GLASGOW POST OFFICE (1857)
4 George Square
Architect: William Burn
Year: 1857
Archive sources
ScotlandsPlaces: RHP6789 (plan of warming flues); 1224670 (photograph)
Selected bibliographical references
Glasgow Constitutional 8 May 1853, p. 3
Glasgow Gazette 14 Sep 1850, p. 2; 10 May 1851, p. 2; 9 Aug 1851, p. 2; 31 Jul 1852, p. 2
Glasgow Herald 31 Jan 1851, p. 4; 24 Sep 1852, p. 4; 6 May 1853, p. 6; 9 Dec 1853, p. 6; 27 Jan 1854, p. 7; 7 Jul 1854, p. 5; 24 Jul 1854, p. 5
Glasgow Sentinel 26 Jul 1851, p. 5; 25 Dec 1852, p. 5
Glasgow Sentinel 25 Dec 1852, p. 5
Morning Post 7 Jan 1857, p. 7 (description of building)
Scottish Guardian 28 Jun 1853, p. 4; 5 Feb 1856, p. 4 (description of building); 7 Oct 1856, p. 4 (description of interior); 11 Nov 1856, p. 2
History
Opened: 5 Jan 1857
Demolished
The building of Glasgow's first purpose-built post office was seven years in the making. It was announced in September 1850 that a new post office was to be erected, the location confirmed in early 1851 as the site then occupied by Manhattan Buildings in South Hanover Street., purchased at a cost of £10,000. The design of the building was entrusted to the Scottish architect Charles Wilson (1810-1863). The Dictionary of Scottish Architects suggests that the commission was won as a result of a competition, and in the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland collection there is a design: 4 George Square, General Post Office Plan of principal floor - unexecuted competition design Titled: 'Glasgow Post Office. Plan of Principal Floor' 'Glasgow 29 Bath Street_September 1851.' Signed: 'Charles Wilson Archt. 24/6621. It was clear that the Postmaster General or the Treasury were minded to supply a building as economically as possible: Wilson sent two plans for the project, one with the Postmaster's residence contained within the post office building and one with the accommodation attached. The second option was discarded. By the end of July 1852 the plans were returned to the architect with the instruction that he should proceed to obtain estimates for the work. There was another issue about the design which was cause for concern - this was the location of the Money Order Office on the first floor. A deputation was sent to London for the "for the purpose of securing more accommodation in the new building than was originally contemplated" , thereby housing the Money Order Office in an extension. The location of the Money Order Office was deemed unsatisfactory especially for the working classes, "the vast majority of whom had walk three or four miles to reach it, instead of being situated on the ground floor, was only to be reached by a flight of fifty-six steps, the office being situated on the ground floor, was only to be reached by a flight of fifty-six steps, the office being situated feet above the level of the street. This was surely very hard upon poor persons who were already tired out by their walk from the country." The Treasury refused to commit any more funds to improve the design of the post office. In late 1853 there was a dispute about the hoardings around the site - these were causing obstruction, and in January 1854 the architect was ordered to remove the obstructions. This he was not in a position to do so, because he was no longer employed as the architect of the scheme. Why he was removed from his position has not been established, although the Dictionary of Scottish Architects suggests that a fatal accident on the site may have been the reason. Whatever the reason, an architect based in London, with possible connections to the Post Office, Frederick Humphrey Groves, was appointed the architect for the project. At some stage William Burn, consulting architect to the government of Scotland, became involved, and reports in the Glagow press attributed the design to Messrs Burn and Groves. The building finally opened on 5 January 1957.
for Glasgow's first purpose-built post office was a site on South Hanover Street occupied by Manhattan Buildings. In c.1851 the architect Charles Wilson (1810-1863) won the commission for the building following a competition. Manhattan Buildings were demolished in 1851 and the site cleared by 1853. The Glasgow Herald of 9 December 1853, p. 9 reported on a complaint that the hoardings erected "around the site of the almost forgotten New Post Office" were causing an obstruction.
