of the extensive community engagement exercise provide a rich source of quotations
and memories. We intend that short extracts from these are dotted about in unusual places
on the walls (not where it has been possible to retain the original tiles). Example: “There was
no hot water in our house and it was a lot easier using the baths at Stirchley than getting the
tin one out at home.” Again, the amount of information contained in this short quotation is
huge. It is much more engaging and thought provoking than a piece of descriptive text on an
information panel describing why ‘slipper baths’ were provided and popular.
The use of original documents etc. in facsimile (enlarged as appropriate), together with real
quotes from members of the community, circumvents the issue of ‘different audiences’. A
problem with conventional interpretation panels is who they are aimed at: casual visitors,
heritage enthusiasts, children? To one group, one is ‘talking down’, to another one is
making things too complicated and boring. Uncaptioned or lightly captioned original
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6. documents and photographs, together with room names and quotations speak directly to the
viewer, who provides their own interpretation, and is hopefully stimulated to discover more.
Given that the majority of the users of the community ‘hub’ will be members of the
community using the building repeatedly for different purposes, the over-arching aim is to let
people discover the heritage of the building for themselves, over a period of time. We will
avoid a formal interpretation panel on one wall of the foyer, providing a potted history of the
baths in one (indigestible?) lump. Rather we will encourage exploration and discovery. For
regular users of the building this discovery may unfold over a number of visits. For those
visiting the building specifically to look at its architecture and learn about its history, they will
be encouraged to actively explore the building. While not all rooms with interpretation
materials will be accessible to such a visitor, the aim is to place most of these materials in
public spaces, such as the lobby, corridors and the café area.
Of course, more extended detailed interpretation material will be required – resources where
people can find the answers to their questions and deepen their knowledge. This will be
provided in a variety of formats: leaflets, a booklet, a website, etc., as described more fully
below.
2. Stirchley Baths: the historical resources
The range of resources available to draw on for the interpretation of Stirchley Baths are
summarised in the table below. At the time of writing, access was not possible to primary
records held in the Birmingham City Libraries collections.
RESOURCE
The building before restoration and
conversion
The building after restoration and
conversion
Architectural descriptions of the building
Original architects’ drawings
The architects’ drawings for the
restoration and conversion
Private and public collections of
photographs from the early 20th century
onwards, from the period when the
building was in use
Record of photographs taken for various
purposes since the baths closed
Surviving notices, price-lists, signs etc
from the baths
Personal memorabilia
Newspaper articles
NOTES
A temporary resource, captured in photos, film,
sound, visitors’ impressions
The building as it will be experienced by users
Nothing substantial has been located. Short
listing description from 1998.
A wonderful resource. The drawings not only
show the original appearance and layout of the
building, but are very aesthetically appealing
Show how the use of space within the building
will/has changed
Document the baths in use as well as changes
such as the introduction of the sauna and gym.
Unfortunately many that have been located are
only presently available as poor-quality
photocopies
Providing a detailed record of architectural
features and of the decay of the building
These are often very telling documents for
social history, showing for example segregation
by gender and class
Such as tickets, passes, awards, event
programmes, etc (in addition to photos)
A further source of photographs, also document
key events and controversies in the history of
the baths and the campaign to have them
restored
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7. Primary documentation
Secondary historical accounts
Personal memories, recoded as part of
the community engagement
Personal views on the baths, the
architecture, the value of the building to
the community and the individual
Broader historical documentation, primary
and secondary, relating to Stirchley
Broader historical documentation placing
the baths in wider architectural and social
context
Notably the minutes of the Kings Norton and
Northfield Urban District Council (to 1911) and
the minutes of Birmingham City Council (1911present). Not currently accessible
The most substantial is the ‘History of
Bournville Lane Baths’ by Paul Raymond Jones
(1981)
Evoke the past in a particularly engaging and
personal way
Help to define what is most relevant for
interpretation
Help to place the interpretation of the baths in
its local context
3. Stirchley Baths: timeline, stories, themes
Drawing on the range of resources listed above, and particularly Paul Raymond Jones’
‘History of Bournville Lane Baths’ (1981), this section provides an outline history of Stirchley
Baths through a series of snapshots, draws out some of the key stories and themes that
emerge, and suggests the documents or other material that could be used to illustrate the
theme or story. Unfortunately at the time of writing access to some original documents is not
available.
