HARROGATE POST OFFICE (1865)
James Street/Princes Street
Architect: John Henry Hirst
Year: 1865
Selected bibliographical references
Yorkshire Gazette 10 Jun 1865, p. 9
History
Opened: Jun 1865
Closed: c.1873
Demolished
Year: 1865
Selected bibliographical references
Yorkshire Gazette 10 Jun 1865, p. 9
History
Opened: Jun 1865
Closed: c.1873
Demolished
Building description
From: York Herald 10 June 1865, p. 5
These handsome new premises were opened for business last week, though they can scarcely be said to be entirely completed. The new building has been erected by the Victoria Park Company, and forms a very prominent feature on the angle of James-street and Princes-street, presenting at the angle a noble portico entrance to the post office, money order office, savings' bank, and postmaster's residence. It forms part of a pile of new buildings, having a grand facade towards James-street of about 300ft. in length, and towards Princes-street of 100ft. The style is Italian, treated with great boldness, in order to show to advantage tho building stone of the locality, which being capable of being quarried in large and massive blocks, offers unusual facilities for producing grand effects of light and shade. To relieve the monotony produced in all large masses of building by sameness of colour, red bricks have been introduced in a somewhat novel but very effective manner. The principal room of the post office—size about 30ft. by 20ft,—is lighted towards James-street by three large semi circular headed windows, divided by stone columns with richly carved capitals. This room is handsomely finished in the interior, the plaster cornice being especially rich and elegant. Herein will be conducted, not only the business of the postal department, but that connected with money orders, and the new Government savings' bank. The public will enter through the portico, before alluded to, by three spacious semicircular arches resting on stone columns, with carved capitals and bases. The portico carries two storeys of rooms over it, and is surmounted by the Royal Arms. In addition to the accommodation above mentioned, are cloak and retiring rooms for the letter carriers and employees, and separate entrances for the postmaster, whose private residence occupies the rest of the building, excepting at the south-east end, where S. Powell, Esq. has secured a suite of chambers, and the Masondc body have located themselves in a noble hall and suite of apartments especially designed for their accommodation. For all this architectural effect and public accommodation Harrogate is indebted for the the good taste and public spirit of the Victoria Park Company, who have been well seconded by the purchasers of the James-street building lots ; to the zeal and ability displayed by their architect, Mr. J. H. Hirst, a Yorkshireman, now resident at Bristol; and to the energy and skill of Mr. R. Ellis, of Harrogate, the contractor.
These handsome new premises were opened for business last week, though they can scarcely be said to be entirely completed. The new building has been erected by the Victoria Park Company, and forms a very prominent feature on the angle of James-street and Princes-street, presenting at the angle a noble portico entrance to the post office, money order office, savings' bank, and postmaster's residence. It forms part of a pile of new buildings, having a grand facade towards James-street of about 300ft. in length, and towards Princes-street of 100ft. The style is Italian, treated with great boldness, in order to show to advantage tho building stone of the locality, which being capable of being quarried in large and massive blocks, offers unusual facilities for producing grand effects of light and shade. To relieve the monotony produced in all large masses of building by sameness of colour, red bricks have been introduced in a somewhat novel but very effective manner. The principal room of the post office—size about 30ft. by 20ft,—is lighted towards James-street by three large semi circular headed windows, divided by stone columns with richly carved capitals. This room is handsomely finished in the interior, the plaster cornice being especially rich and elegant. Herein will be conducted, not only the business of the postal department, but that connected with money orders, and the new Government savings' bank. The public will enter through the portico, before alluded to, by three spacious semicircular arches resting on stone columns, with carved capitals and bases. The portico carries two storeys of rooms over it, and is surmounted by the Royal Arms. In addition to the accommodation above mentioned, are cloak and retiring rooms for the letter carriers and employees, and separate entrances for the postmaster, whose private residence occupies the rest of the building, excepting at the south-east end, where S. Powell, Esq. has secured a suite of chambers, and the Masondc body have located themselves in a noble hall and suite of apartments especially designed for their accommodation. For all this architectural effect and public accommodation Harrogate is indebted for the the good taste and public spirit of the Victoria Park Company, who have been well seconded by the purchasers of the James-street building lots ; to the zeal and ability displayed by their architect, Mr. J. H. Hirst, a Yorkshireman, now resident at Bristol; and to the energy and skill of Mr. R. Ellis, of Harrogate, the contractor.
