LADIES’ BATHING SCARE.

Patea Mail, 2 November 1880, Page 4

LADIES’ BATHING SCARE.

An alarming accident took place at the Bridgnorth Floating Bath in August. Certain days have been set apart for ladies, and many appreciated the opportunity, and have made progress in the art of natation. On the day in question about thirty ladies had assembled in the bath, and the river Severn, owing to the recent rains, had increased in volume, but there was nothing to excite any alarm. Owing, however, to several of the ladies sitting on the side, the bath gave a lurch, and then began to sink. The ladies in great alarm, some partly dressed, others in full bathing costume, hastily escaped to the bank of the river, and to their dismay the bath immediately sank to the bottom with all their clothes. The dillemma in which so many ladies found themselves on the bank of the river close to the town, with hardly even the simplest articles of clothing, seemed incapable of a satisfactory solution. At last a cattle shed was espied in the distance, and a race took place to gain its friendly shelter. Even here the difficulty of finding a presentable wardrobe was not overcome, but by borrowing sundry blankets and spare apparel all the victims of the accident were conveyed to their homos.