Glasgow Gazette 14 Sep 1850, p. 2
[new post office to be erected - site not yet determined]
Glasgow Herald 31 Jan 1851, p. 4
[Manhattan Buildings, South Hanover Street to be the site of the new post office - purchased for £10,000]
Glasgow Gazette 10 May 1851, p. 2
[Charles Wilson appointed architect for the new post office]
Glasgow Sentinel 26 Jul 1851, p. 5
[Two plans by Wilson sent to the Postmaster General, one with the Postmaster's residence contained within the Post Office as required by the authorities in the interests of economy; and one with a house attached]
Glasgow Gazette 9 Aug 1851, p. 2
[Manhattan Buildings in course of demolition - plan of having Postmaster's house attached abandoned]
Glasgow Gazette 31 Jul 1852, p. 2
[Plans returned to Wilson, architect instructed to obtain estimates - description of proposed building]
Glasgow Herald 24 Sep 1852, p. 4
[alleged inadequacy of the site and construction ... delay in constructon]
Glasgow Sentinel 25 Dec 1852, p. 5
[a deputation sent to the Postmaster General in London "for the purpose of securing more accommodation in the new building than was originally contemplated"]
Glasgow Herald 6 May 1853, p. 6
One aspect of Charles Wilson's plan was to locate the Money Order on the first - this was deemed unsatisfactory in Glasgow - and a deputation was sent to London, requesting an extension to the proposed building to house the Money Order Office. This proposal rejected by the Treasury - regarded by many a shabby behaviour
Glasgow Constitutional 8 May 1853, p. 3
[The location of the Money Order Office on the first floor was a cause for concern - "In the proposed new Post Office buildings the money order office, which was resorted to chiefly by the working classes, the vast majority of whom had walk three or four miles to reach it, instead of being situated on the ground floor, was only to be reached by a flight of fifty-six steps, the office being situated feet above the level of the street. This was surely very hard upon poor persons who were already tired out by their walk from the country."
Scottish Guardian 28 Jun 1853, p. 4
[Treasury refused to commit any more funds to improve the desigh of the post office, despite the deputation]
Glasgow Herald 9 Dec 1853, p. 5
[Dispute over the hoardings around the site obstructing the pavement]
Glasgow Herald 23 Dec 1853, p. 6
[Work of the post office to be commenced on 25 Mar [1854]]
Glasgow Herald 27 Jan 1854, p 7
[Hoardings decision - Charles Wilson, as architect, ordered to remove hoardings, but by this time Charles Wilson was no longer employed as the architect]
The Dictionary of Scottish Architects: Groves prepared plans in place of Wilson's (replaced by Burn). A fatal accident on the building site may be related to Groves or Burn being appointed.
Following the rejection of Charles Wilson's design, Frederick Humphrey Groves was appointed architect for the scheme. According to the online Dictionary of Scottish Architects Groves, an architect based in London "may have held an appointment of some kind with the Post Office as in that year he was commissioned to design the new Glasgow post office in George Square, Charles Wilson's scheme having been discarded. He then settled at 123 Grafton Terrace, Glasgow. In the event Groves's design did not find favour with William Burn, the Government's consulting architect for Scotland, who made the design himself. Groves returned to London shortly thereafter and was in practice at 9 Craig's Court, Charing Cross in 1868". This suggests that a third design was made for the post office, although the newspaper reports refer to the building as the work of Messrs Groves and Burn.
Glasgow Herald 7 Jul 1854, p. 5
[ ... any hope of the new Post Office to be proceeded with?]
