DERBY POST OFFICE
Victoria Street
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Architect: James Williams Year: 1870 (1874 & 1902 extensions) Listed building status: Grade II Selected bibliographical references Builder 8 Feb 1902, p. 144 (extension) Derbyshire Advertiser and Journal 2 Dec 1870, p. 5 Derby Mercury 7 Apr 1869, p. 8 Walls, Archie. Old Post Office Derby: an Historic and Architectural assessment London: Giles Quarme & Associates, 2001 Wilson, Harold W. History of the Post in Derby London: British Philatelic Trust and the Derbyshire Postal History Society, 1990 History Opened: 1 Dec 1870 Closed: 1997 Current use: Nightclub |
Building description
From: Derby Mercury 7 April 1869, p. 8.
The workmen of Messrs. R. Dennett and Co., Builders, Craven-street, Strand, London, and Nottingham, are now proceeding in right earnest with the above-mentioned edifice, at the Victoria-street corner of the new St. James's-street, those gentlemen having undertaken the contract for its erection, at, we have heard, a sum approaching nearly £6,000. Having seen the plans of the structure, we may inform the public that the elevation will be purely classic, from designs by J. Williams, Esq., Whitehall-place, London, the Government Post Office Architect; Mr. G. Reavoll is the Clerk of Works; and that it will be as imposing as substantial, and will most likely be the first building of its class in the town. In describing the Victoria-street front we may observe that the fabric, which will be of Hollington stone externally, will rise from a deep plynth of Devonshire granite. There will be two entrances for the public and Post-office business in the front facing Victoria-street, one entrance being next to St. James's-street, the other entrance being at the contrary end of the same front, and which also will lead to the Postmaster's room on the ground floor, and also lead to the Inland Revenue, offices, situate on the first and second floors. There will be two windows between on the ground floor, flanked by columns with deep sunk bases, and projecting capitals. These will carry a string or series of stone lintels, which will extend along the entire front, and upon them the ornamentation will be fretted Grecian. Above these windows there will also be it plate-glass panel, corresponding with them in width, and flanked by carved corbels assisting to bear the first cornice, which, over the doors will project from four to five feet. Above this, the first floor will be lighted by four lofty windows, with ballustraded balconies, and moulded architraves, finished with pedimental heads supported by enriched consols. Above these, the upper storey will be of a somewhat plainer character and the entire front will be completed by a projecting dental cornice, surmounted by a ballustraded parapet. The St. James's-street front will be of precisely the same character as far as the main building extends. The sorting room will extend beyond it, and will be a plainer structure, of one storey only, but in perfect keeping with the Classic Order of the whole. It will be lighted by a large raised lantern light, which will extend from the principal elevation to the end of the site. The entrance to the sorting room, will be by a central door in St. James's- street, which will be used by officials only. The Telegraph Office will be on the St. James's-street side, but the business connected with it will be transacted at a central counter in the public hall, which as above explained, will be entered by the first door in Victoria-street, and which will occupy the entire area, except the Entrance Hall for the Revenue Offices. The Receiving Boxes will also be at two of the windows in the St. James's-street front, where all letters, newspapers, &c. will be posted. The space in the rear of St. James's-street, of the sorting room, and extending from the main structure will be occupied by rooms for the clerks, sorters, &c., and the basement storey of the public hall will be used for Revenue stores, which will be fire-proof, as the floor over them will be on the principle of the contractors, who are the well-known patents for fire-proof flooring, whose principle has, we understand, been also adopted at the Derby and Derbyshire Infirmary.
The workmen of Messrs. R. Dennett and Co., Builders, Craven-street, Strand, London, and Nottingham, are now proceeding in right earnest with the above-mentioned edifice, at the Victoria-street corner of the new St. James's-street, those gentlemen having undertaken the contract for its erection, at, we have heard, a sum approaching nearly £6,000. Having seen the plans of the structure, we may inform the public that the elevation will be purely classic, from designs by J. Williams, Esq., Whitehall-place, London, the Government Post Office Architect; Mr. G. Reavoll is the Clerk of Works; and that it will be as imposing as substantial, and will most likely be the first building of its class in the town. In describing the Victoria-street front we may observe that the fabric, which will be of Hollington stone externally, will rise from a deep plynth of Devonshire granite. There will be two entrances for the public and Post-office business in the front facing Victoria-street, one entrance being next to St. James's-street, the other entrance being at the contrary end of the same front, and which also will lead to the Postmaster's room on the ground floor, and also lead to the Inland Revenue, offices, situate on the first and second floors. There will be two windows between on the ground floor, flanked by columns with deep sunk bases, and projecting capitals. These will carry a string or series of stone lintels, which will extend along the entire front, and upon them the ornamentation will be fretted Grecian. Above these windows there will also be it plate-glass panel, corresponding with them in width, and flanked by carved corbels assisting to bear the first cornice, which, over the doors will project from four to five feet. Above this, the first floor will be lighted by four lofty windows, with ballustraded balconies, and moulded architraves, finished with pedimental heads supported by enriched consols. Above these, the upper storey will be of a somewhat plainer character and the entire front will be completed by a projecting dental cornice, surmounted by a ballustraded parapet. The St. James's-street front will be of precisely the same character as far as the main building extends. The sorting room will extend beyond it, and will be a plainer structure, of one storey only, but in perfect keeping with the Classic Order of the whole. It will be lighted by a large raised lantern light, which will extend from the principal elevation to the end of the site. The entrance to the sorting room, will be by a central door in St. James's- street, which will be used by officials only. The Telegraph Office will be on the St. James's-street side, but the business connected with it will be transacted at a central counter in the public hall, which as above explained, will be entered by the first door in Victoria-street, and which will occupy the entire area, except the Entrance Hall for the Revenue Offices. The Receiving Boxes will also be at two of the windows in the St. James's-street front, where all letters, newspapers, &c. will be posted. The space in the rear of St. James's-street, of the sorting room, and extending from the main structure will be occupied by rooms for the clerks, sorters, &c., and the basement storey of the public hall will be used for Revenue stores, which will be fire-proof, as the floor over them will be on the principle of the contractors, who are the well-known patents for fire-proof flooring, whose principle has, we understand, been also adopted at the Derby and Derbyshire Infirmary.
