United We Will Swim

We heard it was shutting on the first day that it got occupied when we saw all the police and the commotion. We used to come down and support the people who were occupying it. It was an excellent feeling. You felt like you were at home, you felt wanted and loved.

United We Will Swim commemorates the centenary of Govanhill Baths and tells its fascinating story – past, present and future.

Made up of newly commissioned essays, these explore the architecture of the building, the Baths’ role as a community health and wellbeing provision and its evolving relationship with the changing community of Govanhill. The essays go on to give an account of the community occupation and the campaign to save the pool from closure, reflections on the Baths’ engagement with the arts, details of the newly established community archive, as well as laying out the dynamic plans for the future of the building.

The essays are interspersed with personal memories from users of the Baths and a wealth of photographs of the building, the people and items from the archive.

United We Will Swim documents the rich, diverse and inspiring story of Govanhill Baths and the community it serves.