Glasgow Herald 24 Jul 1854, p. 5
[application from Department of Woods and Forests for the erection of a new post office + description of the proposed building "The plans are by a London architect, we presume;but modestly he does not give his name ... the plans prepared by Charles Wilson were decidedly superior to those adopted as regards external beauty, and the dignity which should belong to a public building]
Scottish Guardian 5 Feb 1856, p. 4
[description of the building, determined by Messrs Grove [sic] & Burn]
Scottish Guardian 7 Oct 1856, p. 4
[description of interior]
Scottish Guardian 27 Oct 1856, p. 6
Royal Coat of Arms placed above main entrance in George Square
Scottish Guardian 11 Nov 1856, p. 2
[praise for, and further description of the building, given the financial restraints placed upon the project ..." but as Government would neither give enough money nor allow others give it, we are thankful that at least they had the good sense to entrust the work to Messrs. Burn and Groves, and that it has had the benefit amount of conscientious attention, early and late, from Mr. Groves, such as few men would think at all necessary"]
Morning Post 7 Jan 1857, p. 7
[opened for the first time on 5 Jan 1857 - description of building]
================================================
Morning Post 7 Jan 1857, p. 7
[Description of building - opened 5 Jan 1857]
Year: 1857
Archive sources
ScotlandsPlaces: RHP6789 (plan of warming flues); 1224670 (photograph)
Selected bibliographical references
Glasgow Constitutional 8 May 1853, p. 3
Glasgow Gazette 14 Sep 1850, p. 2; 10 May 1851, p. 2; 9 Aug 1851, p. 2; 31 Jul 1852, p. 2
Glasgow Herald 31 Jan 1851, p. 4; 24 Sep 1852, p. 4; 6 May 1853, p. 6; 9 Dec 1853, p. 6; 27 Jan 1854, p. 7; 7 Jul 1854, p. 5; 24 Jul 1854, p. 5
Glasgow Sentinel 26 Jul 1851, p. 5; 25 Dec 1852, p. 5
Glasgow Sentinel 25 Dec 1852, p. 5
Morning Post 7 Jan 1857, p. 7 (description of building)
Scottish Guardian 28 Jun 1853, p. 4; 5 Feb 1856, p. 4 (description of building); 7 Oct 1856, p. 4 (description of interior); 11 Nov 1856, p. 2
History
Opened: 5 Jan 1857
Demolished
The building of Glasgow's first purpose-built post office was seven years in the making. It was announced in September 1850 that a new post office was to be erected, the location confirmed in early 1851 as the site then occupied by Manhattan Buildings in South Hanover Street., purchased at a cost of £10,000. The design of the building was entrusted to the Scottish architect Charles Wilson (1810-1863). The Dictionary of Scottish Architects suggests that the commission was won as a result of a competition, and in the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland collection there is a design: 4 George Square, General Post Office Plan of principal floor - unexecuted competition design Titled: 'Glasgow Post Office. Plan of Principal Floor' 'Glasgow 29 Bath Street_September 1851.' Signed: 'Charles Wilson Archt. 24/6621. It was clear that the Postmaster General or the Treasury were minded to supply a building as economically as possible: Wilson sent two plans for the project, one with the Postmaster's residence contained within the post office building and one with the accommodation attached. The second option was discarded. By the end of July 1852 the plans were returned to the architect with the instruction that he should proceed to obtain estimates for the work. There was another issue about the design which was cause for concern - this was the location of the Money Order Office on the first floor. A deputation was sent to London for the "for the purpose of securing more accommodation in the new building than was originally contemplated" , thereby housing the Money Order Office in an extension. The location of the Money Order Office was deemed unsatisfactory especially for the working classes, "the vast majority of whom had walk three or four miles to reach it, instead of being situated on the ground floor, was only to be reached by a flight of fifty-six steps, the office being situated on the ground floor, was only to be reached by a flight of fifty-six steps, the office being situated feet above the level of the street. This was surely very hard upon poor persons who were already tired out by their walk from the country." The Treasury refused to commit any more funds to improve the design of the post office. In late 1853 there was a dispute about the hoardings around the site - these were causing obstruction, and in January 1854 the architect was ordered to remove the obstructions. This he was not in a position to do so, because he was no longer employed as the architect of the scheme. Why he was removed from his position has not been established, although the Dictionary of Scottish Architects suggests that a fatal accident on the site may have been the reason. Whatever the reason, an architect based in London, with possible connections to the Post Office, Frederick Humphrey Groves, was appointed the architect for the project. At some stage William Burn, consulting architect to the government of Scotland, became involved, and reports in the Glagow press attributed the design to Messrs Burn and Groves. The building finally opened on 5 January 1957.
for Glasgow's first purpose-built post office was a site on South Hanover Street occupied by Manhattan Buildings. In c.1851 the architect Charles Wilson (1810-1863) won the commission for the building following a competition. Manhattan Buildings were demolished in 1851 and the site cleared by 1853. The Glasgow Herald of 9 December 1853, p. 9 reported on a complaint that the hoardings erected "around the site of the almost forgotten New Post Office" were causing an obstruction.
