Annotation:Brighthelmstone Hot Bath

A new and correct plan of Brighthelmstone, published 1788 by Samuel John Neale. The bath is marked letter "I" at the bottom of the page, very near the coastline.

BRIGHTHELMSTONE HOT BATH. English, Jig (6/8 time). D Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AABB. "Brighthelmstone Hot Bath" is unique to Charles and Samuel Thompson's Compleat Collection, vol. 3 (London, 1773). Brighthelmstone is an earlier name for the seaside resort town of Brighton, Sussex. The Public Advertiser of October 10th, 1769, published "a letter from Brighthelmstone, Oct. 4th," which gives the following:

This day Lady Hart and Miss Harriot Cecil, attended by Dr. Awsiter, laid the first Stone for erecting at this Place a Set of hot and cold Sea-Water Baths for the Use of those whose Health may require more constant bathing than the sea will naturally admit of, as well as Persons labouring under particular Disorders, for the suppression of which hot Baths are peculiarly efficacious. I cannot but congratulate the Public on this Event, as all who in future have Occasion to frequent this Place may bathe regularly and constantly, and may also vary that bathing from Cold to Hot, or otherwise, as their respective Infirmities demand. As these Baths are planned, and to be executed under the immediate Care and Director of Dr. Awsiter, the Gentleman who some Time since favoured the World with some ingenious Remarks on the general and particular Use of bathing in Salt-Water, I have no Doubt that when finished they will give entire Satisfaction, and fully evince how weakly and malevolently are founded those Cavils and Objections that Ignorance and Envy have raised to this truly laudable and salutary Scheme.

Additional notes

Printed sources : - Thompson (Compleat Collection of 200 Favourite Country Dances, vol. 3), 1773; No. 153.

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