GRANTHAM POST OFFICE
St Peter's Hill
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Architect: Henry Rees Year: 1921 Archive sources National Archives: WORK 13/738 Selected bibliographical references Grantham Journal 30 Jul 1921, p. 4 (illustrated) History Opened: 1 Aug 1921 Demolished |
Building description
From: The Grantham Journal 30 July 1921, p. 4
With the establishment the new Post Office on St. Peter's Hill - business there will commence on Monday next - an ambition of many years standing, and one shared no less by the public generally, than by the Postal officials, has been realised. When the premises in the Market Place became the the Grantham and district postal service, they undoubtedly met all requirements, but that period is many years distant, and as time went on, the ever increasing work rendered the acquisition of more commodious premises not only desirable but very necessary. But the old order of things continued until the question of providing the staff with better facilities for carrying out their duties and affording the public a larger measure of convenience became a most pressing one, and eventually the Post-Master General decreed that the town should have a new Post Office. With this object in view, a block of houses on the site of which the new building stands, was purchased. Then came the outbreak of war, and a consequent inevitable delay in proceeding with the new Post Office scheme. Now, however, after long years patient - shall say impatient? - waiting, we possess a building that will not only very adequately meet all the demands that the public will make upon it, but the scope of operations so extensive that our population, matter how much it increases, will, in the future always find the postal service efficient in every degree. The new building—at any rate its exterior —is one of three stories,, and is, of course, familiar our readers. The frontage, which is of red brick, with stone coping, base and facings, is fitted with steel casement windows, and a dual-faced clock, enabling the time to be seen from within and without the building, to be placed in the centre ground-floor window. At the north and south end there an entrance to the public office. This a spacious room, and covering the full length of the site, from north to south, it is light and airy. well ventilated, and provides for every possible postal arrangement from the public's and officials' point of view. The flooring is Terazzo [sic] work with a Roman mosaic border. running parallel with the bottom of the counter, and the colour scheme of the walls and ceiling is white and light green in Duresco. The length of the counter is no less than forty feet, and are affixed indicating which part may he obtained money orders, telegrams and stomps, postal orders and Army allowances, and parcels. Beneath the windows that face the street are the telegram-writing tables, and at the north end of the room is the telephone call-box. The war memorial, recently unveiled, is attached to the south wall. We have said practically all that concerns the the public generally, but indicating in some measure the full extent the building, we may may briefly mention the other apartments. I all of which are vast improvements on the former chief office. Immediately to the right of the north entrance, the Postmaster's room is situated, and further down the passage is a stone staircase leading to the numerous staff rooms, including amongst others retiring room for the female staff; on the second floor the telegraph department, and rooms for messengers and Post-master's clerical staff; on the third floor the telephone exchange, with a bedroom for the night operator. The sorting office at the rear of the main building, which was brought into use several years ago to relieve the pressure at the Head Office in the Market Place, will continue to be used for that purpose, so. that practically the whole of the work of the Post Office is housed in one building. The place throughout is electrically lighted. It is interesting to note further that a completely new telegraph apparatus has been installed, bringing this department quite up-to-date, and new set of the latest type of telephones will be put in. The contractors for the new Post Office were Mews. Barlow and Co., Nottingham ...
From: The Grantham Journal 30 July 1921, p. 4
With the establishment the new Post Office on St. Peter's Hill - business there will commence on Monday next - an ambition of many years standing, and one shared no less by the public generally, than by the Postal officials, has been realised. When the premises in the Market Place became the the Grantham and district postal service, they undoubtedly met all requirements, but that period is many years distant, and as time went on, the ever increasing work rendered the acquisition of more commodious premises not only desirable but very necessary. But the old order of things continued until the question of providing the staff with better facilities for carrying out their duties and affording the public a larger measure of convenience became a most pressing one, and eventually the Post-Master General decreed that the town should have a new Post Office. With this object in view, a block of houses on the site of which the new building stands, was purchased. Then came the outbreak of war, and a consequent inevitable delay in proceeding with the new Post Office scheme. Now, however, after long years patient - shall say impatient? - waiting, we possess a building that will not only very adequately meet all the demands that the public will make upon it, but the scope of operations so extensive that our population, matter how much it increases, will, in the future always find the postal service efficient in every degree. The new building—at any rate its exterior —is one of three stories,, and is, of course, familiar our readers. The frontage, which is of red brick, with stone coping, base and facings, is fitted with steel casement windows, and a dual-faced clock, enabling the time to be seen from within and without the building, to be placed in the centre ground-floor window. At the north and south end there an entrance to the public office. This a spacious room, and covering the full length of the site, from north to south, it is light and airy. well ventilated, and provides for every possible postal arrangement from the public's and officials' point of view. The flooring is Terazzo [sic] work with a Roman mosaic border. running parallel with the bottom of the counter, and the colour scheme of the walls and ceiling is white and light green in Duresco. The length of the counter is no less than forty feet, and are affixed indicating which part may he obtained money orders, telegrams and stomps, postal orders and Army allowances, and parcels. Beneath the windows that face the street are the telegram-writing tables, and at the north end of the room is the telephone call-box. The war memorial, recently unveiled, is attached to the south wall. We have said practically all that concerns the the public generally, but indicating in some measure the full extent the building, we may may briefly mention the other apartments. I all of which are vast improvements on the former chief office. Immediately to the right of the north entrance, the Postmaster's room is situated, and further down the passage is a stone staircase leading to the numerous staff rooms, including amongst others retiring room for the female staff; on the second floor the telegraph department, and rooms for messengers and Post-master's clerical staff; on the third floor the telephone exchange, with a bedroom for the night operator. The sorting office at the rear of the main building, which was brought into use several years ago to relieve the pressure at the Head Office in the Market Place, will continue to be used for that purpose, so. that practically the whole of the work of the Post Office is housed in one building. The place throughout is electrically lighted. It is interesting to note further that a completely new telegraph apparatus has been installed, bringing this department quite up-to-date, and new set of the latest type of telephones will be put in. The contractors for the new Post Office were Mews. Barlow and Co., Nottingham ...
