delighted to
adorn his person in the richest style of dress. The terms of his
peculiar will, and his apparent renunciation of Christianity, were
almost as curious as his choice of a place of sepulture. He was buried
in his own grounds under a solid cone of masonry, where his remains lay
until 1821, at which time the canal wharf, now at Easy Row, was being
made. His body was found in a good state of preservation, and for some
short period was almost made a show of, until by the kindness of Mr.
Knott the bookseller, it was taken to Us present resting-place in one of
the vaults under Christ Church. Mr. Baskerville died January 8, 1775,
his widow living till March 21, 1787, to the age of 80 years.

~Baths.~--Ladywell Baths were said by Hutton to be the most complete in
the island, being seven in number, that for swimmers 36 yards long by 18
wide, and cost L2,000. The place is now occupied by a timber yard, the
old spring being covered in, though fitted with a pump for public use.
For many years a tribe of water carriers procured a living by retailing
the water at a halfpenny per can. The red sand from the New Street
tunnels was turned to account in tilling up the old baths, much to the
advantage of Mr. Turner, the lessee, and of the hauliers who turned the
honest penny by turning in so near at hand.

~Baths and Wash-houses.~--The local movement for the establishment of
public Baths first took practical shape at a meeting held Nov. 19,1844,
within a week of which date subscriptions amounting to L4,430 were
received for the purpose. The Association then formed purchased a plot
of land in Kent Street in June, 1846, and presented it to the Town
Council in November following, though the Baths erected thereon were not
opened to the public until May 12, 1851. It was at that time imagined
that the working classes would be glad of the boon provided for them in
the convenient wash-houses attached to the Baths proper, and the chance
given them to do away with all the sloppy, steamy annoyances of
washing-day at home, but the results proved otherwise, and the
wash-houses turned out to be not wanted. The Woodcock Street
establishment was opened August 27, 1860; Northwood Street, March 5,
1862; Sheepcote Street in 1878, and Ladywood in 1882. Turkish Baths are
now connected with the above, and there are also private speculations of
the same kind in High Street, Broad Street, and the Crescent. Hardy
swimmers, who prefer taking their natato