HERNE BAY POST OFFICE
7 Cavendish Road
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Architect: David Dyke Year: 1935 Archive sources British Postal Museum & Archive: Herne Bay Portfolio File Selected bibliographical references Whitstable Times and Tankerton Press 20 Jul 1935, p. 8 History Opened: 18 Jul 1935 Closed Current use: Mixed business use |
Building description
From: Whitstable Times and Tankerton Press 20 July 1935, p. 8
Herne Bay new Post Office in Cavendish Road was opened to the public yesterday (Thursday) by Sir William Wayland. M.P. The magnificent building is situated in one the main thoroughfares of the town. The brickwork of mixed purple facings with red dressings, harmonises with the general soft tones of the locality. The public office has panelled Victorian oak dado and counter. This Empire timber has been used for the first time in a post office building in the country at the special request of the Agent-General for Victoria, Australia. The office is heated by the modern system of radiant ceiling panels, and by this means the floor spaces are left clear and uniform and economical heating is achieved ... Commenting on the building. Mr. [Randal] Bell said that it was designed for its purpose with the greatest skill and artistry. There was but little ornament and none that hid the fair proportions and lines of the building. This was in accord with that hatred of shams and concealment which characterised the excellent taste of to-day. Wherever the Post Office was placed the value of the surrounding property always acquired a special value for business purposes. In making the change at Herne Bay the greatest pains had been taken to try to place the main Post Office in the centre of the town, and to provide for counter services to meet the needs of the public by means of sub-offices placed to the best advantage ... Sir William Wayland said what had impressed him most was the general feeling of efficiency combined with simplicity. That was naturally what all should aim Bearing in mind what the Post Office was like many years ago. they could understand what progress had been made in Post Office buildings. Wonderful progress was made during the period that Sir Kingsley Wood was Postmaster General ... Mr. D. N. Dyke (Architect) said that in the new Post Office buildings a special point was made of using British and Empire materials throughout. Formerly that was not so, but in these days they eliminated foreign material entirely. Apart from certain oak which came from Australia no other material outside the country had been used. In planning new buildings an endeavour was made to see that every portion was well lighted and ventilated and wherever the staff had to work the conditions were such that no one would mind working there ... Referring to new Post Office buildings, he told them that his share was to arrange the layout of the rooms and the planning of the fittings in concert with the Postmaster and staff. He did not say, however, that it was through his efforts and foresight that they had that fine new building, and that the Post Office would not remain at the old premises, as was possible, for another ten years. They thanked him for what he had done. Mr. Dyke was. as Mr. Randal Bell had mentioned. an architect of wide repute, and it was only necessary to look at that building to appreciate his skill ...
From: Whitstable Times and Tankerton Press 20 July 1935, p. 8
Herne Bay new Post Office in Cavendish Road was opened to the public yesterday (Thursday) by Sir William Wayland. M.P. The magnificent building is situated in one the main thoroughfares of the town. The brickwork of mixed purple facings with red dressings, harmonises with the general soft tones of the locality. The public office has panelled Victorian oak dado and counter. This Empire timber has been used for the first time in a post office building in the country at the special request of the Agent-General for Victoria, Australia. The office is heated by the modern system of radiant ceiling panels, and by this means the floor spaces are left clear and uniform and economical heating is achieved ... Commenting on the building. Mr. [Randal] Bell said that it was designed for its purpose with the greatest skill and artistry. There was but little ornament and none that hid the fair proportions and lines of the building. This was in accord with that hatred of shams and concealment which characterised the excellent taste of to-day. Wherever the Post Office was placed the value of the surrounding property always acquired a special value for business purposes. In making the change at Herne Bay the greatest pains had been taken to try to place the main Post Office in the centre of the town, and to provide for counter services to meet the needs of the public by means of sub-offices placed to the best advantage ... Sir William Wayland said what had impressed him most was the general feeling of efficiency combined with simplicity. That was naturally what all should aim Bearing in mind what the Post Office was like many years ago. they could understand what progress had been made in Post Office buildings. Wonderful progress was made during the period that Sir Kingsley Wood was Postmaster General ... Mr. D. N. Dyke (Architect) said that in the new Post Office buildings a special point was made of using British and Empire materials throughout. Formerly that was not so, but in these days they eliminated foreign material entirely. Apart from certain oak which came from Australia no other material outside the country had been used. In planning new buildings an endeavour was made to see that every portion was well lighted and ventilated and wherever the staff had to work the conditions were such that no one would mind working there ... Referring to new Post Office buildings, he told them that his share was to arrange the layout of the rooms and the planning of the fittings in concert with the Postmaster and staff. He did not say, however, that it was through his efforts and foresight that they had that fine new building, and that the Post Office would not remain at the old premises, as was possible, for another ten years. They thanked him for what he had done. Mr. Dyke was. as Mr. Randal Bell had mentioned. an architect of wide repute, and it was only necessary to look at that building to appreciate his skill ...
