Newspaper report of the official opening of Lytham Baths on Monday 6th April, 1863 (the Assembly Rooms which were in the same building had been opened the previous year). The Blackpool & Lytham Railway was opened on the same day and  this is only an extract from the report. The full article is in the railway section of this website.

To return, however, to Lytham: the railway was not the only public undertaking "opened" on Monday. That fashionable marine resort has long needed public baths, for it is only at certain times of the tide that bathing can be conveniently had in the Ribble, and as the place ex­tends the privilege of sea bathing must be subjected to strict regulations.

A public company was formed for the erection of baths, and a few cottages on the beach, almost the last of the ancient thatched huts, which, in our fathers' early days, constituted Lytham, falling out of lease, Colonel Clifton let their site for the erection thereon of baths, and a company was formed for carrying out the project, and at the same time of supplying the public with an Assembly Room, of larger proportions and of a superior character to what the town had hitherto possessed.

The building is of neat design, and is an ornament to the neighbourhood. Its cost is between £6,000 and £7,000. The architect is Mr. Holt, of Bolton and the builders, Messrs. Metcalf and Waterson, of Manchester. The engines for propelling the tidal water from the river, which are of ingenious construction, were erected by Mr. C. Seward, of Preston. The establishment comprises fourteen private baths and four swimming-baths, two cold and two tepid; the swimming-baths appropriated to the gentlemen, with the necessary dressing-rooms, occupying each a space of about 80 feet by 40 feet, the baths themselves being about 60 feet by25 feet in extent, and gradually and safely shelving in depth. The Assembly-room will accommodate several hundred persons at concerts, halls, &c., and below is another room of equal proportions, well adapted for a meeting room, or refreshment room, for large parties, and will, no doubt, be extensively used by members of Sunday schools, and other pleasure parties visiting Lytham.

Over the Assembly-room is a neatly fitted ladies attiring room, and a news and general reading room ; and there are also on the various floors the necessary offices and apartments for the keeper of the place, Mr. Thomas Moore, and the other persons on the staff.

In the evening a ball was held in the new Assembly room to celebrate the opening of the railway and of the baths. The room was elegantly fitted up, and the company numbered about ninety. Norwood's band officiated in the orchestra, and to their lively strains dancing was kept up with much spirit until the following morning had marked three hours on the clock. The refreshments were supplied by Mr. Carter, of the Ship Inn and Royal Hotel, and they gave general satisfaction.