ORIGINALLY opened in 1876 as the Keighley Baths and Wash-houses, this was the first-class swimming pool, entered via Albert Street, added in 1914.

This photograph dates from 1954, by which time Keighley boasted a large and small swimming bath, two Turkish baths, sun-ray and radiant heat departments, 28 slipper baths, and a public wash-house.

It will be noted that there is no water in the bath – in winter this was converted into a ballroom! Accommodation for a dance band can be seen on the left.

The murals along the ceilings illustrated the Roman bath at Bath, a’Roman circular bath and Italian themes like the Coliseum and St Peter’s at Rome.

According to Mr ER Stansfield, baths superintendent in the 1950s, these provided “a source of admiration from near and far, and many cinema magnates and representatives of authorities in the North have visited with the establishment with a view to possibly using this type of decoration for their own cinemas and halls”.

In 1954 this swimming bath was named the Queen’s Hall during the winter, not without objections from swimmers who feared a diminution of their facilities.

It was pointed out to them that the Bingley and Bradford baths were respectively called the Princess Hall and the King’s Hall “during the dancing season”.

The Keighley Borough coat-of-arms on the far wall was badly damaged during repairs in 1977.

The photograph has been supplied by Mr Kevin Seaton, of Shann Lane, Keighley.