On this day, in Goodman’s Fields, London, the world’s first indoor swimming pool, a splendid piece of Georgian architecture with a glass roof to let the sunlight in, was officially inaugurated. Goodman’s Fields was an important centre for the elite of Georgian society and the innovative idea of a covered swimming pool meant that the wealthy could indulge in aquatic leisure activities without having to worry about the fickle English weather. The virtues of swimming had already been extolled by an important physician of that period, Dr John Hancocke, in his book, “The Physical Virtues of Bathing”. Hancocke was ahead of his time in recognising the physical and mental health benefits of swimming long before it became a mainstream fitness activity.
