Draft:Swindon Health Hydro

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Background

The Health Hydro in Milton Road, Swindon was built as part of the complete medical provision offered by the GWR Medical Fund Society for the workers in the Swindon Works and their families.

The principal locomotive establishment opened in Swindon in 1843. The Sick Fund was established in 1844 and later became the GWR Medical Fund Society (MFS).

The history of Swindon was radically changed by the arrival of the Great Western Railway. The Great Western Railway was established in 1833 to connect Bristol and London.

Swindon was transformed from a small market town, sitting on a hill, into a large industrial town, housing one of the largest railway engineering complexes in the world.

Location

The site is located at the southern end of the Swindon Railway Conservation Area, comprises the former Milton Road Baths (the “Health Hydro”). To the north, beyond Faringdon Road, lies the Railway Village. To the east is Milton Road, a mixed business and residential street. To the south and west lies Chester Street, a residential, terraced street.

1891-1947

The Health Hydro, built in 1891, was the Medical Fund Society’s most ambitious project. The washing baths were built in 1898-9; Turkish and Russian baths were added in 1904-5; further additions were made in 1911.

The Health Hydro is a Grade II* Listed Building. It was built for the Great Western Medical Fund Society, with its principal elements being a dispensary, swimming baths, washing baths and Turkish baths. The name “Health Hydro” was adopted in 1986 by the Council, and superseded the NHS Health Centre and Milton Road Baths (1947-86), and before that, the Swimming Baths and Dispensary (1892-1947).

The Baths and Dispensary viewed from Faringdon Road in 1905

The Swindon Victorian Turkish Baths were part of the Victorian Turkish Baths movement.

The large pool was originally for men and the small pool was for women and children.

Ladies in the small pool 1910

The Victorian Society - "What an amazing thing the Swindon Health Hydro is. And it’s a hidden gem: passing it on Faringdon Road you get no sense that the building is open, and it looks more like a railway works than a swimming baths. It’s an enormous complex: not just two swimming baths, there were washing and Turkish baths, a dispensary, all sorts of other medical facilities (mainly surgical) including dentistry and at one time even a hairdressing salon! It was one of the most modern facilities of its time, pre-dating integrated health centres. The large pool is still its full 33 metres in length."

The buildings, though built in phases, are well-proportioned and well-made, with unified elevations in a good Queen Anne style and good integration of the various elements.

The swimming baths, with their wide spans formed by trusses made at the GWR works, are impressive spaces, enlivened by coloured glazing; the interior of the Turkish baths are impressive, with their exposed timber roof structure and walls of good-quality glazed brickwork which includes moulded cornice, dado and skirtings; the buildings as a whole demonstrate a remarkable degree of survival, including the former dispensary and consulting rooms, and the Turkish baths complex.

The large pool is 33 1/3 metres long, five lanes wide, 1 to 2 metres deep. The Health Hydro was built with a variety of materials; red brick, ceramic brick, stained glass, hard woods.

In 1905 there were 11 doctors, a dental surgeon, an assistant dentist and seven dispensers on the staff. There was a dispensary, washing baths, Turkish baths, a dentistry, invalid chairs, swimming baths, hairdressing and shaving salons. Membership of the Medical Fund Society was compulsory for employees of the Great Western Railway Company in the town. The Society was managed by a committee of its members.

In 1908, the death was reported of Dr George Money Swinhoe, chief of the medical staff of the GWR Medical Fund Society for over 50 years, ending with his death. The Society had 500 members when he took up his post and had risen to 15,300 members in 1908. Dr Swinhoe had a staff of 9 doctors and 7 dispensers.

During the First World War, the GWR works were taken over for the war effort, and the MFS buildings were used as a military hospital, with the swimming pools floored over to create large hospital ward spaces; this work was reversed after 1918.

The large pool hall used by the Red Cross in WW1, in 1914

In 1931 the centre had almost 17, 000 patients on its books.

The holes where patients took their prescriptions for the pharmacy were lead ticket office windows.

Because of the heavy machinery in the rail works there were frequent accidents and the issuing of artificial arms and legs (made in the rail works) was a feature of the Medical Fund’s services.

Gilbert Iles, chief pharmacist at the dispensary from 1939 to 1966, stated that the 12 staff at the pharmacy issued 16,000 prescriptions a month – these included prescriptions for the GWR Hospital across the road.

