POST OFFICE BUILDINGS.
There is record of a Post Office having been established in Bristol by
the Convention Parliament in 1670, but the site is unknown, and probably
the postmaster had post horses--not letters--to attend to. In the year
1700 Mr. Henry Pine, the postmaster of the day, was one of the parties
to an agreement for leasing a piece of land "with liberty to build upon
the same for the conveniency of a Post Office." The wording of the said
agreement shows that the old-fashioned form of building was not in every
instance (as it now seems to us to have been) so grotesquely shaped from
fancy, or, perhaps, from a desire to economise ground space, for it is
therein expressly stated that the building to be used for a Post Office
was to have the second storey extended to a truss of eighteen inches
over the lane, for the purpose of enabling people to stand in the dry;
for there was no indoor accommodation for the public provided in those
days. "Let the imaginative reader," wrote an imaginative writer years
ago, "picture to himself our great-great-grandfathers in doublet and
ruff, standing in a row under the eighteen-inch truss, while the worthy
postmaster, Pine himself, with perhaps one assistant, was sorting the
contents of the mail bag. Doubtless," wrote he, "they grumbled when it
rained that the said truss was not half a dozen inches wider, and many a
person as he became saturated in his time of waiting for his letters
growled out his intention of doing something very desperate to the
powers that were."
In the "Bargain" books of the Corporation is the following memorandum
relating to the foregoing:--
"_22nd June, 1700._ Then agreed by the Surveyors of the city lands with
Henry Pine, deputy postmaster, that he, the said Henry Pine, shall have,
hold, and enjoy the ground whereon now stands a shedd having therein
four severall shopp seituate in All Saints' Lane, and as much more
ground at the lower end of the same shedd as that the whole ground shall
contain in length twenty-seven foot, and to contain in breadth from the
outside to the churchyard wall five foot and a half outward into the
lane, with liberty to build upon the same for conveniency of a Post
Office (namely) The first storey to go forth into the said lane to the
extent of that ground and no farther, and the second storey to have a
truss of eighteen inches over the lane or more as the said Surveyors
shall think fitt that persons coming to the Post Office may have shelter
from the rain and stand in the dry. To hold the same from Michaelmas
next for fifty years absolute in the yearly rent of 30s. clear of
taxes...."
This agreement must have been afterwards modified. For some reason or
other, Pine paid no rent until Michaelmas, 1705, when a sum of 25s. was
received by the Chamberlain, and "The post house produced the same
yearly sum until 1742 when the rent was raised to L3."
The site of the little Post Office alluded to was required in 1742 in
connection with the building of the Exchange, and the Post Office was
transferred to a house in Small Street, in later days occupied as the
printing office of the _Times and Mirror_ newspaper.
There seems to have been some informal understanding that when the
Exchange was finished a suitable site would be provided by the
Corporation for postal business, and in August, 1746, a Committee
reported to the Council that they had contracted for the erection of "a
house intended to be made use of as a Post Office, certain workmen
having agreed to build and find all the materials at the rate of L60 per
square (_sic_); while Mr. Thomas Pine (nephew to Henry, the former
postmaster) had offered to become the tenant at L40 a year, which he
alleged is the highest rent he is able at present to pay." The Council
approved of the proposal, recommending the Committee to get as much rent
as was practicable. The house, which was of scanty dimensions, cost L700
exclusive of a ground rent of L15 a year given for the site. Only the
ground floor was set apart for postal business, Mr. Pine residing on the
premises. The first year's rent (L43) was paid in 1750. Between 1750 and
1815 the building must have been considerably enlarged, for in the
latter year the Post Office is spoken of as a handsome and convenient
building of freestone, near to the western end of the Exchange, to which
it has a wing projecting forward into the street; and there is another
building, exactly similar to it, at the eastern end, which is occupied
for a stamp office. In 1827 there was a contemplated removal of the Post
Office, and it was deemed proper by the Chamber of Commerce to come on
the scene by presenting a memorial to the Postmaster-General; it is
stated that the timely remonstrance no doubt contributed to relieve the
public of the inconvenience of such removal. Colonel Maberly, the
Secretary to the Post Office, advised Lord Lichfield in 1838 that as the
ground-floor portion of the Post Office premises occupied by the
solicitors was necessary for the extension and improved accommodation of
the office, no time should be lost in giving the several sub-tenants
notice to quit, and Mr. Hall or the postmaster should be instructed to
communicate with the Corporation as to the means of effecting such
alterations as might be requisite. His lordship gave authority to that
effect. In 1839 the Corporation granted the Government a new lease of
the premises and of additional ground behind for the purpose of having
the Post Office enlarged. The annual rent previous to this new
arrangement had risen to L100.
