NORTHAMPTON POST OFFICE (1872)
Abington Street
Architect: James Williams
Year: 1872
Archive sources
British Postal Museum and Archive: POST 30/201A; Northampton Portfolio File (photograph)
National Archives: WORK 69/6 (photograph)
Selected bibliographical references
Building News 9 Mar 1872, p. 265
Northampton Mercury 30 Oct 1869, p. 5; 20 Nov 1869, p. 6;
23 Mar 1872, p. 5
History
Demolished
Architect: James Williams
Year: 1872
Archive sources
British Postal Museum and Archive: POST 30/201A; Northampton Portfolio File (photograph)
National Archives: WORK 69/6 (photograph)
Selected bibliographical references
Building News 9 Mar 1872, p. 265
Northampton Mercury 30 Oct 1869, p. 5; 20 Nov 1869, p. 6;
23 Mar 1872, p. 5
History
Demolished
Building description
From: Northampton Mercury 23 March 1872, p. 5
THE NEW POST OFFICE. At length the new Post Office, which has been for some months past course of erection in Abington-street, is about to be opened. This is a consummation more devoutly wished by the Post Office employees than the public, the former suffering maximum amount of inconvenience. Until the opening of the temporary branch office in Sheep-street the rapidly increasing business of the Post Office had to be transacted under great disadvantages on the premises in the Drapery, which are small, inconvenient, and ill-ventilated. The inconvenience felt the public was small, compared with that of the officials, though in this respect there was ample room for improvement. Now that the new building well nigh completed, the public will regret more deeply than ever that a more advantageous site was not chosen in the first instance. It is true it is near the centre of the town, and that account there perhaps not much reason complain. It built on the site of Mr Richard Howes's property, only a few yards from the Market-square. But it is at the narrowest part of Abington-street, and this will, doubtless, prove a source of considerable inconvenience, notwithstanding that the edifice is set back three feet from the line frontage. But the site will be condemned in another point view. It has almost passed into proverb that the best public buildings Northampton are sure to be placed in corners, or at least disadvantageous positions. The new Post Office, contrary, believe, to general anticipation, is really very handsome building, with a frontage in the Italian style architecture; but it is placed in part of a narrow street — where it will be impossible to see the edifice to advantage. It has shared the fate of the new Town Had, College Street Chapel, and other buildings which really deserved to be set in more conspicuous positions, where, whatever architectural they possessed, might be seen to the best advantage. People cannot refrain from regretting even now that the Post Office was not erected on a Market-square site, or even the old site, as either case would have shown to better advantage, and certainly would have been more convenient to the public. However, regrets are unavailing. The building erected on the condemned site, and shortly we shall get accustomed to its existence in Abington-street, and shall so far forget our objections to the site, as only to give vent to them on exceptional occasions, when strangers are shown the “lions” of the town. No doubt, as far as the Post officials are concerned, very few better or more convenient sites could have been selected, as there is an abundance of space, without superfluity, and an entrance in Dychurch-lane, to which the mail carts can drive, so that Abington-street will not be incommoded in that respect. The building presents a very imposing and not altogether ungraceful front, the style being, as we have already stated, Italian. The length of frontage feet is 42ft, and the building has three storeys. The ground-floor front is of stone, the remainder being brick, with handsome Bath stone dressings. The windows on the ground-floor are massive and ornamental, each being flanked with pilasters, There are carved pediments to the first-floor windows and balustrades, the second-floor windows being plain in character. The front is surmounted by a handsome cornice, and is capped with a balustrade. All the front windows are filled with plate-glass. The words "Post Office" are inscribed in large letters on the face of the building. Entering from the street, there is a spacious entrance lobby for the public, with a handsome stone staircase leading to the upper rooms. From thence one enters the public office for the transaction of the postal business, money orders, &c. This a lofty and well-ventilated apartment—it is 17ft. 6in. high — and is adorned with a carved cornice. It forms a very agreeable contrast with the contracted, ill-ventilated Drapery office, where the employees, “cabin d, cribb'd, confind”, have been accustomed to perform their duties. There is to be, and probably will by the time these lines meet the public eye, an adequate supply of telegraph desks, for the writing of telegrams. By the side of the public office, behind it as one enters from the entrance lobby, is the telegraphic instrument apartment. It is not of the same height as the other room, and compares as favourably with the old premises in George-row as the former does with the postal premises in the Drapery. On the same floor is the postmaster’s private room. At the rear is the sorting-office, a very spacious apartment, about 50ft. by 28ft., with a back entrance from Dychurch-lane, and a side entrance a passage which entered by a door from Abington-street, close to the public entrance. This lighted by lantern light and side-lights. On the first and second floor there are suites of apartments, but it is not yet determined, we believe, to what use they shall be devoted. They are commodious rooms, and were originally intended for Inland Revenue offices, but for some reason or another that intention has, we are informed, been abandoned. At the basement of the building are retiring rooms for letter-carriers and sorters, and an apartment, gloomy as a vault, once intended, we understand for an Inland Revenue department seizure store, but now intended for that no more, sharing the uncertain and undecided fate the upper rooms of the establishment. There also a battery-room, just under the telegraphic instrumental apartment, where the galvanic batteries will supply the electricity upon which the telegraph depends. The building is provided with every convenience, and is generally, to all appearance, arranged with view to comfort in carrying on the important business which devolves upon the postal department. The architect is Mr. Jas. Williams, Post Office Surveyor, Whitehall, London, the contractor Mr. Dunkley, of Blisworth, who has carried out his contract in a very satisfactory manner. The erection has been under the supervision of Mr. Hatch, of London, clerk of the works. It is expected that both the postal and telegraphic departments will transferred to the new building on Monday next, although it will not then be entirely completed.