“Until it was taken over by the National Health Service in 1947, the Medical Fund Society was run by a committee of GWR employees who were elected by their colleagues. Aneurin Bevan, chief architect of the National Health Service, stated: "There it was, a complete health service. All we had to do was to expand it to embrace the whole country!".

When the rail works was still in operation, the swimming pool water was heated at the GWR Works and pumped ¾ mile to the baths. In the winter months this was not practicable the large pool was boarded over for dances, roller-skating, boxing competitions and a Royal Hunt Ball.

In 1947 a small book was published by the Medical Fund Society – ‘A Century of Medical Service’. It was written by Bernard Darwin and it gives an overview of the history of the society and describes the Society’s facilities as they existed at the time.

“By 1947, when the National Health Service (NHS) was being planned and the MFS consequently was wound up, the Faringdon Road site included a complete health and welfare service for the staff of the GWR works, including two swimming baths; Turkish, Russian and washing baths; doctors; a dispensary; dental surgeries and dental laboratory; and ophthalmology, chiropody, psychology and physiotherapy departments.”

1947-1985

After 1947 the Milton Road Health Centre was located in the ‘dry side’ of the building. There was a GP practice, a pharmacy, chiropodists and opticians.

Little brass checks were issued to those waiting for doctors’ appointments downstairs.

The large and small pools and the Turkish Baths continued to operate.

1985-2014

Milton Road Health Centre closed in 1985. Doctors, chiropodists, pharmacists and opticians moved to a new complex in Carfax Street, Swindon. Gordon Hill, secretary of the Wilts Pharmaceutical Committee described the Milton Road Centre as ‘the oldest health centre in the world – the very first ever seen.

The large and small pools and the Turkish baths continued to operate and a whole range of complementary medical offerings and other activities were available in the ‘dry side’.

In the pools, as well as swimming, canoeing, scuba diving, lifesaving and aquarobics were offered. Swimming lessons were available for adults and juniors.

The small pool was particularly suitable for children and less confident swimmers,

Acupuncture, alexander techniques, aromatherapy hypnotherapy, homeopathy, massage, first aid, stress management, overweight therapy, reflexology, rebirthing, yoga, numbertherapy,

There was a Well Woman Centre.

There were exercise rooms associated with the Turkish baths. Body conditioning, over 50s exercise, cardiovascular exercise, sun beds and infra-red sauna were available.

In 1993 the tunnel between the Baths and the rail works had been flooded for time and British Rail have now filled it in.

2014 to the Present Day

In 2014 Greenwich Leisure Ltd (trading as Better) took over the operation of Swindon’s leisure centres (including the Health Hydro) on a 25 year lease.

Both pools and the Turkish Baths continued to operate until the small pool was closed in 2016. The small pool was closed in January 2016 and has remained closed.

In 2018 a blue plaque was unveiled, celebrating the part played in the town’s history by the GWR Medical Fund.

Funds have been made available from the Towns Fund for replacement of the plant, clearing out of the Wash Hall, new changing areas and the creation of a gym and exercise area.

The whole complex closed temporarily in April 2023, for refurbishment to take place. The building’s plant is being replaced, new changing areas and a gym are being installed. External work has been carried out on brickwork, windows and roofs. The whole building should reopen in 2025.

Alternate changing facilities are being created, including the replacement of changing cubicles. Plant in the building is being replaced, including the plant that heats the large pool and the Turkish Baths. A gym and exercise area are being installed. Access to the large pool and Turkish Baths is being improved.

External repairs have been carried out to brickwork, windows and roofs, financed by Historic England.

"In March 2021, the Towns Fund awarded £5million to the Health Hydro on Milton Road which, combined with £1.5million from the council, will enable refurbishment works to get underway. In May 2024, we secured an additional £409k in funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund. This will allow us to unlock a further £4.1m through a second stage funding application to the Fund."

"A new report has found a town's Victorian swimming baths to be of 'international significance'. The Grade II*-listed Victoria Health Hydro in Milton Road, Swindon, is currently the subject of a major revamp."

The Health Hydro is currently operated by Greenwich Leisure Ltd (GLL) trading as 'Better'. It is owned by Swindon Borough Council.