REDHILL POST OFFICE (1932)
33 London Road
Photograph © Ian Capper and licensed for re-use under a Creative Commons Licence
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Architect: Frederick Llewellyn Year: 1932 Selected bibliographical references Architecture Illustrated Jun 1944, p. 165 Surrey Mirror 10 Jun 1932, p. 6 History Opened: 13 Jun 1932 Closed: early 1990s Current use: Restaurant |
Building description
From: Surrey Mirror 10 June 1932, p. 6
The new Redhill General Post Office in London-road is to be opened next week. The final touches are being given to the interior, and arrangements have been made to transfer the equipment and business of the old office at the .Market Hall premises to the new building Monday. At the moment an opening ceremony is not contemplated. The new office, which has been constructed on modern lines, has a handsome exterior, and is much more commodious than the premises which have been in use for upwards of 30 years, extended howbeit time has gone on. It was to provide more adequate accommodation to meet the growth postal business locally that the new building was embarked upon, and the structure in its finished state should give general satisfaction in this respect. In all respects it is a distinct addition to the amenities of a town of quick growth and rapid transformation. Many readers recall how towards the end last century they made their way the comparatively small office for postage stamps situate opposite the site of the present Westminster Bank in Station-road. Much has happened since those days to bring about a demand for the building now to be seen in London-road - a fact reflecting surely the development of business in general in the locality and imparting a suggestion of prosperity in the place. Mr. Llewellyn, the well-known architect of His.Majesty’s Office of Works, has been responsible for the new premises, the building being the hands of The Pitcher Construction Co., 57, Ashburton Grove, London, N.7. The site occupied by the new office, yard and outbuildings measured 150 ft. by 60ft. whilst the main building has a height of 42ft. A brown brick has been used for the facing, with plinth, sill and eaves courses in white stone, whilst the attractively coloured tiles covering the broad roof give the work a distinctly pleasing finish, suggestive albeit of the standard erection recently adopted by the Office of Works. Many the materials in use are of the kind specially manufactured for that Department’s use. The public office fronts upon London-road, whilst entrance to the yard at the rear is gained on Clarendon-road side. It is just round this corner that provision has been made for installing automatic stamp machines. The large main window of the public office is handsomely framed with bronze, the large mailing box below being of the recently adopted type and having only one aperture for all small packets, whether letters or newspapers. Immediately above the box provision has been made for posting up mail notices. The box can also used from inside the post office where it is let beneath the new writing desks for general use. Two main entrances comprise a feature of the new building, each with double doors of teak and approached by steps, on either side of the main window. The entrance on the south side gives way to a lobby to the right and a special enquiry office to the left. The latter provides opportunity for enquiries of a private type or in connection with the Air Mail service, etc. The entrance on the north side has swing doors to the left for access to the main office, but on the right are telephone cabinets constructed as part of the building. Here the electrical fitting provides for the use of light automatically with the closing of the doors. The doors, the large counter, and the writing desks of the public office are all on teak, and the counter grill of bronze. The floor consists of nicely polished heather tiles. The counter has the latest fittings of the pedestal type, with money drawers and sliding trays for stamps and stationery. The money-order section of the counter has been well designed to give privacy, whilst the grill, further along the counter, has a gate for private bags and an aperture giving access for small packets to be placed on the spring balance for rapid weight estimating. One of the features of this office - and in this respect all the rooms in the building are similar - is the excellent provision for lighting, whether natural or artificial. Borrowed lighting has been let into one of the flats at the rear, added to which the windows generally are large and unobstructed. The main window of the public office is distinctly pleasing in this respect. Apart from smaller lighting effects, the eight large pendulum points have quite a flood of lighting at night. One of the rooms immediately behind the counter is to be used for despatching telegrams, and into the connecting door has been fixed what is known as a rocking hatchway. This is constructed of glass, with the result that a telegram placed in the receptacle can be seen both on the public office side and in the despatch room, but at an earlier date, in all probability, a new type of apparatus will takes its