The latest southern area-eastern area away from Clerkenwell Road and you may St john Highway are occupied by a late-1870s speculative advancement in the first place adding showers to have swimming and bathing, as well as households and you will stores (Ills 558, 579). The fresh ‘Central Bath’ place is actually short-existed, hence a portion of the strengthening try then modified due to the fact a keen electroplating really works.
The new property, encountered from inside the white-brick having stone and you will moulded-brick dressings, was basically designed by Robert Walker, area surveyor for St Martin-in-the-Industries, and established because of the J. J. Bennett & Co. inside 1877–8. (fn. 30) The primary designer appears to have been Alfred Bompas, gentleman, away from Barnsbury, whom applied for the website to the Metropolitan Panel off Performs in the 1876, took the new rent of your own completed property inside 1878, and you can made an effort to purchase the freehold during the 1879. (fn. 31) Although not, a printed account of this new property says-because if the challenge was in fact offered to concern-the functions was in fact achieved ‘under the non-public direction’ of Bennett & Co., ‘who are definitely the originators and you may owners of brand new baths’. (fn. 32) Bompas wasn’t, according to their referees, capable fund the fresh starting on his own membership, along with his connection with Bennetts is not known. (fn. 33)
The development contained half a dozen houses, four which have shops, as well as the swimming-pond and you may baths at the rear of, with its entrances in the No. 104 St-john Street. Lees verder