LICHFIELD POST OFFICE
Bird Street
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Architect: William Oldrieve Year: 1905 Archive sources British Postal Museum & Archive: POST 30/1506B National Archives: WORK 13/166 Selected bibliographical references Lichfield Mercury 23 Jun 1905, p. 5 History Closed: 1968 Demolished |
Building description
From Lichfield Mercury 23 June 1905, p. 5
Lichfield is ahead of some neighbouring towns from the fact that it now possesses a Post Office worthy of the name, which is housed in premises which belong to the Crown, instead of being hired for the purpose, as has been the case for the last century. When it was first proposed to remove the Post Office to Bird Street, by the Minster Pool, virtually under the shadow of the Cathedral, objection was taken by some persons that it would be so out of the way as to inconvenient to the public. But that an objection which cuts both ways; if it is a little further for the residents in Market Street and Bore Street to walk, it is, on the other hand, nearer to the Close and Beacon Street. So that the new site has its compensations. It was purchased from the Corporation about five years ago, and so little was heard about the matter for some years that it was feared the Department had either forgotten or postponed the erection of the Post Office indefinitely. About a year ago, however, a start was made, with the result that without aspiring to any building of great architectural beauty, a Post Office has been built which is in every way commodious and well suited to the requirements of the City. The plans were prepared under the direction of Sir Henry Tanner, one of the principal surveyors connected with the Department, and have been carried out under the supervision of Mr. W. Pott, one of the chief assistant surveyors. The public office has an ornamental facade with stone dressings, and 27ft. by 20ft. The various departments are, as customary in larger offices, indicated by plates attached to a wire screen fixed on the counter. The latter is a wise precaution considering the large amount of money which daily changes hands at a Post Office. On either side of the public doorway are compartments for the use of the public for writing telegrams. The floor is beautifully inlaid with mosaic work, very artistically carried out by expert Italians. Placed conveniently close to the counter a public telephone call-box, and through the windows at the back of the counter there direct communication with the registered letter enclosure. A pneumatic tube used for conveying telegrams from the public office to the instrument room, in the Minster Pool House, formerly the residence of Dr. Clarke, and which has been converted into telegraph and telephone rooms. Messages received are similarly sent from the instrument room to a delivery stand near the telegraph messengers' room, where there are cycle stands, for the machines provided by the Department, and every convenience for the lads. The Postmaster's office is easy of access both for the public and the staff, being next to the public office. The sorting office is a spacious and well-lighted apartment, 55ft. by 36ft., at the rear of the public office, and is fitted with all modern accessories, with the advantage of a great deal more elbow room than was enjoyed the old premises in Bore Street. Above the messengers' room an apartment known as The Watching Room," from which the Postmaster or any other authorised official can keep an eye upon the staff employed below. It appears to saviour more of French espionage than of English open methods, but the ways of the Post Office detective staff are usually incomprehensible. We understand that all new Post Offices "a watching tower is now constructed. Fortunately there is such excellent staff at Lichfield that the tower will, it is hoped, prove to be entirely superfluous. A covered way connects the new buildings with the old and also leads to retiring rooms for the male clerks and postmen, which are situate on the ground floor and lifted with cooking- ranges and every convenience. In addition to ordinary kitchen range of the retiring rooms, there also a "hot plate" heated by a small gas stove, for the purpose of keeping warm the food of those whose movements at meal-times are somewhat uncertain. The telegraph and telephone instrument rooms are on the first floor of the old house, overlooking the Minster Pool, and are fitted with the most modern and improved apparatus. The wires, which are technically known as "leads," are enclosed in iron casing, so that there the minimum risk of damage in the event of a fire. The necessity of this precaution will be seen when it understood that the main lines from London to Glasgow, Belfast, Edinburgh, Dublin, Crewe, Nottingham, and many other large centres are laid to the Lichfield office for the purpose of testing and localising. A retiring room for the female clerks is close proximity. The battery room and storehouses are on the second floor, where all the available accommodation utilised to the best advantage. The heating of the premises is on the low pressure system from boiler in the basement of the public office, and lighted from an 80 gas-light meter. The risk of outbreak of fire is greatly diminished by the fact that upon