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Melanie King, author of 'The Secret History of English Spas', shares the strange history of the Victorian passion for hot air.
We humans love letting off a bit of steam. The people of Finland have enjoyed stripping off in saunas for more than 2,000 years, the ancient Greeks and Romans were adept at bathing in different temperatures, the Ottomans enjoyed the Turkish Hammam, whilst the Native Americans perfected the sweat lodge. The English came late, however, to all of this steam heat, but thanks to eccentric Scottish diplomat and politician, David Urquhart, the Turkish Bath gained popularity in the mid-nineteenth century. By the end of the nineteenth century, an estimated 600 Turkish baths were opened across Britain.
Today, saunas are attached to spas and gyms, they can be found in private homes, and ‘pop-up saunas’ have begun, well, popping up. Melanie King, British author and social historian, will share some of the lesser-known stories about the strange history of the Victorian passion for hot air.
Bio
Melanie King is a writer of historical non-fiction who has published eight books. Her latest book The Secret History of English Spas was released September 2021. She is an experienced speaker, and her passion is to make history come alive.
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