The building alluded to is that now rented by Messrs. Corner and Co. as
a tea warehouse. Few indeed, even of the oldest citizens will remember
the Bristol Post Office as located there, and the old square open public
lobby where the letters were given out through barred windows. Only the
ground floor was utilised, and the area, of the site was but 21 ft. by
20 ft. A door opened from the passage by the Exchange into a very small
public lobby. In this lobby was the letter-box, and here all business
with the public--viz., giving out private letters, taking in letters
prepaid in money, and the issuing and paying of money orders--was
transacted by clerks standing in the office behind a glass partition.
The prepayment of letters by means of postage stamps was not introduced
till some months after penny postage was established. There was not at
the time a continuous attendance of clerks at the glass partition. At
two of the slides in the partition there were small brass door-knockers,
and on the public knocking a clerk appeared; from the inside office and
attended to the wants of the applicants. When letters for the private
box renters were being sorted a blind was drawn down. When the mail was
ready the blind was drawn up, and three clerks attended to disperse the
crowd which had gathered during the half-hour or so while the office was
closed. The small space behind the public lobby sufficed for the
stamping, sorting, and other necessary duties. One man, history saith,
amongst the crowd generally got to the front without difficulty; he was
a flour-dusted messenger from the Welsh Back!
In 1847 the Money Order Department had grown amazingly, and a separate
room had to be provided for its accommodation. This caused the removal
of certain solicitors from the first floor to make room for the
postmaster's office, the one formerly held by him on the ground floor
being converted into a money order office. In 1855 the shop on the north
side of the entrance to Albion Chambers from Small Street was taken by
the Post Office and converted into a money order office, it being found
that the department devoted to this purpose at the general office in
Exchange Buildings was not sufficiently commodious or convenient.
It is on record that in 1863 the Post Office authorities offered L10,000
towards erecting a new Post Office if the citizens would consent to
contribute L2,000 more. A meeting of some gentlemen took place in the
committee-room of the Council House to take the proposition into
consideration, but owing to the small number of persons that attended
further deliberation was postponed to a day not named. Some of the
leading citizens were of opinion that it would be wise to defer any
decision on the subject until the intention of the Government as to
granting a criminal assize for Bristol was known; for should the answer
from head-quarters be in the affirmative, it would be necessary to build
a new court somewhere, in which case the Guildhall would perhaps suit as
a Post Office. Nothing appears to have come of the negotiations, and the
business of the Post Office was removed on the 25th of March, 1868, to
the new office erected in Small Street on the site where it is now
carried on. This original portion of the structure covers 11,000 square
feet. The purchase of the site was completed on the 21st December, 1865.
It is stated in a legal document that the bricks, stones, and material
on part of the site belonged to the Bristol Chambers Co. Limited. Where
the sorting office stands there formerly flourished a fine mulberry
tree. There appears to have been no ceremonial in the way of laying a
foundation stone, and the antiquarian of the distant future may be
disappointed in not discovering the usual coins deposited on such
occasions.
In fifteen years the need arose for more space, and that then the
Bristol public manifested a keen interest in the position of the Bristol
Post Office was indicated by an animated debate which took place in our
Council Chamber; and as this book affects to be in part a history as
well as a narrative, it is thought well to give the report of the
proceedings a full record herein, under permission from the proprietors
of the _Bristol Times and Mirror_:--
_Friday, January 2nd, 1885._
"THE SITE FOR THE POST OFFICE.
"The TOWN CLERK said that as the next part of the report referred to the
site for the Post Office, he would read a letter he had received from
Mr. Lewis Fry, M. P., which was as under:--
"'Goldney House, Clifton Hill,
_30th December, 1884_.
"'My dear Sir,--As I observe that the question of the site of the new
Post Office will come before the Council on Thursday, I think it best,
in order to avoid any misunderstanding, to ask you to state to the
Council that the matter is not to be considered as a proposal made by
the Postmaster-General or the first Commissioner of Works. The exact
position of the matter is this, that Mr. Shaw-Lefevre, soon after his
visit to Bristol, requested me to intimate to the Corporation that in
case they desire the change of situation to Baldwin Street, he is ready
to entertain any proposal which they may make to him with that object,
provided it be upon the basis of an exchange of properties as mentioned
in the report of the Finance Committee.
"'I am, yours truly,
LEWIS FRY.
The Town Clerk of Bristol.'