place, namely, the teleprinter. There will be yet another advance in dealing with postal transactions. The boy messengers have a room adjoining the transmitting and receiving room, and here again the rocking hatchway gives communication, whilst the boy's entrance is from the yard at the rear of the building. The other rooms on this floor include the battery room, a store room, and the accounting staff room - a nicely designed, well lit room with a strong room attached. The upper floor is reached by means of stone steps. Here are the offices of the Postmaster, the Superintendent, the correspondence class, and the lady typists, a dining-room, cloak rooms,etc. Generally speaking the whole of the offices have a pleasant aspect, a clean, neat design, are are, apart from being spacious in the floor sense, of lofty pitch. Throughout the building, with the exception of the main office, the walls are treated with light cream and light chocolate paint. In the main office the ceiling is of cream, the upper part of the wall light stone, and the dado of chocolate. The basement provides further storage accommodation and up-to-date, efficient boilers for the central heating and domestic hot-water supply. The public office measures 32ft. by 21ft. There are staff entrances at the side and the rear of the building, whilst the rear yard gives access to Clarendon-road, where iron gates and fencing are to be erected. The design of the fencing and the gates are such as to give safe exit and entry. The outbuildings are of the same durable character as the main building and similar in appearance. They comprise a cycle shed, a storeroom, and a mechanics' workshop - the latter for the purpose of maintaining 25 vehicles operating in the Redhill and Reigate area. It is at this point that one notices another feature of the building, namely, the clean attractive aspect at the rear in keeping with the whole design. The wide forecourt in front of the main office has been created by the building line having been thrown back, and there is consequentially good provision for road widening. Incidentally, the construction of the new Post Office permits of extension or enlargement at a future date. The site of the new buildings and yard is adjacent, at the rear, to the large telephone exchange brought into being some time ago. No accommodation has been allocated for letter sorting, as all this in the Redhill area is done at offices at Redhill Junction Station. It is understood that considerable enlargements of these offices are contemplated in the coming year in order to make provision for the growing volume of work. These sorting offices comprise a distributing centre for the whole of Kent and Sussex and a considerable portion of Surrey, while mails are also received there for and from many other parts of the kingdom.
From: Surrey Mirror 10 June 1932, p. 6
The new Redhill General Post Office in London-road is to be opened next week. The final touches are being given to the interior, and arrangements have been made to transfer the equipment and business of the old office at the .Market Hall premises to the new building Monday. At the moment an opening ceremony is not contemplated. The new office, which has been constructed on modern lines, has a handsome exterior, and is much more commodious than the premises which have been in use for upwards of 30 years, extended howbeit time has gone on. It was to provide more adequate accommodation to meet the growth postal business locally that the new building was embarked upon, and the structure in its finished state should give general satisfaction in this respect. In all respects it is a distinct addition to the amenities of a town of quick growth and rapid transformation. Many readers recall how towards the end last century they made their way the comparatively small office for postage stamps situate opposite the site of the present Westminster Bank in Station-road. Much has happened since those days to bring about a demand for the building now to be seen in London-road - a fact reflecting surely the development of business in general in the locality and imparting a suggestion of prosperity in the place. Mr. Llewellyn, the well-known architect of His.Majesty’s Office of Works, has been responsible for the new premises, the building being the hands of The Pitcher Construction Co., 57, Ashburton Grove, London, N.7. The site occupied by the new office, yard and outbuildings measured 150 ft. by 60ft. whilst the main building has a height of 42ft. A brown brick has been used for the facing, with plinth, sill and eaves courses in white stone, whilst the attractively coloured tiles covering the broad roof give the work a distinctly pleasing finish, suggestive albeit of the standard erection recently adopted by the Office of Works. Many the materials in use are of the kind specially manufactured for that Department’s use. The public office fronts upon London-road, whilst entrance to the yard at the rear is gained on Clarendon-road side. It is just round this corner that provision has been made for installing automatic stamp machines. The large main window of the public office is handsomely framed with bronze, the large mailing box below being