every floor and landing fire-extinguishers and buckets filled with water are placed ready to hand for any emergency. Instead of blocking the street with mail vans, as was frequently the case in Bore Street, there is a small open yard into which the postal vans may be drawn for loading and unloading; at the sides are ladder-stands, and in the corner a linesman's office, where spare telegraph and telephone wires are kept ready for any breakdown in the service. The whole of the premises are well adapted for their new purpose. The removal from the old premises to the new office was carried out on Sunday, under the direction of Mr. H. J. Gillard, the Postmaster, and without the slightest inconvenience to the public. A small army of postmen was employed, and no less than ten van loads of documents were transferred from the old office to the new. The "fitting" commenced as soon the old office could be closed, at 10 a.m., and was completed without the slightest hitch by five o'clock. Everything was in readiness for the night mails, which were received, delivered, despatched, or transferred, without the slightest interruption to the service. The whole of the telegraph and telephone instruments, eight in number, were provided brand new for their new home. The contractor for the erection of the new premises was Mr. D. Roberts, of Handsworth, and Mr. G. P. Mann was the efficient clerk of the works. A century ago, old records tell us, the Post Office was in Bird Street, so that in again placing it in that thoroughfare it is only another case of history repeating itself. Bird Street was then, as it now, the main thoroughfare of the City, from which the mail coaches departed, from the George and Swan Hotels alternately, to London, Chester, Liverpool, Birmingham, and Sheffield daily. The post coaches left for Birmingham every evening, and to Sheffield and Manchester every morning, bnt as there was then no penny postage letters were nothing like so numerous as they are nowadays. In those days the guards and drivers were always well armed. The stage coaches carried passengers to London, Birmingham, and all the great centres. The Postmaster in those days was Mr. Robert Haywood, and a very important personage he must have been in the life of the City. At that time the staff was very small; but today it comprises the Postmaster, one superintendent, eight male and seven female clerks, 13 town and 13 rural postmen, with four auxiliary and two assistant letter carriers; and nine telegraph messengers, a total staff of 58. In addition to the manifold and onerous duties connected with the chief office, Mr. Gillard, the Postmaster, has the control of a dozen sub-offices in the surrounding neighbourhood, including that at Whittington Barracks, which has a population at times nearly as large as that of the whole of Lichfield.
Lichfield is ahead of some neighbouring towns from the fact that it now possesses a Post Office worthy of the name, which is housed in premises which belong to the Crown, instead of being hired for the purpose, as has been the case for the last century. When it was first proposed to remove the Post Office to Bird Street, by the Minster Pool, virtually under the shadow of the Cathedral, objection was taken by some persons that it would be so out of the way as to inconvenient to the public. But that an objection which cuts both ways; if it is a little further for the residents in Market Street and Bore Street to walk, it is, on the other hand, nearer to the Close and Beacon Street. So that the new site has its compensations. It was purchased from the Corporation about five years ago, and so little was heard about the matter for some years that it was feared the Department had either forgotten or postponed the erection of the Post Office indefinitely. About a year ago, however, a start was made, with the result that without aspiring to any building of great architectural beauty, a Post Office has been built which is in every way commodious and well suited to the requirements of the City. The plans were prepared under the direction of Sir Henry Tanner, one of the principal surveyors connected with the Department, and have been carried out under the supervision of Mr. W. Pott, one of the chief assistant surveyors. The public office has an ornamental facade with stone dressings, and 27ft. by 20ft. The various departments are, as customary in larger offices, indicated by plates attached to a wire screen fixed on the counter. The latter is a wise precaution considering the large amount of money which daily changes hands at a Post Office. On either side of the public doorway are compartments for the use of the public for writing telegrams. The floor is beautifully inlaid with mosaic work, very artistically carried out by expert Italians. Placed conveniently close to the counter a public telephone call-box, and through the windows at the back of the counter there direct communication with the registered letter enclosure. A pneumatic tube used for conveying telegrams from the public office to the instrument room, in the Minster Pool House, formerly the residence of Dr. Clarke, and which has been converted into telegraph and telephone rooms. Messages received are similarly sent from the instrument room to a delivery stand near