GALASHIELS POST OFFICE
Channel Street
Postcard view
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Architect: Walter Robertson Year: 1895 Listed building status: Category B Selected bibliographical references Builders' Journal 13 Aug 1895, p. 4 Edinburgh Evening News 8 Aug 1895, p. 4 (illustration only) Evening Telegraph 2 Aug 1895, p. 3 (illustration only) Glasgow Herald 3 Aug 1895, p. 10 Southern Reporter 8 Aug 1895, p. 3 History Closed: 2007 Building description From: Glasgow Herald - Saturday 3 August 1895, p.10 A commodious and beautiful new post office was formally opened yesterday with a cake and wine banquet, attended by about 130 gentlemen, invited by Provost Dickson ... The situation in Channel Street is as near the centre of the town as could be desired, and it is within five minutes' walk of the railway station. The front elevation of the erection is 60ft long on the street line, and the main portions rise to a height of 35ft. frorn the ground. The freestone which has been used is from the famous Prudham Quarry. The entrance is in the middle of the building through a projecting porch with carved and fluted columns at'each side and semi-circular arch over the doorway - the porch carrying various carvings, There are six windows on the ground floor, each 8ft. 7in. by 3ft. 9in. and square at the top. The building has a tower at each angle, in which the windows have been shortened to afford space above them for panels. The panel in one of the towers shows an ornamental carving of the date 1894; into the panel in the other tower at the opposite angle of the building is inserted a small, prettily carved window occupied by a clock. The windows of the ground floor are surmounted by an architrave course, above which is a panelled frieze carrying much carving and finished by a beautifully moulded cornice, the whole being mitred round the pilasters, which rise from the sills of the windows and are carried up from the sills to the parapet forming the top line of the edifice. The windows of the first floor are similar in size to those of the ground floor, but have arched or Italian heads, and the frieze over them. is enriched by numerous carved panels. The pilasters are finished at the top by projecting trusses - the whole surmounted by a heavily- moulded and beautiful cornice. Immediately over the main entrance and rising from this cornice if a pediment supported by pilasters with scrolls, in the centre of which a carved panel, 4ft. 6 in. by 3ft., carries the Royal Arms. The pilasters on the angle towers at each corner of the building rise to the bases of the towers, and the towers themselves are carried 5ft. above the parapet. The friezes of the towers consist of carved panels and fluted trusses; the ornamenta tion below the frieze being small circular windows divided into diamond shape, which very much lighten the aspects of the towers. The roof of each tower rises 14 feet above the stone wall and terminates in a finial carrying a gilded flower. The public room is 30 feet by 22, with the ceiling 16.feet high. At one end of it is the postmaster's private room, 17 feet by l0. An opening at the other end of the public-room leads to what is called "the silentium" to be used entirely for telephoning, which will be done in boxes made up with welll-deafened walls and doors, which will exclude all sound from the interior. The parcel baskets and letter bags are conveyed from the railway station on barrows, which are wheeled right into the sort ing-room without any trouble of lifting or carrying. Adjoining this room is the telegraph-instrument room, 18f t. by 20ft., with ample space for twelve instruments if required, five at present being in operation. There are retiring and waiting rooms for the staff and stores. Beneath the ground floor of the building is apparatus for heating the office by what is called the high-pressure hot-water system of Messrs Mackenzie & Moncur, Edinburgh, pipes carrying the hot water through every section of the new office. |
