‘Govanhill Baths, Ours!’ exhibition.

ExhibitionBlack and WhiteGlasgowGovanhillSave Our Pool

6 Jul

I’m delighted to have eight images from my ‘Govanhill, Save Our Pool’ series, being exhibited over the summer in the ‘Govanhill Baths, Ours!’ exhibition, at the Tramway Theatre, Glasgow. Until 27th September 2026.

A young lady leans on a pram, beside to her right a Sikh man leaning on a walking stick, behind them on a window a poster reads Save OUr Pool. The photo is in black and white. — *‘Mega Man’, from ‘Save Our Pool’ series, Govanhill, Glasgow, 2000. © Jeremy Sutton-Hibbert, all rights reserved.*

A black and white photo showing people standing in the street, facing camera, deep in thought. To the left a young Asian woman looks pensive. IN centre an older woman wearing a Warber Bros t-shirt, with cartoon characters on it. — *Listening to the results of the fund-raising raffle being announced, from the ‘Save Our Pool’ series, Govanhill, Glasgow, 2000. © Jeremy Sutton-Hibbert, all rights reserved.*

Save Our Pool, 2001 - zine

The images shown above, and from within the exhibition, come from Jeremy’s recently published photography zine publication of black and white images of the Save Our Pool campaign, from 2001.

“2026 marks the 25th anniversary of the occupation of Govanhill Baths, one of Scotland’s most successful community protests. To mark this milestone, we have a year-long programme of events, and a Call to Action to involve more people in the final stages of the Baths’ refurbishment.
In January 2001, Glasgow City Council announced plans to close the Baths without consulting the local community, prompting shock and outrage. Residents formed Save Our Pool – Southside Against Closure (SSAC), organising petitions of 30,000+ signatures, alongside peaceful protests, demonstrations, and community events, appealing to both the Council and the Scottish Government. Despite this, the Council confirmed the closure. On 21 March campaigners entered the Baths chaining themselves to the changing cubicles, beginning a 140-days long occupation, with 24/7 picket maintained outside. On 7 August, police forcibly evicted the occupiers, while over 1,000 people defended the building in what became known as the ‘Battle of Calder Street’.

The campaign was vibrant and inclusive, involving people of all ages and backgrounds, a fact clearly reflected in Jeremy’s photographs. This work and the campaigners’ commitment to documenting their struggle, which laid the foundations of the Govanhill Baths Archive, ensured that this history was not lost and can be celebrated by generations to come.” - Paula Larkin, Archive & Heritage Manager, Govanhill Baths Community Trust

“Opening on Tuesday 7 July and running until Sunday 27 September 2026, ‘Govanhill Baths, Ours!’ gathers original protest banners, pool artifacts, photography, films and community voices for a free exhibition hosted within the Greater Govanhill Magazine Community Canvas space at Tramway. Through stories of workers, families and neighbours from different waves of migration, it traces how the Baths became woven into the social life of Govanhill.” - Govanhill Baths Community Trust.