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Baths and Washhouses Act

In 1846 an Act was passed to encourage local authorities to build public baths and washhouses.

Although some public baths and washhouses were constructed before 1846, in this year an Act was passed to encourage local authorities to build them.

This Act gave local authorities powers to establish these facilities, and enabled them to take out loans to build them.  In Sunderland the corporation quickly took advantage of the new powers granted under the act to begin the process of building baths and washhouses that were greatly needed by the neighbourhood