KENNY'S BATHS
329 BEACONSFIELD PARADE ST KILDA, PORT PHILLIP CITY
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Statement of Significance
This record has minimal details. Please look to the right-hand-side bar for any further details about this record.
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KENNY'S BATHS - History
The area stretching from the Catani Gardens to Brookes Jetty was once occupied by as many as six separate bathing complexes. The area was always popular with bathers, even before the bath complexes were established (Cooper, 1931:159).
Kenny purchased a site from Mrs Ford, who had established a Ladies Sea bath to the immediate south of St Kilda Pier in 1853. In 1854, Captain William Kenny purchased the condemned Scandinavian vessel Nancy to use as a bathing ship (H7822-0412), and beached and scuttled her just south of St Kilda Pier on the former site of Mrs Fords Ladies Baths. Bathers were pulled themselves out to the bathing ship using a dinghy and shoreline. He was forced to relocate the vessel at considerable expense a few weeks later to the north side of the pier, and the Kenny Family took up residence on board the vessel. It is not clear whether swimmers bathed inside the ship or from it, but in 1855, Kenny had erected a substantial fenced in enclosure that was advertised as being "free from fish", which is shown in a plan of 1872 (HWJ 4066). Kenny also provided accommodation for bathers on St Kilda Beach. A storm washed away most of the fence structure in 1858, which Kenny replaced with solid redgum piles. The bathing structure here was described in 1862 as "a three sided wooden erections open to the sea. These are divided into innumerable little apartments rather smaller than a bathing machine..." Captain Kenny also ran ladies baths (H7822-0415) at St Kilda, which were placed under the control of his wife and daughters. Kenny became known as the pioneer of bathing establishment at St Kilda. The licence to this site was renewed by 1858, and a restaurant was associated with it, although it is unclear if the site was owned by Kenny or Ford at that time. Kenny's operations were running profitably until the Hegarty Brothers entered into competition in 1862 and established Hegarty's Gents Baths, (which was also known as the Company Baths (H7822-0414)), and Ladies Baths (H7822-0416 ) which were located to the south respectively of each of Kenny's baths (Wells, 1982:80-81). Hegarty purchased the site of his men's baths from Legget, who had been the manager of the St Kilda Sea Company Baths as they were previously known before 1862. Hegarty's baths were reported to have 300 dressing rooms for bathers. Parts of the baths were washed away by storms in 1863.
KENNY'S BATHS - Interpretation of Site
This was the site of the first bathing complex on the eastern shore of Hobson's Bay, and forms part of the wider recreational bathing landscape of Melbourne.
Heritage Inventory Description
KENNY'S BATHS - Heritage Inventory Description
The area offshore along Catani Park and Jacka Boulevard has the potential to yield structural piles and associated archaeological relics pertaining to Kenny's Baths. No archaeological evidence has been discovered so far.
Baths, piles and archaeological relics.
Archeological Potential:
Good
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SHANDONVictorian Heritage Register H0669
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FORMER ST KILDA RAILWAY STATION COMPLEXVictorian Heritage Register H1719
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EDEN TERRACEVictorian Heritage Register H0847
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