"Mr. ROBINSON said he would like to say a word or two on the subject of
a new Post Office, as the wording in Mr. Fry's letter referred to the
subject of the proposed change in the position of the Post Office. They
did not want change for change's sake (applause), and if they could do
without it they would be glad to do so, but sometimes change became a
necessity (applause). He would wish to say a word or two with reference
to the provisions for the postal arrangements in Bristol, as to the
inconvenience that the officials and the public were subject to, and a
word as to the great increase in postal matters in the city and in the
country generally. He wished to convey to them the magnitude of the
question and the very growing character of the communications by
letters, parcels, and newspapers, which were being circulated through
the medium of the Government and through the Post Office. He the
previous day called upon Mr. Sampson, the head official of the Bristol
Post Office, and he might say that his ability was only exceeded by his
courtesy (applause). He gave him all the information he had asked for,
and he showed him over a considerable part of the building. In the
course of the interview he gave him no opinion as to the site, and he
did not think it wise to ask him. All he asked him, was as to facts--as
to the present accommodation. He described the condition of the office
as being one of congestion, and that they were put to all kinds of
shifts, and that the sorting and minor offices were inadequate for their
respective purposes (hear, hear). He saw a room where eighty postmen
were engaged in partial sorting. It was upstairs and was approached by
winding stairs with only a 21-inch tread, and the room was utterly
inadequate for the purpose. Letters had to be sent to Clifton to be
sorted because of the want of space in the Post Office. Mr. Sampson said
more particularly that a large hall was necessary on the ground floor
for an entrance, from which the various subsidiary offices should be
entered. Then he said that a good frontage was desirable. Some people
had suggested tunnelling and going to the other side of the street, and
others had suggested a viaduct. Offers of property had come from
different people, so that the want of further accommodation seemed to be
recognised not only by the Post Office itself, but outside. The present
office was erected in 1868, and had the officials been sanguine, or
known that the business would have increased as it had, they probably
would not have selected the present site. The work of the office had
perfectly outgrown the capacity of the place. Since 1868 new departments
had been opened, and new duties had been created, and they wanted more
room. The telegraph work was added in February, 1870, and the sale of
revenue stamps and payment of stamps as money had also been added. The
parcel post came into operation in 1883. They did not desire an
extravagant outlay. The increase of the population was 1 per cent., and
the letters increased 3 per cent. They were not asked to buy a whole
street. He felt it would be admitted that the telegraphic despatches
formed the essential, if not the primary, part of the arrangements of
the Post Office. He was informed that the site in Baldwin Street was
more convenient and closer to the warehouses and offices which greatly
used the present telegraphic advantages than the present site in Small
Street (a voice: 'No'). Well, he gave his word for what he had heard. He
maintained that the Council had a supreme moment at the present time.
They had a gentleman at the head of the Post Office who had viewed the
new site, and now they found that the Post Office authorities were in
the humour to make the outlay they had better embrace the opportunity.
His resolution was: 'That, considering the want of adequate space in
Small Street for postal and telegraphic arrangements, it is desirable
that a new Post Office be erected in Baldwin Street, on the site
recently viewed by the Postmaster-General, if equitable arrangements
can be made with the Government for the transfer of the property.' If
the Government were not prepared to lay out money for the site, they
could let them have the property on a ground-rent, without an outlay
being made. It would not cost less than L20,000 to L25,000 to enlarge
and improve the present Post Office, and he maintained that that sum
would go a great way towards erecting a new Post Office in Baldwin
Street. They would not always be able to get sites; and they could not
always buy sites as they could oranges and nuts (laughter). In America
people ran after him and asked him to buy land. Not so here. He repeated
that they had Mr. Shaw-Lefevre looking favourably upon the new site, and
he thought it desirable that they should take a bold step--such a step
as indicated in the resolution--and put up a building which not alone
should be noble, but commodious (applause).
"Mr. Alderman EDWARDS seconded the resolution. He was glad that the
matter had been laid before the Postmaster-General. A great deal had
been said about the present site being more useful and convenient than
the proposed, but he felt that the difference was very small indeed. The
sites were within a minute or two of each other. In Baldwin Street they
had a road 60 ft. wide, and if Small Street were altered, however much,
they would not widen it half as much as that. As to the positions of the
banks, some of the important ones were nearer Baldwin Street than the
other street. At any rate, the Old Bank, Stuckey's, and the National
Provincial Banks were nearer Baldwin Street than Small Street. The
speaker then named several large warehouses which were, he urged, closer
to the proposed site than Small Street. At Baldwin Street they had an
acre of ground for the present or future. He would not give the land to
the Post Office authorities, but he suggested that they should be
liberal towards them in their offer. If the Post Office authorities
wished to give them the old office in exchange for the site, it might be
utilised by the Corporation.