of the recently adopted type and having only one aperture for all small packets, whether letters or newspapers. Immediately above the box provision has been made for posting up mail notices. The box can also used from inside the post office where it is let beneath the new writing desks for general use. Two main entrances comprise a feature of the new building, each with double doors of teak and approached by steps, on either side of the main window. The entrance on the south side gives way to a lobby to the right and a special enquiry office to the left. The latter provides opportunity for enquiries of a private type or in connection with the Air Mail service, etc. The entrance on the north side has swing doors to the left for access to the main office, but on the right are telephone cabinets constructed as part of the building. Here the electrical fitting provides for the use of light automatically with the closing of the doors. The doors, the large counter, and the writing desks of the public office are all on teak, and the counter grill of bronze. The floor consists of nicely polished heather tiles. The counter has the latest fittings of the pedestal type, with money drawers and sliding trays for stamps and stationery. The money-order section of the counter has been well designed to give privacy, whilst the grill, further along the counter, has a gate for private bags and an aperture giving access for small packets to be placed on the spring balance for rapid weight estimating. One of the features of this office - and in this respect all the rooms in the building are similar - is the excellent provision for lighting, whether natural or artificial. Borrowed lighting has been let into one of the flats at the rear, added to which the windows generally are large and unobstructed. The main window of the public office is distinctly pleasing in this respect. Apart from smaller lighting effects, the eight large pendulum points have quite a flood of lighting at night. One of the rooms immediately behind the counter is to be used for despatching telegrams, and into the connecting door has been fixed what is known as a rocking hatchway. This is constructed of glass, with the result that a telegram placed in the receptacle can be seen both on the public office side and in the despatch room, but at an earlier date, in all probability, a new type of apparatus will takes its place, namely, the teleprinter. There will be yet another advance in dealing with postal transactions. The boy messengers have a room adjoining the transmitting and receiving room, and here again the rocking hatchway gives communication, whilst the boy's entrance is from the yard at the rear of the building. The other rooms on this floor include the battery room, a store room, and the accounting staff room - a nicely designed, well lit room with a strong room attached. The upper floor is reached by means of stone steps. Here are the offices of the Postmaster, the Superintendent, the correspondence class, and the lady typists, a dining-room, cloak rooms,etc. Generally speaking the whole of the offices have a pleasant aspect, a clean, neat design, are are, apart from being spacious in the floor sense, of lofty pitch. Throughout the building, with the exception of the main office, the walls are treated with light cream and light chocolate paint. In the main office the ceiling is of cream, the upper part of the wall light stone, and the dado of chocolate. The basement provides further storage accommodation and up-to-date, efficient boilers for the central heating and domestic hot-water supply. The public office measures 32ft. by 21ft. There are staff entrances at the side and the rear of the building, whilst the rear yard gives access to Clarendon-road, where iron gates and fencing are to be erected. The design of the fencing and the gates are such as to give safe exit and entry. The outbuildings are of the same durable character as the main building and similar in appearance. They comprise a cycle shed, a storeroom, and a mechanics' workshop - the latter for the purpose of maintaining 25 vehicles operating in the Redhill and Reigate area. It is at this point that one notices another feature of the building, namely, the clean attractive aspect at the rear in keeping with the whole design. The wide forecourt in front of the main office has been created by the building line having been thrown back, and there is consequentially good provision for road widening. Incidentally, the construction of the new Post Office permits of extension or enlargement at a future date. The site of the new buildings and yard is adjacent, at the rear, to the large telephone exchange brought into being some time ago. No accommodation has been allocated for letter sorting, as all this in the Redhill area is done at offices at Redhill Junction Station. It is understood that considerable enlargements of these offices are contemplated in the coming year in order to make provision for the growing volume of work. These sorting offices comprise a distributing centre for the whole of Kent and Sussex and a considerable portion of Surrey, while mails are also received there for and from many other parts of the kingdom.