THE NEW POST OFFICE. At length the new Post Office, which has been for some months past course of erection in Abington-street, is about to be opened. This is a consummation more devoutly wished by the Post Office employees than the public, the former suffering maximum amount of inconvenience. Until the opening of the temporary branch office in Sheep-street the rapidly increasing business of the Post Office had to be transacted under great disadvantages on the premises in the Drapery, which are small, inconvenient, and ill-ventilated. The inconvenience felt the public was small, compared with that of the officials, though in this respect there was ample room for improvement. Now that the new building well nigh completed, the public will regret more deeply than ever that a more advantageous site was not chosen in the first instance. It is true it is near the centre of the town, and that account there perhaps not much reason complain. It built on the site of Mr Richard Howes's property, only a few yards from the Market-square. But it is at the narrowest part of Abington-street, and this will, doubtless, prove a source of considerable inconvenience, notwithstanding that the edifice is set back three feet from the line frontage. But the site will be condemned in another point view. It has almost passed into proverb that the best public buildings Northampton are sure to be placed in corners, or at least disadvantageous positions. The new Post Office, contrary, believe, to general anticipation, is really very handsome building, with a frontage in the Italian style architecture; but it is placed in part of a narrow street — where it will be impossible to see the edifice to advantage. It has shared the fate of the new Town Had, College Street Chapel, and other buildings which really deserved to be set in more conspicuous positions, where, whatever architectural they possessed, might be seen to the best advantage. People cannot refrain from regretting even now that the Post Office was not erected on a Market-square site, or even the old site, as either case would have shown to better advantage, and certainly would have been more convenient to the public. However, regrets are unavailing. The building erected on the condemned site, and shortly we shall get accustomed to its existence in Abington-street, and shall so far forget our objections to the site, as only to give vent to them on exceptional occasions, when strangers are shown the “lions” of the town. No doubt, as far as the Post officials are concerned, very few better or more convenient sites could have been selected, as there is an abundance of space, without superfluity, and an entrance in Dychurch-lane, to which the mail carts can drive, so that Abington-street will not be incommoded in that respect. The building presents a very imposing and not altogether ungraceful front, the style being, as we have already stated, Italian. The length of frontage feet is 42ft, and the building has three storeys. The ground-floor front is of stone, the remainder being brick, with handsome Bath stone dressings. The windows on the ground-floor are massive and ornamental, each being flanked with pilasters, There are carved pediments to the first-floor windows and balustrades, the second-floor windows being plain in character. The front is surmounted by a handsome cornice, and is capped with a balustrade. All the front windows are filled with plate-glass. The words "Post Office" are inscribed in large letters on the face of the building. Entering from the street, there is a spacious entrance lobby for the public, with a handsome stone staircase leading to the upper rooms. From thence one enters the public office for the transaction of the postal business, money orders, &c. This a lofty and well-ventilated apartment—it is 17ft. 6in. high — and is adorned with a carved cornice. It forms a very agreeable contrast with the contracted, ill-ventilated Drapery office, where the employees, “cabin d, cribb'd, confind”, have been accustomed to perform their duties. There is to be, and probably will by the time these lines meet the public eye, an adequate supply of telegraph desks, for the writing of telegrams. By the side of the public office, behind it as one enters from the entrance lobby, is the telegraphic instrument apartment. It is not of the same height as the other room, and compares as favourably with the old premises in George-row as the former does with the postal premises in the Drapery. On the same floor is the postmaster’s private room. At the rear is the sorting-office, a very spacious apartment, about 50ft. by 28ft., with a back entrance from Dychurch-lane, and a side entrance a passage which entered by a door from Abington-street, close to the public entrance. This lighted by lantern light and side-lights. On the first and second floor there are suites of apartments, but it is not yet determined, we believe, to what use they shall be devoted. They are commodious rooms, and were originally intended for Inland Revenue offices, but for some reason or another that intention has, we are informed, been abandoned. At the basement of the building are retiring rooms for letter-carriers and sorters, and an apartment, gloomy as a vault, once intended, we understand for an Inland Revenue department seizure store, but now intended for that no more, sharing the uncertain and undecided fate the upper rooms of the establishment. There also a battery-room, just under the telegraphic instrumental apartment, where the galvanic batteries will supply the electricity upon which the telegraph depends. The building is provided with every convenience, and is generally, to all appearance, arranged with view to comfort in carrying on the important business which devolves upon the postal department. The architect is Mr. Jas. Williams, Post Office Surveyor, Whitehall, London, the contractor Mr. Dunkley, of Blisworth, who has carried out his contract in a very satisfactory manner. The erection has been under the supervision of Mr. Hatch, of London, clerk of the works. It is expected that both the postal and telegraphic departments will transferred to the new building on Monday next, although it will not then be entirely completed.
