BRISTOL FISHPONDS POST OFFICE
786 Fishponds Road
Photograph © Robert Cutts via Flickr
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Architect: Henry Seccombe Year: 1939 Selected bibliographical references Bristol Evening Post 7 Jul 1939, p. 19 Western Daily Press 8 Jul 1939, p. 9 History Opened: 7 Jul 1939 Third floor a later addition Closed Current use: Public house |
Building description
From: Western Daily Press 8 July 1939, p. 9
Fishponds has in recent years grown as rapidly as any. As evidence that the postal authorities are not behind in keeping pace with these developments, they have erected a fine, new post office, which the Lord Mayor of Bristol (Alderman W. A. Winchester) opened yesterday The new post office is of imposing appearance and commands a splendid position on the main road. It has been built to deal with the enormous amount of work which an ever-growing district has caused, and consists of two floors. The roof is flat to enable the construction of another floor when the occasion demands. The steady increase of telephone work has necessitated this provision being made. With the exception of telephonic work, all the other usual post office facilities were transferred to the new building yesterday evening. In the not too distant future Fishponds will change over to automatic telephones, and the apparatus for this is being installed in the new office. Colonel S. H. G. Dainton (Postmaster-Surveyor of Bristol) presided at the opening ceremony, supported by the Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress, the Sheriff (Colonel E. W. Lennard) and Mrs Lennard, Mr H. E. Seccombe (the architect, H.M. Office Works), Mr A. E. Johnson (chairman Bristol Advisory Committee for Post Office Services), Councillor F. C. Luke, and Captain R. W. J. Mayles (postmaster, Fishponds). After the speeches the Lord Mayor was handed a souvenir key by Mr Seccombe and formally opened the office. The first sale was made by Mrs Lennard and the Lady Mayoress made the first purchase. The Lord Mayor received a telegram from the Postmaster-General (Major Tryon) thanking him for his kindness in consenting to perform the opening, and adding that the constant aim of the Post Office was to give the most efficient service possible. A reply was sent expressing the appreciation of Fishponds people for the new facilities offered. Colonel Dainton remarked that it was almost six years to the day when he came to Bristol to take up the position of Postmaster-Surveyor. Since then there had been considerable activity in the provision of new modern post offices in the Bristol area. In Bristol itself, these included the Temple Meads sorting office and new offices at Queen's Road, Castle Street, Cannon Street, Bedminster, North Street, and now Fishponds. Colonel Dainton said that Fishponds would fall into line with Bristol in respect of automatic telephones, but this was a big job and would take an appreciable time. Mr H. E. Seccombe. architect, commented that when they came to build the new office he understood why Fishponds was called by such name. He had never come across a more confusing sub-soil before. Where they expected to find rock they found mud and vice versa. He paid a tribute to the contractor (Mr W. J. Kew, of Messrs W. J. Kew. Ltd., Bedminster) for the able way in which had carried out the work. The Lord Mayor alluded the part Bristol had played in the growth of the country's postal services from the days of the postboy and mail coach, and to the development of the post office in Fishponds in particular. He thought "the new office would have to cope with a still further increase in work later on. A vote of thanks to the Lord Mayor was proposed by the Sheriff, who paid tribute to the indefatigable way in which the Lord Mayor carried out his duties. The new office, he said, was an important one in an important district. "I am glad they have pinned down one of the fishponds. I have often wondered where they are," the Sheriff added. Mr Johnson, who seconded the vote of thanks, expressed the hope that other new post offices would be built in other places in Bristol when required. A vote of thanks to the chairman was moved by Mr F. C. Luke, who referred to the many developments which were taking place in Bristol. Bristol, he added, was going to lead and maintain that lead. Captain R. W. J. Mayles seconded.
Fishponds has in recent years grown as rapidly as any. As evidence that the postal authorities are not behind in keeping pace with these developments, they have erected a fine, new post office, which the Lord Mayor of Bristol (Alderman W. A. Winchester) opened yesterday The new post office is of imposing appearance and commands a splendid position on the main road. It has been built to deal with the enormous amount of work which an ever-growing district has caused, and consists of two floors. The roof is flat to enable the construction of another floor when the occasion demands. The steady increase of telephone work has necessitated this provision being made. With the exception of telephonic work, all the other usual post office facilities were transferred to the new building yesterday evening. In the not too distant future Fishponds will change over to automatic telephones, and the apparatus for this is being installed in the new office. Colonel S. H. G. Dainton (Postmaster-Surveyor of Bristol) presided at the opening ceremony, supported by the Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress, the Sheriff (Colonel E. W. Lennard) and Mrs Lennard, Mr H. E. Seccombe (the architect, H.M. Office Works), Mr A. E. Johnson (chairman Bristol Advisory Committee for Post Office Services), Councillor F. C. Luke, and Captain R. W. J. Mayles (postmaster, Fishponds). After the speeches the Lord Mayor was handed a souvenir key by Mr Seccombe and formally opened the office. The first sale was made by Mrs Lennard and the Lady Mayoress made the first purchase. The Lord Mayor received a telegram from the Postmaster-General (Major Tryon) thanking him for his kindness in consenting to perform the opening, and adding that the constant aim of the Post Office was to give the most efficient service possible. A reply was sent expressing the appreciation of Fishponds people for the new facilities offered. Colonel Dainton remarked that it was almost six years to the day when he came to Bristol to take up the position of Postmaster-Surveyor. Since then there had been considerable activity in the provision of new modern post offices in the Bristol area. In Bristol itself, these included the Temple Meads sorting office and new offices at Queen's Road, Castle Street, Cannon Street, Bedminster, North Street, and now Fishponds. Colonel Dainton said that Fishponds would fall into line with Bristol in respect of automatic telephones, but this was a big job and would take an appreciable time. Mr H. E. Seccombe. architect, commented that when they came to build the new office he understood why Fishponds was called by such name. He had never come across a more confusing sub-soil before. Where they expected to find rock they found mud and vice versa. He paid a tribute to the contractor (Mr W. J. Kew, of Messrs W. J. Kew. Ltd., Bedminster) for the able way in which had carried out the work. The Lord Mayor alluded the part Bristol had played in the growth of the country's postal services from the days of the postboy and mail coach, and to the development of the post office in Fishponds in particular. He thought "the new office would have to cope with a still further increase in work later on. A vote of thanks to the Lord Mayor was proposed by the Sheriff, who paid tribute to the indefatigable way in which the Lord Mayor carried out his duties. The new office, he said, was an important one in an important district. "I am glad they have pinned down one of the fishponds. I have often wondered where they are," the Sheriff added. Mr Johnson, who seconded the vote of thanks, expressed the hope that other new post offices would be built in other places in Bristol when required. A vote of thanks to the chairman was moved by Mr F. C. Luke, who referred to the many developments which were taking place in Bristol. Bristol, he added, was going to lead and maintain that lead. Captain R. W. J. Mayles seconded.
