AXMINSTER POST OFFICE (1938)
South Street
Photograph © Felix P.Ormerod via Flickr
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Architect: Office of Works (job architect unknown) Year: 1938 Selected bibliographical references Exeter and Plymouth Gazette 25 Jun 1937, p. 14 (dispute); 29 Jul 1938, p. 10 Western Times 28 May 1937, p. 9; 25 Jun 1937, p. 10 (dispute) History Opened: 21 Jul 1938 Closed Current use: Royal Mail Delivery Office No plans, contract or specification documentation have been located. It is reasonable to assume however that the architect was Henry Seccombe, the Office of Works architect responsible for many of the post offices built in this region in the 1930s |
Building description
From: Exeter and Plymouth Gazette 29 July 1938, p. 10
With no form of ceremony or display, Axminster's new Post Office, which has been built in South-street at a cost of approximately £14,000, was opened on Thursday morning of last week. The Postmaster (Mr. D. Patey) told a Devon and Exeter Gazette representative that in the new premises they would be able to deal with the Christmas rush mail without being pressed for room, and it would not be necessary to ask the public to go the Church Rooms to post their Christmas parcels. The new premises would house all sections of the staff and equipment, and it would not be necessary to continue to hold the piecemeal accommodation which the G.P.O. had been forced to use. Built in modern style, the new offices form an imposing block. The whole of the Post Office staff, with the exception of telephone operators, will be moved to the new premises. The old exchange will in use until the New Year, when the automatic system will come into being in the town. 'Operators will then transferred to other offices in the district. The automatic equipment has yet to be installed on the second floor of the new offices. The public office is approximately double the size of the old office, and is fitted with the most modern equipment. At the front of the office is a built-in telephone kiosk which may be used when the premises are closed. On the first floor are the clerical offices. The public inquiry office is also on this floor, together with rest room for the female staff. In the sorting office the staff will have much more accommodation than they have enjoyed before. Leading off from the sorting office are the male welfare rooms for the use of members of the staff when off duty. The motor repairs shop is separate from the main building. This serves a very large district, the repairs for vehicles serving Seaton, Lyme Regis, Crewkerne, Ilminster, Chard, and Honiton, in addition to Axminster, being dealt with here by two mechanics. They deal with nearly 40 vehicles. During the construction of the new offices key men were brought the contractors from other towns, but there has been a large proportion of local labour. In the construction of the building Ottery St. Mary bricks have been used.
From: Exeter and Plymouth Gazette 29 July 1938, p. 10
With no form of ceremony or display, Axminster's new Post Office, which has been built in South-street at a cost of approximately £14,000, was opened on Thursday morning of last week. The Postmaster (Mr. D. Patey) told a Devon and Exeter Gazette representative that in the new premises they would be able to deal with the Christmas rush mail without being pressed for room, and it would not be necessary to ask the public to go the Church Rooms to post their Christmas parcels. The new premises would house all sections of the staff and equipment, and it would not be necessary to continue to hold the piecemeal accommodation which the G.P.O. had been forced to use. Built in modern style, the new offices form an imposing block. The whole of the Post Office staff, with the exception of telephone operators, will be moved to the new premises. The old exchange will in use until the New Year, when the automatic system will come into being in the town. 'Operators will then transferred to other offices in the district. The automatic equipment has yet to be installed on the second floor of the new offices. The public office is approximately double the size of the old office, and is fitted with the most modern equipment. At the front of the office is a built-in telephone kiosk which may be used when the premises are closed. On the first floor are the clerical offices. The public inquiry office is also on this floor, together with rest room for the female staff. In the sorting office the staff will have much more accommodation than they have enjoyed before. Leading off from the sorting office are the male welfare rooms for the use of members of the staff when off duty. The motor repairs shop is separate from the main building. This serves a very large district, the repairs for vehicles serving Seaton, Lyme Regis, Crewkerne, Ilminster, Chard, and Honiton, in addition to Axminster, being dealt with here by two mechanics. They deal with nearly 40 vehicles. During the construction of the new offices key men were brought the contractors from other towns, but there has been a large proportion of local labour. In the construction of the building Ottery St. Mary bricks have been used.
