11 Cambridge Road
Photograph © Malcolm Jones via Flickr
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Architect: Henry Tanner Year: 1897 Archive sources National Archives: WORK 69/6 (photograph) Selected bibliographical references Builder 10 Oct 1896, p. 296; 16 Jan 1897, p. 62 Ripon Gazette 12 Jun 2006 York Herald 8 Oct 1896, p. 3 Yorkshire Evening Post 4 Jan 1897, p. 3 History Opened: 4 Jan 1897 |
Building description
From: York Herald 8 October 1896, p. 3
The development of the postal department in Harrogate has during late years been such that the authorities have been compelled to erect new premises for the better and more expeditious carrying on of the increasing work. ln the year 1840 the post-office was situate where the Spread Eagle Tavern now is, and there were only two letter carriers; but the postal work so developed that the office, after another removal, was moved from High to Central Harrogate, when a circular portion of the buildings in James-street was utilised for many years. Owing to the increase in postal work a further move was made in later years to the present premises in James-street, and now these are found insufficient for the transaction of business. The new building was commenced on the 15th of October, 1894, and it is situate at the junction of Cambridge-road and Chapel-street. The style of architecture adopted is perpendicular, and the building is constructed of Pateley stone dressings and wall stones from Heaton Park, near Bradford, the dressings being from Mr. Jonas Stott's quarry, Pateley Bridge. The total cost of the new Post Office, together with the furnishings, which will be of a very complete character, will be upwards of £9,000. The new building comprises a sorting office on the ground floor, 52ft, by 43ft. Adjoining this, and in Cambridge-road, is the postmaster's private office, the dimensions of which are 16ft. by 12ft. The postmaster will have full view of the whole of the sorting-room, and otherwise be in close connection with all concerned. The public entrance for telegraph, postal, and money order business is at the corner of Chapel-street and Cambridge-road, and this is 41ft. long by 23ft wide. At the rear is a telephone room 7ft square, which will be placed in a silence cabinet. A staircase is arranged in the centre of the building which leads to the first and second floor, where there are clerks', store, postmen, and male and female retiring rooms. On the ground floor is also a telegraph messengers' room, adjoining the telephone room, 28ft by 17ft. Further in the rear of the building are coal stores, lavatory accommodation, and a shed for parcel post carts (18ft. by 16ft.). Contiguous is a spacious yard some 56 feet in 5 length by 37 feet in width, and here the male officials enter, under a covered promenade from which the mails are both received and despatched. On the first floor, in Cambridge-road, is a post-man's retiring room, 17 feet by 22 feet 6 inches; a clerk's retiring room, 18 feet by 18 feet; a store room, and also a female clerk's retiring room, and all these are approached from the staircase before mentioned. The instrument room is over the entrance to the public office, and is 24 feet 6 inches by 25 feet. Behind this is the postal telephone exchange — a very spacious room — and which will be a considerable acquisition. At the further rear is the line men's room, in which all the batteries will be prepared, and this room is approached from the yard before mentioned by an external staircase. Every accommodation is here provided for the officials. On the second floor there are several spacious rooms, and these are set apart for the caretaker. The whole of the floors throughout the building, with the exception of the instrument-room and the telephone exchange, are provided with pine wood block flooring on concrete, so that they are practically fire-proof. The scullery and store-room floors are provided with Edward's Adamantine tiles. The beams through-out the building are of steel, and were supplied by Messrs. Dorman, Long, and Co., of Middlesbrough. The walls and the lavatories are lined with ivory white glazed bricks, with a skirting and surbase of salt glaze bricks. The inside of the public office is lined with silver stone paving from Messrs. Joseph Brooks and Sons, Hipperholme, also the staircase and corridors where stone paving is laid. The building is lighted throughout with gas, the fittings for which have been supplied by Messrs. J. Defries and Sons, of Houndsditch, London, but fixed by the Harrogate Gas Company. The windows are numerous, although in some cases small; and the ventilation is on a very perfect system, and a large air pump is fixed upon the roof in the centre of the building. The carving has been executed by Mr. G. W. Milburn, of Bootham Bar, York, the tympanums to the gables and the pateras at the corners being effectively finished. The general heating of the building is by open fireplaces, in so far as the special rooms are concerned, but the Carron Ironworks Company (Stirling) have made provision for a hot air heating apparatus for the public office and instrument room, and the smaller stoves utilised have been supplied by Messsrs. Smith and Welstood, of Bonnybridge, Stirlingshire. The marble chimney prices, etc., have been supplied by Messrs. Yates, Hawood, and Co. The contractors for the whole of the works are Messrs. Ives and Co., of Shipley … The architect for the new Post-office is Mr. Henry Tanner, of H.M. Office of Works, Whitehall, London; and the whole of the work has been admirably carried out under the direction of Mr. R. Berry, of H.M. Office of Works, It is anticipated that the works will not be fully completed for occupation before the early part of next year.