Glasgow Gazette 14 Sep 1850, p. 2
[new post office to be erected - site not yet determined]
Glasgow Herald 31 Jan 1851, p. 4
[Manhattan Buildings, South Hanover Street to be the site of the new post office - purchased for £10,000]
Glasgow Gazette 10 May 1851, p. 2
[Charles Wilson appointed architect for the new post office]
Glasgow Sentinel 26 Jul 1851, p. 5
[Two plans by Wilson sent to the Postmaster General, one with the Postmaster's residence contained within the Post Office as required by the authorities in the interests of economy; and one with a house attached]
Glasgow Gazette 9 Aug 1851, p. 2
[Manhattan Buildings in course of demolition - plan of having Postmaster's house attached abandoned]
Glasgow Gazette 31 Jul 1852, p. 2
[Plans returned to Wilson, architect instructed to obtain estimates - description of proposed building]
Glasgow Herald 24 Sep 1852, p. 4
[alleged inadequacy of the site and construction ... delay in constructon]
Glasgow Sentinel 25 Dec 1852, p. 5
[a deputation sent to the Postmaster General in London "for the purpose of securing more accommodation in the new building than was originally contemplated"]
Glasgow Herald 6 May 1853, p. 6
One aspect of Charles Wilson's plan was to locate the Money Order on the first - this was deemed unsatisfactory in Glasgow - and a deputation was sent to London, requesting an extension to the proposed building to house the Money Order Office. This proposal rejected by the Treasury - regarded by many a shabby behaviour
Glasgow Constitutional 8 May 1853, p. 3
[The location of the Money Order Office on the first floor was a cause for concern - "In the proposed new Post Office buildings the money order office, which was resorted to chiefly by the working classes, the vast majority of whom had walk three or four miles to reach it, instead of being situated on the ground floor, was only to be reached by a flight of fifty-six steps, the office being situated feet above the level of the street. This was surely very hard upon poor persons who were already tired out by their walk from the country."
Scottish Guardian 28 Jun 1853, p. 4
[Treasury refused to commit any more funds to improve the desigh of the post office, despite the deputation]
Glasgow Herald 9 Dec 1853, p. 5
[Dispute over the hoardings around the site obstructing the pavement]
Glasgow Herald 23 Dec 1853, p. 6
[Work of the post office to be commenced on 25 Mar [1854]]
Glasgow Herald 27 Jan 1854, p 7
[Hoardings decision - Charles Wilson, as architect, ordered to remove hoardings, but by this time Charles Wilson was no longer employed as the architect]
The Dictionary of Scottish Architects: Groves prepared plans in place of Wilson's (replaced by Burn). A fatal accident on the building site may be related to Groves or Burn being appointed.
Following the rejection of Charles Wilson's design, Frederick Humphrey Groves was appointed architect for the scheme. According to the online Dictionary of Scottish Architects Groves, an architect based in London "may have held an appointment of some kind with the Post Office as in that year he was commissioned to design the new Glasgow post office in George Square, Charles Wilson's scheme having been discarded. He then settled at 123 Grafton Terrace, Glasgow. In the event Groves's design did not find favour with William Burn, the Government's consulting architect for Scotland, who made the design himself. Groves returned to London shortly thereafter and was in practice at 9 Craig's Court, Charing Cross in 1868". This suggests that a third design was made for the post office, although the newspaper reports refer to the building as the work of Messrs Groves and Burn.
Glasgow Herald 7 Jul 1854, p. 5
[ ... any hope of the new Post Office to be proceeded with?]
Glasgow Herald 24 Jul 1854, p. 5
[application from Department of Woods and Forests for the erection of a new post office + description of the proposed building "The plans are by a London architect, we presume;but modestly he does not give his name ... the plans prepared by Charles Wilson were decidedly superior to those adopted as regards external beauty, and the dignity which should belong to a public building]
Scottish Guardian 5 Feb 1856, p. 4
[description of the building, determined by Messrs Grove [sic] & Burn]
Scottish Guardian 7 Oct 1856, p. 4
[description of interior]
Scottish Guardian 27 Oct 1856, p. 6
Royal Coat of Arms placed above main entrance in George Square
Scottish Guardian 11 Nov 1856, p. 2
[praise for, and further description of the building, given the financial restraints placed upon the project ..." but as Government would neither give enough money nor allow others give it, we are thankful that at least they had the good sense to entrust the work to Messrs. Burn and Groves, and that it has had the benefit amount of conscientious attention, early and late, from Mr. Groves, such as few men would think at all necessary"]
Morning Post 7 Jan 1857, p. 7
[opened for the first time on 5 Jan 1857 - description of building]
================================================
Morning Post 7 Jan 1857, p. 7
[Description of building - opened 5 Jan 1857]