Health Hydro is a Grade II* Listed building in Milton Road, Swindon, in the United Kingdom. During its lifetime it has housed large and small swimming pools, a dispensary, medical facilities, wash baths and Victorian Turkish baths. It was built in 1891–2 by the Great Western Railway Medical Fund Society (MFS), aided financially and in kind by the company, and named the GWR Medical Fund Society Baths and Dispensary. It housed purpose-designed rooms and facilities enabling qualified staff to contribute to the medical provision offered by the MFS for the workers in the nearby railway works, and their families. The building has gone through a series of phases:
the whole building being run by the MFS, with both baths and medical provision (1892–1947) the baths being run by the local council, and the medical facilities run by the National Health Service as the NHS Health Centre (1947–1986) the whole building being run by the council, with the Natural Health Clinic occupying what had been the NHS Health Centre (1986–2014) the whole building being leased by the council to Greenwich Leisure Ltd, who operate it under the trading name 'Better' (2014 to date). The name 'Health Hydro' was adopted in 1986 by Thamesdown Borough Council and superseded the NHS Health Centre and Milton Road Baths (1947–86), and before that, the MFS Baths and Dispensary (1892–1947).
Background The Great Western Railway had been established in 1833 to connect Bristol and London. It reached Swindon in 1840, and transformed it from a small, hilltop market town into an industrial hub. The principal locomotive establishment opened there in 1843 and the town's history was radically changed by the establishment of the Swindon Works. The challenges of disease and industrial injury created a need for medical provision and the addition of the baths was seen as contributing to the wellbeing of the workforce. The Sick Fund was established in 1844 and became the GWR Medical Fund Society (MFS) in 1847.
Location The site is at the southern end of the Swindon Railway Conservation Area and comprises the former Milton Road Baths and NHS Health Centre (the "Health Hydro"). To the north, beyond Faringdon Road, lies the Railway Village. To the east is Milton Road. To the south and west lies Chester Street.
1891–1947: GWR Medical Fund Baths and Dispensary The building which was later to house the Health Hydro was built in 1891–92 by the Medical Fund Society. In 1885 the MFS bought land on the south side of Faringdon Road for £999. The old dispensary at the back of the hospital was oversubscribed. The 1868 swimming baths were without adequate facilities and ill-located within the works' site. The washing baths were added in 1898–9. The Victorian-style Turkish bath, with its complementary steam room (Russian bath), were added later, opening on 10 December 1906, and replacing the fund's earlier Victorian Turkish baths in Taunton Street. Further additions were made in 1911. The building's principal elements were a dispensary, swimming baths, washing (or slipper) baths, and the Turkish bath with its plunge pool, shampooing room, and complementary Russian bath. There were also medical consulting rooms for a variety of purposes.
The provision of Victorian Turkish baths by the MFS was part of the Victorian Turkish baths movement. The Turkish baths in the Health Hydro are the oldest Victorian Turkish baths institution still operating worldwide. The large swimming pool was originally for men, while the small pool was for women and children.
The buildings are in a Queen Anne style. The swimming pools have iron roof trusses made in the railway works. There are stained glass windows, ceramic bricks, red brick and hard woods. The large pool is 33 1/3 metres long, five lanes wide, and 1 to 2 metres deep. In 1905 there were 11 doctors, a dental surgeon, an assistant dentist and seven dispensers on the staff. There was a dispensary, washing baths, a dentistry, invalid chairs, swimming baths, hairdressing and shaving salons. 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.
Until its services were taken over by the National Health Service in 1948, the Medical Fund Society was run by a committee of GWR employees who were elected by their colleagues. In 1947, Aneurin Bevan, chief architect of the National Health Service, and William Beveridge, author of the Beveridge Report that formed the basis of the Welfare State, met representatives of the MFS in Swindon. In 1947 a short book was published by the Medical Fund Society – A Century of Medical Service. It was written by Bernard Darwin, 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 was being planned and the MFS consequently was being wound up, the MFS Baths and Dispensary included two swimming pools; Turkish, Russian and washing baths; doctors; a dispensary; dental surgeries and dental laboratory; a skin clinic and ophthalmology, chiropody, psychology and physiotherapy departments.
1947–1985: NHS Health Centre and Milton Road Baths After 1947 the Milton Road Health Centre was housed in the 'dry side' of the building. There was a GP (General Practitioner) medical practice, a pharmacy, chiropodists and opticians. Little brass checks were issued to those waiting for doctors' appointments downstairs. When the rail works was still in operation, the swimming pool water was pumped ¾ mile to the baths through a tunnel from the works. In the winter months it was not practicable to keep the pools operating and the large pool was boarded over for dances, roller-skating, boxing competitions and a Royal Hunt Ball.
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