Chester Post Office

CHESTER POST OFFICE

2 St John Street

Architect: Robert Richardson
Year: 1876
Archive sources
British Postal Museum & Archive: Chester Portfolio File (photograph)
Selected bibliographical references
Cheshire Observer 20 May 1976, p. 6
Hampshire Advertiser 27 Mar 1876, p. 6

Building description
From: Cheshire Observer 20 May 1876, p. 6

The bold and handsome building which will be shortly opened in St. John-street as the new Post and Telegraph Offices, is now completed, and it is a matter of considerable satisfaction to the citizens generally, and to those who have been employed in the erection, that the undertaking has been brought to so successful a termination. The Offices have been erected by her Majesty's Commissioners of Works from the designs of Mr. Robert Richardson, architect, of H.M. Office of Works, London, and under the superintendence of Mr. J. Judd, clerk of works. The front elevation is unique and characteristic of the architecture of the quaint, old city, and is faced with pressed red bricks relieved with Bath stone strings, copings and finials to gables, dressings to windows, doors, &c. The building is set back a few feet, and there is a flight of steps up to the main entrance under a portico consisting of two large moulded stone arches supported on a polished granite column. There is also a side entrance for the working staff, leading to each floor. On each side of main entrance are two large stone piers with moulded caps, &c, and heavy ornamental iron railing. On the basement floor the accommodation consists of sorters, letter carrier and telegraph boys' kitchens, linesmen's room, battery room, store rooms, porter's living and bed rooms, lavatories, and other offices. On the ground floor is the public office, 40 feet long 18 feet wide, a portion of which is set apart for telegraph business. The messages are conveyed from the public office to a large room at the top of the building by means of a small lift and vice-versa. On this floor also is the sorting office, a commodious, light and well ventilated room, 48 feet long 32 feet wide and 20 feet high, with an extended front end 16 feet long and 17 feet wide. The roof is an open one of light iron construction, with a lantern light the whole length of roof. The room is fitted up with the various requirements for postal business. Attached to this office is the postmaster's room, 25 feet long and 19 feet wide; this room is fitted up with a telegraph lift same as the public office, and will be used as a telegraph office during Chester Races. The other rooms on this floor are chief clerk's, bag room, and the usual other offices. On the first floor are the offices of surveyor, telegraph superintendent, clerks' room, store and retiring room, lavatories, &c. On the second floor is the large telegraph instrument room, 58 feet long, 25 feet wide and 21 feet high, with polygonal ceiling, well lighted and ventilated, and fitted up with all the requirements for telegraph work. On this floor also is a clerks' retiring room and usual offices. The structure has been carried out in a very satisfactory manner and with great dispatch by Messrs. Joseph Bull and Sons, contractors, of Southampton, who are also building the new Law Courts, in London, estimated to cost nearly a million of money. These gentlemen are constructing a new Post Office at Shrewsbury, similar in size to the one they are now completing. It will be remembered that there was a considerable delay about eighteen months ago in the erection of the building in consequence of the failure of the first contractors (the Messrs. Owen), since which time, however, rapid progress has been made in the completion of the new Post Office. A "light-up" of the building took place on Friday evening by the contractor (Mr. Bull) in the presence of several gentlemen belonging to the city, who were conducted over the respective departments, all of whom expressed their admiration of the building, and the addition it would make to the public architecture of the City.