The Bathing Machines
TL;DR
→ Back in the day, women would utilize these bathing sheds to take a dip in the ocean discreetly
→ Modern day bathing shacks still exist, but lost their wheels
In an age of modesty, women were carried in small, horse-drawn privacy shacks down into the waves of the ocean. These stylish little mobiles were fully equipped to make a Victorian lady’s beachside experience respectable and enjoyable.
Designed especially for women in the Georgian and Victorian period (18-19th century), these bathing machines were mobile caravans designed to provide a quick access point for women wishing to conserve their modesty while swimming. Popular throughout Europe, these machines allowed women to change into their bathing attire, take a dip in the ocean, and return to the privacy of their mobile cabin all without attracting the male gaze.
Originally the bathing machines were invented out of necessity. You see, that’s because the bathing suit wasn’t yet invented! Early on, people would swim in the ocean naked, and in an age where modesty was becoming the norm, contraptions to provide privacy while swimming became necessary. In 1832 there was even a law in place that mandated that 60 feet was to be maintained between men and women while at the beach.
In a short period of time, the bathing machines took hold in sunbathing European countries, as well as in Mexico and the United States (sorry Canada).
The bathing machines had an assistant (a Dipper) that would help Victorian women safely enter the ocean. In some cases, they would even tie a rope around the swimmer’s waist so as to prevent them from accidentally getting dragged out to sea. These Dippers were essential as for one the robes in which Victorian women swam were excessively heavy and secondly, not many Victorian women were great swimmers.
Gradually the machines became more elaborate, as did the swimwear. The bathing machines became statement pieces for the aristocrats and royalty, as can be seen in the example of King Alfonso XIII’s bathing machine (seen here in 1908). I guess they’re almost like RVs of today!
Fashion designers - take note
A king’s bathing machine
Farewell ye ole bathing contraption
Sadly, not all wacky contraptions can last forever. The bathing machine’s decline was due to changing gender norms that saw the abolishment of segregated bathing in 1901. By the 1920s most of the bathing machines had disappeared from the waterfronts. It is rumoured that some of the retired bathing machines had their wheels knocked off and served as the original forefathers of little sea-side huts. Now small changing huts are not an uncommon site on beaches.
Unfortunately, today you won’t be seeing any proper bathing machines that wander into the water… but you can still find some modern interpretations of the mobile room. For example, in 2019 Haeckel (a skincare brand) designed a modern bathing machine to roll out on the beaches of Margate, in the south of Britain. Their bathing machine features contemporary materials and finishes and more importantly houses a sauna for beach goers in which to warm up.
The skincare company hopes that by reviving an icon of the shores, it can help coastal cities boost their economies through wellness tourism, encourage a winter bathing culture, and help people rediscover the benefits of ocean bathing.
Fast forward
Autonomous RVs
Take the experience of an RV, an automate it. Your RV is paired to your adventure preferences and drives you to a mystery location it knows you will love. It provides you your home base for exploring and is augmented through an AI algorithm to ensure relentless soul-quenching experiences. Hymer has actually mocked-up a concept autonomous RV that is composed of a skateboard like base and an RV pod. This concept allows the travellers to be able to relax in between locations, instead of having to stress about driving, way finding, or parking.
Tourism pods
Gyrosphere from Jurassic World
Might we imagine a future where mobile shacks roll out to scenic locations to accommodate throngs of tourists? For example, what if in the future you head to a National Park and get assigned a mobile unit to cart you through the landscape. This would utterly defeat the purpose of hiking in nature, but perhaps it accommodates those looking for majestic views without the physical effort. Just imagine a little caravan that would shuttle you along a route, making a provincial park feel more like a theme park (hello Jurassic Park). Maybe it lets you get out, parking itself in certain approved locations to provide you a home base from which to explore.
In the future, this mode of transportation through National Parks may become mandatory as more tourists flock to desirable (and ecologically sensitive) destinations. This may lead to tourists needing to be contained in makeshift travel bubbles to safeguard fauna and flora. Tourism pods might even help all tourists receive a more equitable experience, with each pod stopping in front of certain locations for a predetermined amount of time, thereby avoiding the crowds of tourists each clamouring for the same shot.
If these little structures were to make a revival, would you be interested in getting shuttled around in a (perhaps autonomous) cabin?
What other innovations does this bit of history inspire in you?