Charles Bastard first came to public notice in 1869, when he was already a strong swimmer in various styles, and to amuse patrons of the City Baths would perform aquatic feats such as retrieving a shilling coin thrown into the deepest part of the pool.

[1] After leaving school, Charles Bastard worked for two years in an architect's office before studying chemistry, but he eventually decided to manage the city baths.

Bastard was inspired to teach swimming from his boyhood days in Adelaide, when he tried but was unsuccessful in rescuing a boy from drowning in the Torrens River.

After a three year delay a seven-year lease of the property was put up for tender, and Thomas Bastard was the successful applicant, and renewed it another two times before he died.

In 1888 Bastard took over management of the Columbia Rink in Calcutta for the firm of Ridgley & Raymond, leaving longtime employee Fred Needham in charge.

Also on board was their son John Bastard (22 October 1843 – 17 June 1908), who would become posts and telegraph master at Port Adelaide,[13] and several other children, including one born on voyage.

He applied his knowledge in teaching other colonists at what passed in those days for a bathing pool — a fenced-off section of the River Torrens, upstream from what is now the Morphett Street bridge.

In February 1863 Thomas Bastard made a failed attempt to form a swimming club,[14] but was more successful a year later, electing to serve as hon.

Treasurer of the South Australian Swimming Club, which he filled with conspicuous success until his death in 1883, while J. Kemp Penney took the role of Secretary.