HULL POST OFFICE (1877)
4 Market Place, Lowgate
Photograph © Bernard Sharp via Geograph and licensed for re-use under a Creative Commons licence
|
Architect: James Williams Year: 1877 (1891 enlargement, architect Walter Pott) Listed building status: Grade II Selected bibliographical references Builder 25 Sep 1875, p. 858 Hull Packet and East Riding Times 10 Aug 1877, p. 6 York Herald 19 Feb 1875, p. 6; 5 Apr 1875, p. 5; 6 Aug 1877 History Closed Current use: Restaurant ("Old Custom House") This building replaced the premises in Whitefriargate |
Building description
From: Hull Packet and East Riding Times 10 Aug 1877, p 6
This fine building, which has been in the course of construction since February, 1875, is now all but completed, and the post-officials on Saturday removed from the old building in Whitefriargate, which was so ill-adapted for the purpose for which it was used, to the new premises. The front of the building, which is at right angles with the Market-place and Scale-lane, has a very imposing appearance. Complete accommodation is provided in every department, and built as it is on the most approved plans, it is one of the most handsome and commanding post-offices in the provinces. The main portion of the edifice in the Market-place is nearly 80 feet in height, which is higher than any other public building in the town with the exception of the the Customs' Offices. The extent of the accommodation may be imagined from the fact that the new premises occupy an area of ten thousand feet. The building stands on the site of, the old Kingston Hotel. It has a frontage of 50 feet in the Market-place and 34 feet in Scale-lane, and the height of the premises in the latter thoroughfare is nearly 50ft. The frontage in the Market-place is composed of Spinkwall stone, and the lower portion of the building is fluted masonry. The porch over the the main entrance is of a very massive character, some of the stones used weighing four and five ton each and the sides and projecting cornice are elaborately, carved. The windows on the ground floor are deeply recessed, and those immediately above have balustrades in front, portions of the masonry being embellished by enriched string courses, and over them are carved pediments and consoles.The second foor windows have no balustrades, but the character of the masonry is similar to the others. Over the third story the words "Postal Telegraph Office" are cut, and the building is surmounted by a heavy dental cornice with carved foliage. The outside walls are about 3ft. 6in. in thickness and the walls throughout average 2ft. 6in. Special provision has been made for the telegraphic department which has had its offices in Lowgate, there being insufficient accommodation in the old building to carry on this important branch of the post-office work. That portion of the building which is set apart for this department was completed some weeks ago, when the staff from the Exchange Buildings removed, so that by this time the telegraphic system is in full working order in the new premises. The interior embraces a large number of rooms, several of which are of very extensive dimensions. Facing the principal entrance is the main staircase, which leads to the top of the building, and to the right of this is the chief room, a lofty and commodious apartment, the accommodation for the public being three times as great as. he that provided at the old office. It combines the postal, telegraph, money order, savings bank, and insurance departments, and is also immediately connected with a room which has been specially provided for the registration and safe custody of. important letters. In a line with this room is another noble room, which will devoted to the sorting of letters. It is 20ft. in height, 78ft. in length,'and 36ft. wide. At the back, in a line with the entrance in in Scale-lane, is the letter-carriers' room. The lower portion of the premises fronting thelane has been used as the telegraph office, but messages will now be received in the main ground-floor room facing the Market-place, and the place will be set apart solely for the use of holders of private boxes, which is an improvement they cannot fail to appreciate. This arrangement, which was an after-thought, is an admirable one, as it will relieve the main entrance of a large amount of traffic. The congregation of messengers at the old building was very inconvenient to the public, and had the original plan been carried out the excellent accommodation in the postal department would have been sacrificed to some extent. On the floor above the basement fronting the Market-place is the postmaster's room, and the offices of some of the principal officials. In the rear is the instrument-room, a well-lighted and commodious apartment - and retiring rooms for the male clerks; and in the Scale-lane premises there are rooms for the messengers and others connected with the telegraphic department. The battery room and a variety of other apartments are arranged on the second storey, and the front portion of the third and top storey will be utilised for stores and the apartments of the porter and housekeeper; and in the rear is a large assembly room, which will probably be used for soires and other entertainments which the staff may have. The entrance in Scale-lane will be for the postal and other clerks. The female clerks will have the privilege of going to their respective offices by way of the main entrance. The chief letter-box will be in the Market-place, and the private box office will be in Scale-lane. It is curious to note that the orifice in the box in the former thoroughfare occupies as nearly as possible the same superficial area as that of the window at which the whole of the post-office business in the town was conducted when the establishment was situated in Bishop-lane. Mr. J. Williams, of H.M. Office of Works, London, is the architect; Messrs. W. J. Hall, of Hull, the builders; and the duties of clerk of the works have been efficiently carried out by Mr. J. C. Evans, formerly of London.