"Mr. C. WILLS supported the resolution. He would advance one or two
reasons why they should make the best terms they could with the
Postmaster-General. That the present Post Office was inconveniently
small was generally admitted, and he maintained that if the proposed
additions were made to the existing building, the extra facilities would
not meet the ever-increasing demands on the Post Office for more than
six or eight years. The various departments of the present building were
too small for development and carrying on the important work of a Post
Office. Personally, he would as soon for the Post Office to be in one
street as the other, but he felt it would redound to the credit of the
city to see a fine building erected in Baldwin Street. If they had the
Post Office there it would enhance the value of the other sites in the
thoroughfare. Very shortly they would have the sixpenny telegrams, and
then the increase in telegraphic communication would be very great
indeed, and the present building would soon become inadequate to the
demand. Then, again, they saw that the present Postmaster-General did
not intend to give up the parcels post, and the development of this
branch of the Post Office work would be very great indeed. Then, again,
there would be increased vehicular traffic to the Post Office; and could
this, he asked, be carried out to the comfort of the citizens in Small
Street? The turning point arose from Mr. Shaw-Lefevre visiting the
Chamber of Commerce recently. That gentleman visited the site in Baldwin
Street, and he, no doubt, saw that the site would be better and superior
to the one in Small Street.
"Mr. PETHICK said that they had come to a turning point in the history
of the city of Bristol. The question was whether they should continue
the system of compression that they had suffered from for so many years.
Small Street was a narrow thoroughfare; it was only a back lane to Broad
Street. ('Oh! oh!') It was called Small Street and had a carriage way of
only 9 ft. ('No, no.') He must repeat that at one point in Small Street
the carriage way was only 9 ft. wide.
"Mr. DANIEL protested against Mr. Pethick saying that Small Street was
the back lane to Broad Street, and that the carriage road was only 9 ft.
(hear, hear). The narrow part of Small Street would come down when the
improvements to the Post Office took place.
"Mr. PETHICK: I state facts--what the street is to-day.
"Mr. DANIEL: But is the narrow part you speak of the entrance to Small
Street?
"Mr. PETHICK: It is the approach from Bristol Bridge, _via_ the
Exchange, for mail carriages and other traffic, and all must pass
through the narrow part, which is only 9 ft. wide. Even if this were
taken away, Mr. Pethick continued, they would still have a narrow space
to pass through. The whole would not be 14,000 superficial feet; and
above all, with so bad an access, they proposed to enlarge the present
building.
"Mr. Alderman PROCTOR BAKER: It is not proposed.
"Mr. PETHICK observed that in Baldwin Street they had a good carriage
way, and they would have a front and back entrance to a new building. He
hoped no little or narrow parochial spirit would be put forward in this
matter. The difference of the distance of the two sites was so small as
to be insignificant, and he trusted they would endeavour to get a
handsome and commodious building erected on the Baldwin Street side of
the city.
"Mr. Alderman PROCTOR BAKER said they were indebted to Mr. Robinson for
his interesting details, but he did not think they were details for the
Council to study, but for the study of the Government. The Post Office
was a Government undertaking, and carried on for profit by the
Government, and it was on their shoulders, and theirs alone, to provide
proper premises. There were two questions involved in the resolution
before them, and if it could be so arranged he should like a separate
opinion being taken. One question was the actual position of the future
Post Office--whether it was to be in Small Street or Baldwin Street. The
other question was whether the Council was prepared to sell to the Post
Office the land in Baldwin Street and receive in exchange the building
in Small Street. As regarded the question of convenience there was very
little to be said on either side; but with regard to the other matter he
thought they should not agree to exchange the land for the present Post
Office building. If they took over the existing building, it could only
he pulled or used for public offices. Already they had a population of
200,000 persons, and the area of the city was to be extended; and if
they believed in the progress of the city they must expect it by-and-by
to be the centre of a quarter of a million of people. It would be
impossible, as it would be discreditable, for them to attempt to carry
on that great municipality in such buildings as they now had. The
chamber in which they were assembled was in a bad condition; the air at
that moment was as foul as it could be; and if they took over the
present Post Office and applied it for the purposes of the municipality,
they would perpetuate the present discomfort, inconvenience, etc., of
having divided offices, and postpone for half a century the erection of
a large municipal building, in which all their offices would be. As to
Baldwin Street and Small Street sites, there was much to be said on both
sides; but if it was proposed to take in exchange the Post Office
building for their land the Council should vote against it (hear, hear).