The development of the postal department in Harrogate has during late years been such that the authorities have been compelled to erect new premises for the better and more expeditious carrying on of the increasing work. ln the year 1840 the post-office was situate where the Spread Eagle Tavern now is, and there were only two letter carriers; but the postal work so developed that the office, after another removal, was moved from High to Central Harrogate, when a circular portion of the buildings in James-street was utilised for many years. Owing to the increase in postal work a further move was made in later years to the present premises in James-street, and now these are found insufficient for the transaction of business. The new building was commenced on the 15th of October, 1894, and it is situate at the junction of Cambridge-road and Chapel-street. The style of architecture adopted is perpendicular, and the building is constructed of Pateley stone dressings and wall stones from Heaton Park, near Bradford, the dressings being from Mr. Jonas Stott's quarry, Pateley Bridge. The total cost of the new Post Office, together with the furnishings, which will be of a very complete character, will be upwards of £9,000. The new building comprises a sorting office on the ground floor, 52ft, by 43ft. Adjoining this, and in Cambridge-road, is the postmaster's private office, the dimensions of which are 16ft. by 12ft. The postmaster will have full view of the whole of the sorting-room, and otherwise be in close connection with all concerned. The public entrance for telegraph, postal, and money order business is at the corner of Chapel-street and Cambridge-road, and this is 41ft. long by 23ft wide. At the rear is a telephone room 7ft square, which will be placed in a silence cabinet. A staircase is arranged in the centre of the building which leads to the first and second floor, where there are clerks', store, postmen, and male and female retiring rooms. On the ground floor is also a telegraph messengers' room, adjoining the telephone room, 28ft by 17ft. Further in the rear of the building are coal stores, lavatory accommodation, and a shed for parcel post carts (18ft. by 16ft.). Contiguous is a spacious yard some 56 feet in 5 length by 37 feet in width, and here the male officials enter, under a covered promenade from which the mails are both received and despatched. On the first floor, in Cambridge-road, is a post-man's retiring room, 17 feet by 22 feet 6 inches; a clerk's retiring room, 18 feet by 18 feet; a store room, and also a female clerk's retiring room, and all these are approached from the staircase before mentioned. The instrument room is over the entrance to the public office, and is 24 feet 6 inches by 25 feet. Behind this is the postal telephone exchange — a very spacious room — and which will be a considerable acquisition. At the further rear is the line men's room, in which all the batteries will be prepared, and this room is approached from the yard before mentioned by an external staircase. Every accommodation is here provided for the officials. On the second floor there are several spacious rooms, and these are set apart for the caretaker. The whole of the floors throughout the building, with the exception of the instrument-room and the telephone exchange, are provided with pine wood block flooring on concrete, so that they are practically fire-proof. The scullery and store-room floors are provided with Edward's Adamantine tiles. The beams through-out the building are of steel, and were supplied by Messrs. Dorman, Long, and Co., of Middlesbrough. The walls and the lavatories are lined with ivory white glazed bricks, with a skirting and surbase of salt glaze bricks. The inside of the public office is lined with silver stone paving from Messrs. Joseph Brooks and Sons, Hipperholme, also the staircase and corridors where stone paving is laid. The building is lighted throughout with gas, the fittings for which have been supplied by Messrs. J. Defries and Sons, of Houndsditch, London, but fixed by the Harrogate Gas Company. The windows are numerous, although in some cases small; and the ventilation is on a very perfect system, and a large air pump is fixed upon the roof in the centre of the building. The carving has been executed by Mr. G. W. Milburn, of Bootham Bar, York, the tympanums to the gables and the pateras at the corners being effectively finished. The general heating of the building is by open fireplaces, in so far as the special rooms are concerned, but the Carron Ironworks Company (Stirling) have made provision for a hot air heating apparatus for the public office and instrument room, and the smaller stoves utilised have been supplied by Messsrs. Smith and Welstood, of Bonnybridge, Stirlingshire. The marble chimney prices, etc., have been supplied by Messrs. Yates, Hawood, and Co. The contractors for the whole of the works are Messrs. Ives and Co., of Shipley … The architect for the new Post-office is Mr. Henry Tanner, of H.M. Office of Works, Whitehall, London; and the whole of the work has been admirably carried out under the direction of Mr. R. Berry, of H.M. Office of Works, It is anticipated that the works will not be fully completed for occupation before the early part of next year.
