Photography event and open afternoon at threatened pool.
Moseley Road Baths in Balsall Heath will be opening up many of its normally closed areas for public view this coming Saturday, March 5th from 1:30pm-4pm at the first of this year’s public events organised by the Friends of Moseley Road Baths. Earlier in the day (from 11am-1pm) the Baths will be a focus for an IGers Birmingham Instagram Balsall Heath photo walk organised in conjunction with Ikon Gallery.
Moseley Road Baths Open Afternoon gives the public a chance to learn about the history of this threatened Grade II* listed building, with access to areas such as the gala pool, private washing bath departments, laundry room and cold-water storage tank, as well as the boiler and filtration rooms.
Entrance to Moseley Road Baths Open Day is free and pre-booking is not required. Pool of Memories, the Friends’ book on the history of the baths, will be on sale for £10 along with other items of memorabilia. Also in attendances will be members of Balsall Heath Local History Society, whose stall will include details of their 2016 activities.
The New York-based World Monuments Fund has included Moseley Road Baths as one of only two buildings in the UK selected for inclusion on the 2016 World Monuments Watch list. The list is published every two years in order to focus attention on sites of architectural significance around the world that are under threat.
The Friends of Moseley Road Baths are planning several full open days in 2016, including in mid June (as part of the Birmingham Hidden Spaces project), early September (coinciding with Birmingham Heritage Week) and either late October or early November in celebration of the Baths 109th birthday.
Please note that Pool 2 will be open for public swimming throughout this weekend’s event and those who have never previously swum at Moseley Road Baths are especially welcome to come along and enjoy a dip in this historic Edwardian pool that Birmingham City Council currently plans closing in Spring 2017.