3.1.
The offer of the land
The documented story of Stirchley Baths begins in 1903 with the offer of the land, for the
specific purpose of building public baths, by Cadbury Brothers Limited. The letter of offer
survives (abbreviated here):
Bournville,
Near Birmingham.
To the Clerk,
Kings Norton and Northfield
Urban District Council.
September 18th 1903
Dear Sir,
We have the pleasure of offering to the Kings Norton and Northfield
Urban District Council a piece of freehold land containing about 1,240 square
yards for the erection of a public swimming baths, slipper or spray baths and
washhouse. This building is to be erected at a cost of not less than £5,000...
The plans to be submitted to us for approval.
Your acknowledgement will oblige.
Yours truly,
Cadbury Brothers Limited.
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8. This letter is packed with information and needs only a little ‘interpretation’ (nobody needs to
be told who Cadburys are, and we can work out that a ‘spray bath’ must be a shower, but
what is a ‘slipper bath’? - we encounter that strange term again on the notice giving
admission charges). It is amusing that Cadbury’s take care to ensure that the council should
not try to spend too little on the baths.
The letter poses the deeper question of why philanthropists such as the Cadbury’s are giving
land for baths rather than something else? Why were public baths felt to be needed?
Assuming that the walls of the foyer will be used for community notice boards, an obvious
place to put a facsimile of this letter is as a ‘permanent fixture’ amongst the temporary
community notices. It will involve a little bit of discovering amongst the other notices, but will
be distinguished by being enlarged and on board. Other facsimile or recreated notices will
be dotted around the notice boards in the foyer. These may include the following,
resembling an advert:
Slipper Bath noun
British, chiefly historical
a bath with one high end to lean
against and the other covered over
Oxford English Dictionary
3.2.
The search for a water source
In 1904, shortly after the offer of the land from Cadbury’s but six years before work would
begin on the construction of the baths, a well and bore-hole was sunk on the land to find a
source of water for the swimming baths. This was standard practice in Birmingham. For
example at Moseley Road Baths the water supply was provided by a well with a bore-hole
below. However, this had been dug with very great difficulty and numerous setbacks, taking
5 years (1898-1903) and finally measuring 727ft in depth (Beauchampé 2013). At Stirchley,
after two years of work (the council cannot have been unaware of the problems that had
been faced at Moseley Road), the decision was made to give up when the combined well
and bore-hole measured 604ft deep. The project had already cost £919 10s, a huge sum at
the time. The decision was made to use mains water instead, making Stirchley Baths one of
the first in Birmingham to use a mains water supply.
This is a good story, and what has been identified as the well-head remains in situ in what
will be the café area (which we suggest is named the Well Café, see Section 5 below).
Place Prospectors, who have been commissioned to develop ideas for original artwork for
Stirchley Baths, have independently drawn attention to the potential of this, and have
proposed that the top of the well should be covered with a large magnifying glass, through
which may be read texts relating to a ‘sink or swim’ theme (i.e. triumph over adversity).
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9. This feature has been identified as
the site of the well, although this is
not certain. Formerly surrounded
by an iron railing and containing an
iron spiral staircase, it was used as
an access point to the basement.
Unless original documents can be located which tell the story briefly and clearly, short text
along the following lines might be appropriate at the entrance to the café area.
The Well Café
In 1904 work began on sinking a well to find water for the swimming pool. The
digging went on for two years, and the bore-hole reached a depth of 604 feet
without finding water before it was decided to give up. Instead, the baths
became one of the first in Birmingham to use mains water. The possible site of
the well, later reused to provide access to the basement, survives in a corner of
the café.
We will not point explicitly to where the possible well is – visitors can discover this for
themselves.
3.3.