the telegraph messengers' room, where there are cycle stands, for the machines provided by the Department, and every convenience for the lads. The Postmaster's office is easy of access both for the public and the staff, being next to the public office. The sorting office is a spacious and well-lighted apartment, 55ft. by 36ft., at the rear of the public office, and is fitted with all modern accessories, with the advantage of a great deal more elbow room than was enjoyed the old premises in Bore Street. Above the messengers' room an apartment known as The Watching Room," from which the Postmaster or any other authorised official can keep an eye upon the staff employed below. It appears to saviour more of French espionage than of English open methods, but the ways of the Post Office detective staff are usually incomprehensible. We understand that all new Post Offices "a watching tower is now constructed. Fortunately there is such excellent staff at Lichfield that the tower will, it is hoped, prove to be entirely superfluous. A covered way connects the new buildings with the old and also leads to retiring rooms for the male clerks and postmen, which are situate on the ground floor and lifted with cooking- ranges and every convenience. In addition to ordinary kitchen range of the retiring rooms, there also a "hot plate" heated by a small gas stove, for the purpose of keeping warm the food of those whose movements at meal-times are somewhat uncertain. The telegraph and telephone instrument rooms are on the first floor of the old house, overlooking the Minster Pool, and are fitted with the most modern and improved apparatus. The wires, which are technically known as "leads," are enclosed in iron casing, so that there the minimum risk of damage in the event of a fire. The necessity of this precaution will be seen when it understood that the main lines from London to Glasgow, Belfast, Edinburgh, Dublin, Crewe, Nottingham, and many other large centres are laid to the Lichfield office for the purpose of testing and localising. A retiring room for the female clerks is close proximity. The battery room and storehouses are on the second floor, where all the available accommodation utilised to the best advantage. The heating of the premises is on the low pressure system from boiler in the basement of the public office, and lighted from an 80 gas-light meter. The risk of outbreak of fire is greatly diminished by the fact that upon every floor and landing fire-extinguishers and buckets filled with water are placed ready to hand for any emergency. Instead of blocking the street with mail vans, as was frequently the case in Bore Street, there is a small open yard into which the postal vans may be drawn for loading and unloading; at the sides are ladder-stands, and in the corner a linesman's office, where spare telegraph and telephone wires are kept ready for any breakdown in the service. The whole of the premises are well adapted for their new purpose. The removal from the old premises to the new office was carried out on Sunday, under the direction of Mr. H. J. Gillard, the Postmaster, and without the slightest inconvenience to the public. A small army of postmen was employed, and no less than ten van loads of documents were transferred from the old office to the new. The "fitting" commenced as soon the old office could be closed, at 10 a.m., and was completed without the slightest hitch by five o'clock. Everything was in readiness for the night mails, which were received, delivered, despatched, or transferred, without the slightest interruption to the service. The whole of the telegraph and telephone instruments, eight in number, were provided brand new for their new home. The contractor for the erection of the new premises was Mr. D. Roberts, of Handsworth, and Mr. G. P. Mann was the efficient clerk of the works. A century ago, old records tell us, the Post Office was in Bird Street, so that in again placing it in that thoroughfare it is only another case of history repeating itself. Bird Street was then, as it now, the main thoroughfare of the City, from which the mail coaches departed, from the George and Swan Hotels alternately, to London, Chester, Liverpool, Birmingham, and Sheffield daily. The post coaches left for Birmingham every evening, and to Sheffield and Manchester every morning, bnt as there was then no penny postage letters were nothing like so numerous as they are nowadays. In those days the guards and drivers were always well armed. The stage coaches carried passengers to London, Birmingham, and all the great centres. The Postmaster in those days was Mr. Robert Haywood, and a very important personage he must have been in the life of the City. At that time the staff was very small; but today it comprises the Postmaster, one superintendent, eight male and seven female clerks, 13 town and 13 rural postmen, with four auxiliary and two assistant letter carriers; and nine telegraph messengers, a total staff of 58. In addition to the manifold and onerous duties connected with the chief office, Mr. Gillard, the Postmaster, has the control of a dozen sub-offices in the surrounding neighbourhood, including that at Whittington Barracks, which has a population at times nearly as large as that of the whole of Lichfield.
