Eileen Hickmer,Gladys Read, Jean Ainsworth, The first baths were built on the same site in 1858. The second were built and opened in 1880 on another site but it was subject to sand deposition and the water soon became too shallow for swimming. These in the photograph were the third Portland sea water baths to be built on the foreshore. They provided hot and cold sea water baths as well as swimming facilities in an area enclosed by timber piles. The baths were designed by the architect Mr W. Mackay and work on them was commenced in 1888 under contract to Rigby and Sons at the tender price of 2479 pounds. They were opened - at the present time the most complete in the colony- in 1888 and remained in use until the 1950s. The camels ridden by the women were at other times of the year used to carry shell grit from Shelly Beach at Bridgewater Bay to road transport that took it to Portland and the railway for use by egg producers who fed it to their poultry to promote the growth of harder egg shells.
Posted on: Thu, 31 Jul 2014 12:00:17 +0000
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