Architecture and the building of the baths
The architect who won the commission to design the baths was John P. Osborne, who was
appointed in 1908. Pleasingly, Osbornes architectural practice still exists today, and have
been able to provide (with copyright restrictions) copies of the original drawings. These
drawings are not only hugely informative but are works of art in themselves. It is suggested
that a selection of these are enlarged and displayed on the walls of the within the building,
with short captions (although difficult to read as reproduced here, the writing is clear on the
originals and will be even more so on enlargements):
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10. Architect’s plan for Stirchley Baths, 1908. The steam or Russian Bath (top left)
did not prove to be popular. The Scholars’ Room was for school children.
(Image copyright of Osbornes Chartered Architects. Not to be reproduced without
permission)
On this plan all the key features of the baths can be located: the swimming pool, the men’s
and women’s slipper baths, the laundry and so on. The only elements that might need some
interpretation are the Russian Bath (not named as such on the plan) and the ‘Scholars’
Room’, which is not a term we would use today.
The following mocked-up panels, located at appropriate points throughout the building,
should speak for themselves:
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11. Stirchley Baths were designed by John P. Osborne in the ‘Edwardian Baroque’ style.
Osbornes is still a flourishing architectural practice today.
(Image copyright of Osbornes Chartered Architects. Not to be reproduced without permission.)
Thanks to the survival of the original
architects’ drawings it has been possible
to rebuild the once missing cupola (small
dome) on top of the stair tower at the
end of the pool opposite the chimney
This cutaway drawing, one of the original architects’ drawings, shows the heating
system for the baths. The massive coal-fired boiler can be seen beside the chimney.
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12. The room you are in was once the Men’s Slipper Baths. It is in the middle of the
building and gets its natural light from the roof, as this cutaway drawing shows.
(Images copyright of Osborne’s Chartered Architects. Not to be reproduced without permission.)
3.4.
The opening of the baths
The opening of the baths is best represented by the key which was presented by the
architect to George Cadbury Jr., and is now in the keeping of Birmingham Museums Trust.
A suggestion from Place Prospectors is to commission a new key, to be presented on the
occasion of the re-opening. It is proposed that both keys are displayed in a suitable case in
the foyer, possibly on the ticket kiosk. If displaying the actual keys is not practical,
photographs are an alternative.
Stirchley Baths were opened by George Cadbury Jr. on July 25th 1911.
This ceremonial key was presented to Mr Cadbury by the architect,
Mr J.P Osborne, to mark the event
A caption describing the original key is suggested above.
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13. The opening of the baths created several jobs. The council minutes provide details of these.
A mock advertisement could be placed amongst the notices on the community notice
boards. The range of the jobs – including a laundress – provides further clues about the
range of functions performed by the baths, to add to those provided by the admission
charges. Readers will draw their own conclusions about how the different jobs were valued,
based on the rates of pay offered. Amongst the things to be discovered is the very different
pay of male and female bath attendants although the job description is the same.
SITUATIONS VACANT, STIRCHLEY BATHS, 1911
Assistant Engineer and Stoker
Responsible for taking charge of swimming baths, opening, closing and locking
up. Must be a good swimmer.
Salary 36s per week.
Male bath attendant
Must be a good swimmer and prepared to teach school children to swim.
Salary 25s per week
Female bath attendant
Must be a good swimmer and prepared to teach school children to swim.
Salary 15s per week
Female money-taker
Salary 15s per week
Laundress
Salary 2s 6d per day
3.5.
The war years: dancing with Den
In the early years of the baths the swimming pool was used only in the summer and boarded
over during the winter months. During the First World War the baths remained open but with
reduced hours. Soldiers and refugees could use the baths free of charge.
For the first year or so of the Second World War the swimming pool was closed and the
building was used as a first aid post. In 1941 the pool was reopened. However, the most
vivid memories that people have of the baths in the 40s and 50s are of the times when the
swimming pool was boarded over and used for dances. This is captured in recorded
interviews and the quotations extracted from them (below). It is also captured in two
splendid photographs, to be reproduced on panels and mounted in the corridor approaching
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14. the main hall (it is presumed that the use of the hall for sports etc. will preclude the mounting
of panels on the walls of the hall itself).
