Bilston Baths is a now-defunct company best known for its line of high-quality bath products. Founded in Bilston, UK, it specialized in cast-iron baths and well-crafted, handmade products, often with catchy model names like Python, Magna, and Artisan. Today, it is usually known for its classic and luxury designs, which have inspired current vintage-style bath tubs.

Bilston products

Bilston offered a wide range of bath tub styles. It was particularly known for its large selection of colors, designed to suit different types of bathroom décor. All Bilston baths were made to order and specially manufactured to fit the customer's bathroom space and design preferences

Some of its most famous products came from the handmade line, which were all custom-fitted to ensure both style and function for the user. Later on, when the company moved and acquired advanced manufacturing equipment, the baths became less personalized, although still superior in quality. Most products were made from chrome, cast iron, stone, and ceramic, which made them extremely durable while keeping them sleek and stylish.

Bilston also offered a line of luxury bathroom suites, which featured adjustable feet and sturdy but stylish chrome fittings. The baths were available in 66-inch and 72-inch lengths, and the widths were adjustable from 25 to 31 inches. The styles available included the Venus, Bermuda, Marina, Magna, Cresta, and the Mermaid. Magna was offered in different sizes dubbed Midget, Artisan, and two other Magna sizes.

The company

Bilston Baths was originally known as Bilston Foundries, specializing in cast iron products rather than baths alone. Its original site is in the Highfields region of Bradley, which at the time was a highly industrial area. Its neighbors included Capponfields Iron Works, Barbon's Field Furnaces, and the Thomas Perry Company factories. Its employees included entire families, who would usually be grouped to specific tasks like moulding or slinging.

The company became known for its cast-iron baths around 1936. It would later focus on manufacturing baths full-time, although by 1940 it was still listed as “Iron Founders.”

Over the years, Bilston Baths earned an excellent reputation for building the best baths. Its customers included actress Diana Dors, camp magnate Billy Butlin, and even Princess Margaret. In fact, as it proudly claimed in its catalogues, “For workmanship, for luxurious comfort and good design, Bilston have gained a fine reputation over many years. You cannot have a bath better than a Bilston.”

In 1958 Bilston opened a new site in Batmanshill, this time with mechanized equipment. This greatly increased their production, and Bilston ran smoothly until the early 1980s, new materials like steel, plastic and fiberglass were gaining popularity. The business could not keep up with cheaper imports, and finally had to close in June 1985.

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