Stuart lead us on a fascinating journey through the many occupations encountered in Bath’s development.

At the beginning of the 18th century, the population of Bath was 4,000, increasing astonishingly to 33,000 by the end of the century, due primarily to the huge number of visitors who came to take the waters.

The visitors needed furnished accommodation, safe transport around the town and the opportunity to purchase goods. So, Bath stone was quarried, (Ralph Allen) iron foundries set up to make fire places, garden railings and attractive bridges, (Stoddart and Pitt), Bath Cabinet Makers supplied furniture, the wheeled Bath-chair was invented (easier to use than the sedan chair) and Jolly’s of Milsom Street was one of the world’s first department stores to open, enabling wealthy visitors to purchase their luxury goods in comfort.

A deal was struck with the Bath Gaslight and Coke company. In exchange for a smelly gas works, street lighting was installed, discouraging the so-called Sturdy Beggars who haunted dark corners of the town, robbing the rich passers -by.

The speaker at our next meeting on Thursday, 21st April is Professor Richard Coates from UWE. His topic ‘National and Local Surnames’ will start at the later time of 8pm. His presentation will be preceded by an Extraordinary General Meeting of the Society.

All members who paid a subscription in September 2019 are urged to attend, to discuss the future of the Society. The EGM will start at 7.30pm. Gillian Hipwood