Dancing at Stirchley Baths to Den Jones and his orchestra, 1940s
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15. 3.6.
‘You’ve never had it so good’: soap, swimming and saunas
In 1911, shortly after the baths had been opened, Kings Norton and
Northfield became part of Birmingham, and Stirchley Baths were
renamed Bournville Lane Baths. The sauna was a gift from Finland
to Birmingham in 1964. The washing baths were closed in 1977.
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16. One can discover so much about the baths in the post-war years by studying the poster on
the previous page, helped if necessary by the few facts provided in the caption. The
continued importance of the washing baths in this period is apparent, and will be reinforced
by the quotations painted on the walls. The viewer can work out for themselves that
Stirchley Baths was the only public baths in Birmingham to boast a sauna.
A large facsimile of the poster can be mounted on a wall just beyond the ticket kiosk (see
Section 7 below), so that there is a chronological progression from the foyer, where items
relating to the opening and early use of the baths are to be found, towards the interior.
Visitors will discover (or remember) about the existence of a Stirchley Swimming Club and
swimming passes from the memories painted on the walls (Section 6). Continuing the idea
of letting original documents speak for themselves, small panels with original certificates,
passes etc, will be included, uncaptioned, along the lines of the example below:
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17. 3.7.
The Mikvah: a Jewish ritual bath
In 1972 a Mikvah, a Jewish ritual bath, was constructed in the area formerly occupied by the
women’s washing (slipper) baths. It had its own separate entrance from the outside (see
photo). It was rented separately and was run by the Jewish community independently of
Birmingham City Council. The Mikvah was opened in February 1973 by the Chief Rabbi,
with the Lord Mayor in attendance.
Approaching the interpretation of the Mikvah is difficult and sensitive. Consultation with the
Jewish community will be required. One possibility is to draw attention to the former
doorway into the Mikvah – a sort of ‘secret doorway’ – as a ‘way in’ to interpreting the
Mikvah. Possibly a small exterior panel could be fitted or slightly different coloured
brickwork, identifying the doorway and what it was for. It is also suggested that the room
behind this door is given the name ‘Mikvah’, which should prompt curiosity (see Section 5).
The separate
entrance into
the Mikvah,
which replaced
the women’s
washing baths
in 1972
3.8.
Closure, campaigns and conservation
These three linked themes will be dealt with largely by using newspaper cuttings and
photographs, displayed on a plasma screen in the foyer. This format will provide flexibility to
change the content. The illustrations below give a very rough idea. Obviously the
photographs relating to the restoration of the baths remain to be taken!
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18. 4. What’s in a name?
It is proposed that the principal rooms and spaces (not toilets, stores etc.) are named after
the function that the room/space had when the baths were first built. The lead is taken from
the words PUBLIC BATHS over the entrance. For users and visitors the names recall the
history of the building, in a quirky, light-hearted way. Compromises have been made for the
sake of catchiness, thus Slipper Bath Gallery rather than Men’s Slipper Baths. The Well
Café refers to the retained feature in this space, identified as the possible site of the well,
and puns on the word ‘well’ (as in ‘well-being’). Some names may not catch on but that is
not too important – the only cost is the price of a sign on a door.
Mikvah, recalling the Jewish bath installed in 1972, and Well Café (this space was originally
the laundry) are exceptions to the rule of using names relating to the original functions of the
rooms.
Deep End, big room
(Flexible space)
The Pool
Deep End,
small room
(Main Hall)
(Flexible space)
Mikvah
Scholars’
Kitchen
(Kitchen)
(Office)
Slipper Bath
Gallery
(Gallery/
Multipurpose
Community
Space)
Ticket Kiosk
(Staff Reception)
Foyer
(Lobby)
The Well Café
(Internet café
area)
Baths Manager
(Flexible Space:
Meeting/Enterprise
Room)
The Hot Room
(Flexible space)
Baths Attendant
(Flexible Space: Meeting/Enterprise
Room)
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19. 5. If walls could speak....