This fine building, which has been in the course of construction since February, 1875, is now all but completed, and the post-officials on Saturday removed from the old building in Whitefriargate, which was so ill-adapted for the purpose for which it was used, to the new premises. The front of the building, which is at right angles with the Market-place and Scale-lane, has a very imposing appearance. Complete accommodation is provided in every department, and built as it is on the most approved plans, it is one of the most handsome and commanding post-offices in the provinces. The main portion of the edifice in the Market-place is nearly 80 feet in height, which is higher than any other public building in the town with the exception of the the Customs' Offices. The extent of the accommodation may be imagined from the fact that the new premises occupy an area of ten thousand feet. The building stands on the site of, the old Kingston Hotel. It has a frontage of 50 feet in the Market-place and 34 feet in Scale-lane, and the height of the premises in the latter thoroughfare is nearly 50ft. The frontage in the Market-place is composed of Spinkwall stone, and the lower portion of the building is fluted masonry. The porch over the the main entrance is of a very massive character, some of the stones used weighing four and five ton each and the sides and projecting cornice are elaborately, carved. The windows on the ground floor are deeply recessed, and those immediately above have balustrades in front, portions of the masonry being embellished by enriched string courses, and over them are carved pediments and consoles.The second foor windows have no balustrades, but the character of the masonry is similar to the others. Over the third story the words "Postal Telegraph Office" are cut, and the building is surmounted by a heavy dental cornice with carved foliage. The outside walls are about 3ft. 6in. in thickness and the walls throughout average 2ft. 6in. Special provision has been made for the telegraphic department which has had its offices in Lowgate, there being insufficient accommodation in the old building to carry on this important branch of the post-office work. That portion of the building which is set apart for this department was completed some weeks ago, when the staff from the Exchange Buildings removed, so that by this time the telegraphic system is in full working order in the new premises. The interior embraces a large number of rooms, several of which are of very extensive dimensions. Facing the principal entrance is the main staircase, which leads to the top of the building, and to the right of this is the chief room, a lofty and commodious apartment, the accommodation for the public being three times as great as. he that provided at the old office. It combines the postal, telegraph, money order, savings bank, and insurance departments, and is also immediately connected with a room which has been specially provided for the registration and safe custody of. important letters. In a line with this room is another noble room, which will devoted to the sorting of letters. It is 20ft. in height, 78ft. in length,'and 36ft. wide. At the back, in a line with the entrance in in Scale-lane, is the letter-carriers' room. The lower portion of the premises fronting thelane has been used as the telegraph office, but messages will now be received in the main ground-floor room facing the Market-place, and the place will be set apart solely for the use of holders of private boxes, which is an improvement they cannot fail to appreciate. This arrangement, which was an after-thought, is an admirable one, as it will relieve the main entrance of a large amount of traffic. The congregation of messengers at the old building was very inconvenient to the public, and had the original plan been carried out the excellent accommodation in the postal department would have been sacrificed to some extent. On the floor above the basement fronting the Market-place is the postmaster's room, and the offices of some of the principal officials. In the rear is the instrument-room, a well-lighted and commodious apartment - and retiring rooms for the male clerks; and in the Scale-lane premises there are rooms for the messengers and others connected with the telegraphic department. The battery room and a variety of other apartments are arranged on the second storey, and the front portion of the third and top storey will be utilised for stores and the apartments of the porter and housekeeper; and in the rear is a large assembly room, which will probably be used for soires and other entertainments which the staff may have. The entrance in Scale-lane will be for the postal and other clerks. The female clerks will have the privilege of going to their respective offices by way of the main entrance. The chief letter-box will be in the Market-place, and the private box office will be in Scale-lane. It is curious to note that the orifice in the box in the former thoroughfare occupies as nearly as possible the same superficial area as that of the window at which the whole of the post-office business in the town was conducted when the establishment was situated in Bishop-lane. Mr. J. Williams, of H.M. Office of Works, London, is the architect; Messrs. W. J. Hall, of Hull, the builders; and the duties of clerk of the works have been efficiently carried out by Mr. J. C. Evans, formerly of London.
