Bathing machines of the past: how was relaxing on the beach in the Victorian era

If in the modern world, to go to the beach, we need to grab only a swimsuit and a towel, then for the residents of the Victorian era it was a much more labor-intensive process. Bathing here was not without special mobile vans, the so-called bathing machines. These are popular cart houses in the 19th century, designed for bathing both men and women.

Such a design was an integral part of beach etiquette, it hid vacationers from outsiders and allowed to maintain the rules of decency and chastity. After all, we all know the strict social mores of the Victorian era.

For the first time, bathing machines appeared in the UK as far back as 1750, and subsequently they became widespread in the USA, France, Russia and Germany. The interior of such wagons was very comfortable. There was enough space here not only to change clothes, but also to store replaceable clothes, soap and perfume. The vans were left off the coast, a flag was set on each of them, signaling the swimmers that it was time to leave.

Only at the beginning of the 20th century, mobile bathing houses gradually began to go out of use.

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