The idea is simple. Rather than explaining in formal prose what the washing bath facilities,
for example, were like – how much they cost, how long you got, how deep the water was,
whether soap was included, and so on – these facts emerge from a series of short
quotations, taken from interviews with people who used the baths. These are much more
interesting and engaging, and quite often funny.
The quotations (the examples below just give some idea of the possibilities) can be handpainted, or will used applied lettering, directly onto the walls (new surfaces only, not the
tiles), making good use of colour, in unusual places – high up, low down, round a corner, but
always where they can be read without difficulty. They are there to be discovered,
unexpectedly encountered, although it could be fun to hunt for them too. They will be
authentic voices and memories from the past that have become part of the architecture. In
general the quotations will be situated in or near the places to which they are relevant –
quotations about swimming in or near the pool, for example. The naming of spaces
according to their past function when the baths were in operation – ‘Slipper Baths’, ‘Deep
End’, etc. – will give further context to these memories.
However, the fact that the quotations are not fully contextualised or explained will contribute
to their effectiveness. Take a quote such as, “When me and my dad was segregated we
used to talk over the cubicle”. These words effortlessly conjure up childhood, going to the
washing baths with one’s dad, and the bond between a father and a son, the more so
because they are slightly ungrammatical, as real speech so often is. Reams of explanatory
text can’t deliver half as much. If an information panel tells you that the period allowed in a
washing bath was half an hour, you will probably forget it, if you haven’t switched off already.
Compare, “we’re not coming out until we’ve had half an hour!” (you can hear the
indignation).
Hopefully, the quotations will lead some people to want to find out more. There will be plenty
of resources available for this – leaflets, potentially a book, the website etc. If you really
want to, you will be able to track down the full interviews from which the quotations are taken
in the archive of transcriptions that will be part of the archive available on the website (as will
the recordings).
Below, the quotes are grouped according to subject. The resource of recordings is already
substantial and growing; these are only examples to illustrate the possibilities.
The foyer
“There was a lady by the name of Edna that used to be on the desk at the front, she
lived in the next road to me Nan”
The washing (slipper) baths
“We were grateful to go, weren’t we, ‘cause we’d got no hot water in the house”
“We used to go to the washing baths once a week – you were allowed half an hour”
“No frills. You sat in a wooden chair waiting your turn”
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20. “They used to come in and turn the tap on with a big key and you would get about a
foot of water if you were lucky”
“Four pence it was and you would get a little bar of soap, and there was an attendant
and she used to put about ‘that much’ water in“
Because we were kids after 20 minutes there would be a KNOCK KNOCK and a ‘come
on, time’s up, times up!’ and my friend would say ‘we’re not coming out till we’ve had
half an hour!’”
“I used to share a bath with my dad. They were big roll-top baths, cast iron, massive
things”
“When me and my dad was segregated we used to talk over the cubicle.”
“My first bathroom at home was when I got married in 1964 and went abroad”
“I used the washing baths until I was about 17, probably about 1972 when I stopped
using them. It was the only place you could go to have a bath.”
The swimming pool
“You had to swim a length without stopping to get a free pass”
“In them days you had to wear a hat and goggles”
“I swam for Stirchley Swimming Club ...still at it today. I used to love it, you couldn’t
get me out!”
“We used to get certificates. One I remember is 25 meters and you got a free pass to
go in the baths for so long, which was a great help ‘cause my mum was a widow.”
“The girls’ changing rooms was upstairs on the balcony, so you could stand there
and watch people make a fool of themselves”
The war and dancing
“They boarded it over so they could use it for a first aid place in emergency and
bombing”
“In the war me and my girlfriend (she’s now my wife) used to go dancing when they
boarded the baths over.”
“We liked waltzes and quicksteps - you couldn’t believe that you were dancing on top
of the swimming pool!”
“When I was fifteen I used to go with a friend and we loved to dance.”
“The boys were quite plentiful and we used to love it when you got tagged”
“We missed it when it stopped. It was lovely, used to get packed for the dancing.
