GLOUCESTER POST OFFICE
Kings Square
Photograph © Rory Barnwatch
via Flickr
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Architect: Henry Seccombe Year: 1934 Archive sources British Postal Museum & Archive: Gloucester Portfolio File (photograph), POST 91/872 Selected bibliographical references Cheltenham Chronicle 21 Jan 1933, p. 7 The Citizen (Gloucester) 19 Jan 1933, p. 12; 31 Oct 1933, p. 4; 1 Nov 1933, p. 4; 7 Jun 1934, p. 4; 13 Jun 1934, p. 5 (illustrated Copeland, Peter Gloucester's postal history Churchdown (Glos.) : The Author, 1988. Gloucester Journal 16 Jun 1934, p. 5 (illustrated) Gloucestershire Echo 15 Jun 1934, p. 6 Western Daily Press 12 Jun 1934, p. 12; 15 Jun 1934, p. 8 History Opened: 14 Jun 1934 Design exhibited at the Royal Academy, 1933 This is Gloucester's first purpose-built head post office. Previous post offices were housed in premises originally built for other purposes. From 1847 the Post Office occupied space in The Tolsey, a civic administration building. In the Gloucestershire Archives there is an unexecuted plan for the erection of proposed public rooms, Corn Exchange and Post Office on the corner of Westgate Street and St John's Lane (designed by architects Fulljames and Waller). A Corn Exchange was eventually built 1856-1857, and in 1893 the front portion of the Exchange was converted to post office use according to plans drawn up by local architect James Philip Moore. It opened for business on 23 September 1893, and was known as the Cross Post Office (see The Citizen (Gloucester) 15 Apr 1893, p. 4; Gloucestershire Chronicle 4 Feb 1893, p. 2; 23 Sep 1893, p. 4). It was downgraded to branch office status, when a new head post office opened in George Street on 15 September 1907. This was a conversion of premises previously occupied by Messrs Boughton and Rogers and the showrooms of the recently restored Gloucester Railway Carriage and Wagon Co. The architect for the conversion was John Rutherford of the Office of Works (see British Postal Museum & Archive: Gloucester Portfolio File (photograph); National Archives: WORK 69/6 (photograph), Gloucester Journal 16 Sep 1905, p. 2; 7 Sep 1907, p. 12). When the new post office in King's Square was opened, the Cross Branch was closed while the George Street premises were retained for sorting purposes. |
Building description
From: The Citizen (Gloucester) 13 June 1934, p. 5
Thursday will be a notable occasion in the history of Gloucester, for on that day the commodious and handsome new head Post Office, which has been erected in King's-square, will be opened by the Postmaster-General, Sir Kingsley Wood. The new premises supersede the premises at George-street, which have become quite inadequate to deal with the huge volume of business of present days, and it also embraces the Cross Post Office, which will be closed. One effect of the development will that the George-street building will be devoted to sorting work, the expansion of which has long made the need for more accommodation imperative. All the administration and public business will be conducted at King's-square. The new Post Office is a distinct acquisition to Gloucester from many points of view, and not the least from the architectural standpoint. Built entirely in keeping with the other handsome erections in King's-square, it rises three storeys, and the front is faced with Portland stone. It was designed by Mr. H. E. Seccombe, A.R.I.B.A., of H.M. Office of Works, London, and was executed under the superintendence of Mr. F. Fisher. The construction is of brick and stone for walls, with ferro-concrete floors and beams, the roof being covered partly with slates and partly with asphalt. The public offices are on the ground floor, and the Gloucester public will be astonished when they are admitted at the building the beauty and spaciousness of it. The convenience of the public and the staff has been carefully considered in the lay-out of the offices, which are entered through handsome English oak doors. The counter fittings and telephone cabinets are also of English oak, the floor is covered with a pleasingly designed vitreous mosaic, and the walls and ceiling are enriched with a fibrous plaster cornice. The mail and accounts rooms are situated on the same floor, contiguous and with easy access to the main hall. The administrative offices are accommodated on the first floor, and on the second is the telegraph instrument room. The building is all that a modern office could hope to be — solidly built, large airy rooms, well lighted large windows, and simply but conveniently furnished. There are electric clocks fitted throughout the building with the master clock in the engineers' department. Altogether the building is one of which Gloucester has every reason to be proud ...
From: The Citizen (Gloucester) 13 June 1934, p. 5
Thursday will be a notable occasion in the history of Gloucester, for on that day the commodious and handsome new head Post Office, which has been erected in King's-square, will be opened by the Postmaster-General, Sir Kingsley Wood. The new premises supersede the premises at George-street, which have become quite inadequate to deal with the huge volume of business of present days, and it also embraces the Cross Post Office, which will be closed. One effect of the development will that the George-street building will be devoted to sorting work, the expansion of which has long made the need for more accommodation imperative. All the administration and public business will be conducted at King's-square. The new Post Office is a distinct acquisition to Gloucester from many points of view, and not the least from the architectural standpoint. Built entirely in keeping with the other handsome erections in King's-square, it rises three storeys, and the front is faced with Portland stone. It was designed by Mr. H. E. Seccombe, A.R.I.B.A., of H.M. Office of Works, London, and was executed under the superintendence of Mr. F. Fisher. The construction is of brick and stone for walls, with ferro-concrete floors and beams, the roof being covered partly with slates and partly with asphalt. The public offices are on the ground floor, and the Gloucester public will be astonished when they are admitted at the building the beauty and spaciousness of it. The convenience of the public and the staff has been carefully considered in the lay-out of the offices, which are entered through handsome English oak doors. The counter fittings and telephone cabinets are also of English oak, the floor is covered with a pleasingly designed vitreous mosaic, and the walls and ceiling are enriched with a fibrous plaster cornice. The mail and accounts rooms are situated on the same floor, contiguous and with easy access to the main hall. The administrative offices are accommodated on the first floor, and on the second is the telegraph instrument room. The building is all that a modern office could hope to be — solidly built, large airy rooms, well lighted large windows, and simply but conveniently furnished. There are electric clocks fitted throughout the building with the master clock in the engineers' department. Altogether the building is one of which Gloucester has every reason to be proud ...
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Updated: 3 December 2015
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