BERWICK POST OFFICE (1906)
5-7 Woolmarket
Building description
From: Berwickshire News and General Advertiser - Tuesday 05 December 1905, p. 5
The present buildings in Hide Hill proving inadequate and inconvenient for the modern working of Berwick Office, the Postal Authorities intend removing early in the Year, into new and more commodious premises, at the eastern end of Woolmarket, and within easy access of the Market Place — that is High Street and the Town Hall. The new site is more central and advantageous to the public generally than the old. Its size and shape are well adapted for the purpose and for any future extension. Woolmarket certainly profits by this architectural addition and the clearing away of the old dilapidated property for the new officers, causes, we are sure, no regret. With this new Post Office, Berwick altogether affects decided improvement. At the front the new building comprises two storey;and in the rear, one. On the ground floor is a spacious public office, where all counter business is be to transacted; the Postmaster's private office adjoins, and this private office is connected with the whole of the staff rooms, so that the Postmaster may effectively control and superintend the work done therein; it has access also through a lobby to the public office — a convenience when an interview is needed with the Postmaster. Both these rooms face Woolmarket. Behind, with doors into the Public Office and Staff Entrance Passage, is the large Sorting Office, where mails are received, sorted, and dispatched. It has an open timber roof and amply top lighted store. Postmen and sorters’ rooms are entered from it. In the yard there are Linesman and Battery Rooms with the necessary conveniences; coals, barrow shed, heating chamber, etc. The mail carts enter the yard through the passageway from Woolmarket, and are loaded and unloaded within. The staff enter through this archway also. The upper storey will be assigned to telephonic and telegraphic work, a large room being each department, with messenger’s room between, where the boys wait until required to deliver telegrams. There are female staffrooms on this storey. The staircase has halls on both floors. The aim of the planning his been to produce a well lighted and sufficiently commodious building that, by the arrangements of its rooms, assists that promptitude and efficiency with which postal work must be done. The elevations to Woolmarket offer a simple and dignified appearance. The style is what some may call a free adaptation of Traditional English, but is rather the architecture of simple truthful building in which proportion does the duty that too often is imposed upon needless ornament, and which relies for effect rather upon the reasonable use of materials, than the incongruities that constitute too many of the so-called architectural styles. The interior is simply treated, and all work rooms are purposely plain. The stone from Ord Quarry; the slates from Buttermere; and the external woodwork of home-grown oak. The building will lighted throughout with electric light. The carving on the corbels bearing the door canopy represents the Union of England and Scotland by an intertwining of the Rose with the Thistle, an appropriate emblem for an old Border Town. The builders are Messrs Green Bros., Northumberland, who have worked from the designs and under the superintendence of the architect, Mr John G, Burrell, of Durham City.
From: Yorkshire Post 1 Dec 1905, p. 3
The buildings in Hide Hill, Berwick, being inadequate and inconvenient. the local postal officials will early in the New Year be located in new and more commodious premises at the eastern end of Woolmarket. The new site is more central and advantageous, and the building, which is well adapted internally, is outwardly of simple but dignified appearance. The carving on the corbels represents the Union of England and Scotland by an intertwining of the rose with the thistle,an appropriate emblem for old Border town. The builders were Messrs. Green Bros, Warkworth, who have worked from the designs of the architect, Mr. John G. Burrell, of Durham.
From: Berwickshire News and General Advertiser - Tuesday 05 December 1905, p. 5
The present buildings in Hide Hill proving inadequate and inconvenient for the modern working of Berwick Office, the Postal Authorities intend removing early in the Year, into new and more commodious premises, at the eastern end of Woolmarket, and within easy access of the Market Place — that is High Street and the Town Hall. The new site is more central and advantageous to the public generally than the old. Its size and shape are well adapted for the purpose and for any future extension. Woolmarket certainly profits by this architectural addition and the clearing away of the old dilapidated property for the new officers, causes, we are sure, no regret. With this new Post Office, Berwick altogether affects decided improvement. At the front the new building comprises two storey;and in the rear, one. On the ground floor is a spacious public office, where all counter business is be to transacted; the Postmaster's private office adjoins, and this private office is connected with the whole of the staff rooms, so that the Postmaster may effectively control and superintend the work done therein; it has access also through a lobby to the public office — a convenience when an interview is needed with the Postmaster. Both these rooms face Woolmarket. Behind, with doors into the Public Office and Staff Entrance Passage, is the large Sorting Office, where mails are received, sorted, and dispatched. It has an open timber roof and amply top lighted store. Postmen and sorters’ rooms are entered from it. In the yard there are Linesman and Battery Rooms with the necessary conveniences; coals, barrow shed, heating chamber, etc. The mail carts enter the yard through the passageway from Woolmarket, and are loaded and unloaded within. The staff enter through this archway also. The upper storey will be assigned to telephonic and telegraphic work, a large room being each department, with messenger’s room between, where the boys wait until required to deliver telegrams. There are female staffrooms on this storey. The staircase has halls on both floors. The aim of the planning his been to produce a well lighted and sufficiently commodious building that, by the arrangements of its rooms, assists that promptitude and efficiency with which postal work must be done. The elevations to Woolmarket offer a simple and dignified appearance. The style is what some may call a free adaptation of Traditional English, but is rather the architecture of simple truthful building in which proportion does the duty that too often is imposed upon needless ornament, and which relies for effect rather upon the reasonable use of materials, than the incongruities that constitute too many of the so-called architectural styles. The interior is simply treated, and all work rooms are purposely plain. The stone from Ord Quarry; the slates from Buttermere; and the external woodwork of home-grown oak. The building will lighted throughout with electric light. The carving on the corbels bearing the door canopy represents the Union of England and Scotland by an intertwining of the Rose with the Thistle, an appropriate emblem for an old Border Town. The builders are Messrs Green Bros., Northumberland, who have worked from the designs and under the superintendence of the architect, Mr John G, Burrell, of Durham City.
From: Yorkshire Post 1 Dec 1905, p. 3
The buildings in Hide Hill, Berwick, being inadequate and inconvenient. the local postal officials will early in the New Year be located in new and more commodious premises at the eastern end of Woolmarket. The new site is more central and advantageous, and the building, which is well adapted internally, is outwardly of simple but dignified appearance. The carving on the corbels represents the Union of England and Scotland by an intertwining of the rose with the thistle,an appropriate emblem for old Border town. The builders were Messrs. Green Bros, Warkworth, who have worked from the designs of the architect, Mr. John G. Burrell, of Durham.
Updated: 19 December 2015
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