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21. The sauna
“She used to give you the most deep Swedish massage that you could possibly
imagine – I think it was probably quite avant-garde for its day”
“I went a few times and still remember the sort of burning and tingling, in a good sort
of way.
6. What, where and why
Where interpretation panels can be fixed is governed to a considerable extent by the wall
finishes. Fixing panels to original tiling/brickwork (blue on the plan below) will be avoided, as
will attempting to paint or fix quotations onto this. This would cause unnecessary damage.
It is also prudent to avoid using the walls of the Pool/Main Hall, as this will be used for
sports. The only surfaces that will be used for mounting panels (including ceramic tile
panels – see 8 below) and writing quotations will be those that will have a new surface finish
of plasterboard and skim (red on the plan below). Finally, the most publically accessible
areas (such as the foyer, corridors and café area) will be favoured over the least accessible
(such as the kitchen). The last rule will be more rigidly followed for the panels than the
quotations; it will be fun to have the occasional quotation appearing unexpectedly in the odd
corner of some of the ‘Meeting Rooms/Flexible Space’.
Wall Finishes
Plasterboard & skim lining ▬▬▬▬
Fair-faced blockwork
▬▬▬▬
Original tiling/brickwork ▬▬▬▬
It is envisaged that the foyer area will contain the greatest concentration of interpretation
materials. To summarise, this will include a plasma screen, which will be used, in addition to
other purposes, for the display of slide shows relating the closure of the baths and the
subsequent restoration and conversion etc. There will be facsimiles of 1911 admission
charges and ‘situations vacant’ (the baths staff), mixed in with the notices on the community
notice boards. It is also intended that the two ceremonial keys, from 1911 and a new one to
be commissioned for the reopening, will also be displayed in an appropriate bespoke case.
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22. Finally, the entrance mat with ‘dancing feet’, proposed by Place Prospectors, will form part of
the ensemble. The use of varied media, avoiding conventional ‘information panels’, is
considered to be a strength of the interpretation proposals for the foyer.
There will also be other physical structures around the building which lend themselves to a
‘sense of discovery’. These include usage of any existing signage (“Walk Don’t Run” and
“Deep End”), the reconditioning of the original pool ladders which can be used creatively
around the building, and a Perspex window over the old pool (covered with a wooden hatch)
which will provide a visual reminder of the building’s use as a swimming pool. It is proposed
that two time capsules will be visible at the bottom of the pool which will incorporate some
lighting. One time capsule will date from the 1960s and will be retrieved from the current
community centre, and a new capsule dated 2014 will be created to continue this legacy and
community history.
7. Panel types: possible use of ceramic tile panels
For some of the panels – those showing the original architects’ drawing and possibly those
showing the photographs of dances and the 1966 Summer Time-Table – it is suggested that
ceramic tiled panels could be used, with the images printed directly onto the tiles, rather than
conventional display panels. The image below, showing a product of the company H & E
Smith (who supply the matching period tiles for the London Underground), provides the
general idea. The pattern and colour scheme of the tiles would replicate that of the original
tiling from 1910, which will be extensively retained elsewhere within the renovated building.
The cost of providing these ceramic tile panels is only moderately greater than that of
conventional display panels, but the effect will be to achieve something durable, attractive
and with the feel of being ‘part of the building’.
The proposed panels would use replica tiles based on this colour scheme and pattern.
8. Copyright of images
Copyright of the original architects’ drawings lies with Osbornes Chartered Architects.
Osbornes has kindly given permission for these drawings to be reproduced and displayed in
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23. the Stirchley Community Hub without charge, but with the condition that they are
acknowledged and that the captioning makes clear that Osbornes is a thriving architectural
practice today.
Contact details: Osbornes Chartered Architects, The Balconies, Hanley Swan, Malvern,
Worcestershire, WR8 0DN. Tel: 01684 311303. (Attention Robert Bridge).
9. Budget
The physical interpretation outlined in Part I will be funded through the capital works budget.
See breakdown below.
