St Pancras Public Baths (Architectural Competition)

THE ST. PANCRAS BATHS COMPETITION - At a meeting of the St. Pancras Vestry, on Wednesday, Mr. G. Blount brought forward, on behalf of the Baths Committee, the report of Mr. A. Hessell Tiltman, F.R.I.B.A., the assessor who was appointed some time ago to advise the Vestry as to the relative merits of the designs for the new baths received from the six architects selected by the Vestry to compete. After giving a detailed criticism of each design, the assessor stated that, apart from the general disqualification of all the plans upon the point of cost, he was of opinion that the two designs Nos. 1 and 5 best met the requirements as set out in the instructions, and that of the two he gave the preference to No. 5. Mr. Tiltman pointed out that either design would require modification, the chief object of which would be to reduce the cost to within the limit of the £50,000 mentioned in the instructions to competitors. After a long discussion the Vestry decided to adopt design No. 5, and to ask the author to make such modifications in his plans as would bring the cost of the buildings within the £50,000l. limit, and to make such other alterations as the Vestry might consider to be desirable. It was also resolved to retain Mr. Tiltman for the purpose of advising as to the modifications. On the envelopes being opened it was found that the authors of the six designs were as follows: –No. 1 design, Messrs. E. Harnor and F. Pinches (assessor's estimate of cost), £63,350; No. 2 design, Spalding and Cross, £58,850; No. 3 design, Francis J. Smith, £58,340; No. 4 design, R. Stephen Ayling, £60,812; No. 5, Thomas W. Aldwinckle (selected), £63,550, No.6, E I'Anson and Son, £62,387. [Builder 29 April 1899 page 412]

COMPETITION FOR NEW BATHS AND WASHHOUSES, ST. PANCRAS - The drawings submitted in this competition are the work of experts in the planning of baths and washhouses, and, therefore, although few in number, are all interesting and of a high order of merit. The site with which the competitors have to deal is irregular in shape and limited in area for the large amount of accommodation they have been asked to provide. It has frontages to roads on three sides, the Prince of Wales-road on the end of the site being the narrowest frontage, whilst long frontages are provided to the Willes-road and Grafton-road on the east and west sides of the site. The accommodation required includes two swimming baths for men, each with a pond 100 feet by 35 feet, a first-class women's swimming bath with a pond 75 feet by 20 feet, and a second women's swimming bath with a pond 50 feet by 20 feet, besides a large number of slipper baths and a complete washhouse and laundry. The first-class men's swimming-bath is also to serve as a public hall for entertainments. The sum to which the cost has to be limited safely be said to be the absolute minimum for which the accommodation can be provided, and does not allow of any luxury or extravagance. ....

The design by Messrs. Spalding and Cross shows a variation in the arrangement of entrances, the first-class entrances for men and women being in Prince of Wales-road, and the second-class entrances both for men and women being in the Grafton-road, two pay offices thus sufficing for the establishment, the washhouse being entered through the second-class women's entrance. This arrangement appears to minimise the amount of corridor, and the authors have found room for the women's slipper baths on the ground floor, thus relieving the pressure on the first floor space and enabling them to provide all the slipper baths for men on the first floor without covering over any of the swimming baths. This very desirable condition is, therefore, a strong point in favour of this plan. [Builder 8 July 1899 page 33]

Reference        Builder 29 April 1899 page 412
Reference        Builder 8 July 1899 page 33