The toilet was commissioned in 1899 by the Rothesay Harbour Trustees to replace cruder facilities made from cast iron. At that time, Rothesay was a major seaside resort, being located in the Firth of Clyde and so conveniently accessible by steamer from the major conurbation of Glasgow. Steaming was especially significant on Sundays when the sale of alcohol was banned except on the paddle-steamers and so men would go to drink on them.[1] To cater for the bustling crowds of day-trippers and holiday-makers, the toilets were well made with ornate fittings which were mostly supplied by Twyfords at a cost of £530.[2] There were 20 urinals fed by copper pipes from four cisterns and nine cubicles with lavatory pans.[3]
Renovation
The toilets were renovated in 1994 at a cost of about £300,000, which was financed by the Strathclyde Building Preservation Trust.[3] An adjacent storeroom and office were converted to provide facilities for ladies, a disabled toilet and a shower.[3][2] They are now maintained by a charity, Bute Victoriana.[3] Further work was done in 2016 to make the toilets available around the clock.[4]
Reception
After the renovation, the toilets were reopened by Lady Lucinda Lambton who is an expert on architectural history and has published books on the history of the lavatory.[3] She praised the toilets as "the most beautiful in the world".[3]
The building's listing category was upgraded from B to A as part of a Rothesay listing review in 2010-11. The historic toilets are now a tourist attraction.[2] The Rough Guide to Scotland described them as "...a feast of marble, ceramics and brass so ornate that they are now one of the town's most celebrated sights".[5]
^ abcdefghMarian Pallister (2018), "An Elegant Relief", Argyll Curiosities, Birlinn, ISBN9781788850988, A urinal graced by HRH Prince Charles, Duke of Rothesay, is honoured by a plaque bearing his coat of arms...