1
Panels, Vinyls, Digital Wallpapers, Tiles
£5,900
2
Stirchley Ballroom dance steps entrance mat
£1,250
3
Display cases for ceremonial keys and time capsules (1911 if
acquired) and 2014
£4,000
4
Magnifying glass and artwork for well/borehole
£13,000
5
Orientation signage interior and exterior, including room names
£8,000
6
Removable floor panel (with lighting) in pool area
£1,000
7
Recondition of the original ladders to be repositioned and used
creatively around the building
£1,500
8
Copyright permission to reproduce original architect's drawings
(free) and other images
£350
9
Fees: Interpretation scheme preparation, design and installation
(fit out)
£10,000
SUB TOTAL
£45,000
Risk/ contingency
TOTAL
£5,000
£50,000
The cost of activities outlined in Part II are incorporated in the Activity Plan budget.
PART 2: Interpretation through participatory
activity
The interpretation of the building and its history can be combined with participatory
activity and involve both volunteers and project participants. At Stirchley Baths there is
an opportunity to actively involve local residents in the research and presentation of
historical information; indeed one of the proposed legacies of the project is the formation
of a Stirchley local history group. Involving local people in the development of resources
will encourage a greater sense of community ownership for the building and increase
engagement with the Bath’s heritage.
The following recommendations for interpretation also feature in the project’s Activity
Plan. They meet BCC’s learning and participation aims for the HLF-funded project, as
well as provide an element of interpretation, both during restoration and after.
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24. The activity has been broken down into three sections to reflect different types of
interpretative activity:
 Presenting research and information
 Talks and Tours
 Performance-based interpretation.
The numbering below is consistent with the Activity Plan.
Key:


Interpretation (I)
Community Participation and Audience Development (C).
2. Presenting research and information
The emphasis in this section is involving people in the creation of interpretative material.
This will be print or object-based, or a digital output. All digital outputs will be presented
on www.stirchleybaths.org where there is already a wealth of audio material (interviews
with local residents; memory sharing).
Recommendations are:
I:1
The after-school Film Production Club at Stirchley Community School have
expressed an interest in making regular monthly updates on the restoration
project to post on www.stirchleybaths.org as well as on their own school
website. Stirchley Happenings will show their film night audiences the films.
This will reach a wide audience. (Digital Output).
I:2
Work with a new Stirchley Local History Group (set up for the benefit, and
lasting legacy, of the project) to produce an illustrated glossy leaflet about the
historic importance of the Baths. This content can be also used on
www.stirchleybaths.org. (Digital Output). For example, the research and
leaflet could follow four themes: The Public Baths, The World Wars, Leisure,
Health and Fitness, and Closure, Campaign and Community. This would be
part information/part promotion for community centre room hire, and available
in the café as well as community venues.
I:10 Development and writing of a 'Big Book' on the history of the Baths to be
available in SB café, at the library and in parent and toddler groups. This
could be based on characters developed as part of the story-telling resource.
I:12 Development of short film (using green screen technology) to include BSL
interpretation and subtitles. The scripted narrative could include the
information available to the public at the Baths (i.e. leaflet, graphics). This can
be available on www.stirchleybaths.org and on desktop of computers in the
internet café. (Digital Output).
I:11 SB internet café homepage link to digital history resources on the history of
the baths; screen saver uses historical images. (Digital Output).
I:14 Time-lapse photography film to be produced by a volunteer to show before,
during and completion of restoration project. (Digital Output).
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25. I:18 Run a design competition for students from the Birmingham School of
Jewellery to make a 2014 Ceremonial Key for the reopening of the Baths.
The winner would win the commission to make a new key which would be
displayed along with the original key dated 1911 (if a permanent loan can be
arranged with Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery).
C:5
Work with local young people to design and test a quiz around the inside and
outside of the building suitable and engaging for other young people. This
can be used on special heritage event days.
C:6
Work with local families with children aged under 5 to create a family-friendly
activity/trail inside and outside the building which can be used on special
heritage event days.
2. Talks and Tours
Face to face interpretation through guided tours of the building, talks, and special
heritage day activities can provide memorable experiences and a greater depth of
understanding. However, this is often dependent on the quality of the guide or speaker.
A training programme has been proposed to ensure that staff and volunteers have a
good knowledge of the Baths and its history. The recommendations are:
I:3
Year one. Special by invitation 'hard hat’ tours for current community centre
users and other local groups to help them feel part of the project/process
(programme for March, April, May, July, August, October when there are no
public tours. These tours could be monthly depending on the stage of the
build and will be delivered by the contractor Mansells.
I:4
Year one. Special heritage event days: public ‘hard hat’ tours during
Architecture Week (June) and the annual Heritage Open Days event
(September). Participation will depend on how accessible the building is
during conservation works.
I:5
Years two and three. Programme monthly pre-bookable public tour around
the Baths (15 max group size) to be led by volunteer guides. This would fit in
the dedicated monthly provision.
I:7
Years two and three. Two public talks by Steve Beauchampé, local expert on
the history of Edwardian Baths in Birmingham. One talk could be aimed at
local people whose first language is not English (with Bengali and Urdu
interpreters. This may be a women's only session to maximise numbers), the
other talk for general audiences; both local and from further afield. This may
tie in with a special event day.
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26. I:13 Years one, two and three. British Sign Language Interpreted tour on
arrangement during monthly special heritage day slot. To be promoted
through DeafPlus and Deaf Cultural Centre, Ladywood.
I:15 Year one. Two events where the public can ‘meet the expert’; talks by
craftsmen and manager of the building site. This forms part of the programme
of activities led by the appointed contractors Mansells.
3. Performance-based Interpretation
Story-telling through characters, music and drama can be a very powerful tool. Using the
real memories of local people and oral history recordings in the creation of an
interpretative piece can add a real sense of poignancy and engage emotions. There are
three specific recommendations below; but other creative practitioners will bring their
own ideas and approaches over time, subject to funding.
I:9
Develop an interactive, immersive story-telling session for children aged 2-5
and their parents and KS1 children on the history of the building and its uses
through characters, soundscape (period music, traffic and factory sounds and
voice recordings), costumes (flat caps) and other props. This will also include
a craft session which children will use to deliver a story. For delivery on-site
as part of Parent and Toddler Group activity at SB, at Stirchley Library, and
on heritage event days. To deliver 11 hour sessions over 3 years. The box of
props developed can also be used on site during facilitated school visits.
I:16 Subject to funding. Critically acclaimed composer and vocalist Andy
Garbi makes acoustic templates that capture the sonic characteristics of an
enclosed space to preserve what a building "sounds like" at the precise time
and date when they were made. He wishes to use this technique to record
spaces in derelict buildings before restoration/conservation or redevelopment
work begins. He would like to include Stirchley Baths, alongside other
heritage buildings in Birmingham and across the UK. His compositions will
provide another way to interpret the building and may lead to a public event
to share this with a wider audience.
I:17 Partnership project with the Drama Department at the University of
Birmingham to create site-specific performances which interpret an aspect of
the Baths during their spring module in 2016.
Conclusion
This Interpretation Proposal recommends four main guiding principles at Stirchley Baths
Community ‘Hub’. These are:


To take a ‘light touch’ approach to in situ interpretation materials. Letting the
building’s architecture and heritage features speak for themselves
To use, wherever possible, the words of members of the community to provide
interpretation. The memories of local people provide the essential link to
Stirchley’s past that history books are yet to capture
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27. 

To actively involve local community members in the research and preparation of
interpretative material to encourage a greater sense of ownership for the building
To create an interesting and fun environment which includes; humorous and
heart-warming quotes, art installations, pool ladders being reconditioned as
shelving, a ‘Situations Vacant’ poster from 1911 hidden amongst modern
community notices, and a hatch which creates a window into the pool. All these
interesting features allows visitors to ‘discover’ the history of the baths, to
experience and learn something new each time they visit and engage with its
heritage on different levels.
Stirchley Baths was, and will be again, a very special place, located at the heart of
the community and for the community. An imaginative presentation of its history and
the creation of a ‘heritage experience’ will engage both regular users and infrequent
visitors. Stirchley Baths deserves nothing less.
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