He sincerely trusted they would not take over a building which would
keep up the inconvenience they now suffered from (hear, hear).
"Mr. LANE said it seemed to him that they were simply asked the question
whether the Council were desirous that there should be such a change in
the position of the Post Office. Every argument for the change was a
thoroughly good one which should weigh with them. Selfish considerations
and every consideration should be banished (applause), and they should
consider it in the interest of the city and in the interest of the
development of the trade of the future. The opinion of the postmaster
was a great argument in favour of larger premises.
"Mr. INSKIP argued that the representatives of the ratepayers were not
there to carry out the bidding of the postmaster. It might be wise and
proper for him to communicate his views to the department with which he
was connected, but it seemed unreasonable to ask members of the Council
to vote for what he was in favour of. He ventured to suggest that the
arrangement proposed by the report would be unlawful, and to enter into
the exchange would be an unlawful proceeding. They acquired land in
Baldwin Street under the Public Health Act for carrying out
improvements, and he could not see how it could be said that the
buildings in Small Street would be required for the purpose of
improvements. Before they entered into the exchange they ought to obtain
power by Act of Parliament. If they entered into a speculation of that
sort they would be transgressing the law of the land. With regard to the
matter of convenience, if they took the outlying districts of the city
they would see that the people who lived there went to the Post Office
after the branch offices were closed, and they would see that Small
Street was appreciably more convenient for the outlying population than
the Baldwin Street site could possibly be (applause). Then as to the
piece of land which would be obtained, the argument of Mr. Pethick was a
strong one to retain it. The Guildhall was there, and it had been
promised for years that Small Street should be improved, and that
improvement would be accomplished if the Government had No. 3, Small
Street, which would be set back, and they would have done a great deal
to redeem the promise made some years ago (applause).
"Mr. DIX said he was very much obliged to Mr. Robinson for his figures.
They all felt that there had been a great growth in the postal
arrangements of the country, and that there would be a great growth in
the future; and if it had been shown to him that they could not have a
good building in Small Street by having the one there altered by the
authorities, and that they could have a proper one in Baldwin Street, he
would say let them go to Baldwin Street; but it did not come before them
in that light. They were anticipating that the postal authorities could
not make a proper building in Small Street; but he could not see how Mr.
Robinson and those who advocated the Baldwin Street site came to such a
conclusion. If they had the buildings in Small Street, that street would
be improved, which had been anticipated for years, and they would have
the Post Office close to the Guildhall and that great place of
commerce--the Commercial Rooms (applause). He argued that the city did
not want the property in Small Street--it would be useless to them; and
he hoped they would pronounce against it going forth to the
Postmaster-General that it was the wish of the Council to alter the site
(applause).
"Mr. S. G. JAMES said he did not think that they should be saddled with
a building that would not be any good to them. He suggested that it
should be represented to the Government that the building would be a
good one for a Stamp and Excise Office, and that it would be convenient
to have those offices moved from Queen Square to the building in Small
Street. He thought that would be a very wise suggestion to make to the
Government.
"Mr. DANIEL said he viewed the proposition to shift the Post Office as
one of the most solemn and weighty that had been considered by the Town
Council for years (hear, hear). By common consent, and by the
development of the city trade, where the Post Office now was the centre
of commerce, and they should hesitate very much before they changed it
(hear, hear); and the Council, being trustees of the property owned by
the city, and looking at the extent of that property in the
neighbourhood of the Post Office, and the outlay made on it by the city,
he could not understand why they made the suggestion to run away from
Small Street (applause). They had under arbitration paid to the bank
L9,600 for a piece of land, and that was surely not to keep the street
as a narrow lane. If the present Post Office were retained, the
authorities would take the houses that would be put in a line with the
Post Office, and two-thirds of Small Street would be converted into a
wide street--and it was only to shave off the Water Works offices and
adjoining building, and then they would have a good wide street (hear,
hear). The Corporation during the last twenty years had spent in the
neighbourhood not less than L50,000, and if by establishing the Post
Office in Baldwin Street they would enhance the value of the adjoining
property, so taking it away from the centre of the city would depreciate
the property there. It would not be doing justice to the citizens to
take it away from Small Street and remove it to a remote spot like
Baldwin Street. ('Oh, oh!' and laughter.) It was a remote spot, and he
did not know that a street through which were a tram line and continual
cab traffic was the best place for a Post Office. He believed a quiet
street would be the better place. He farther argued that the proper
place for the Post Office was where it was--in the neighbourhood of the
Assize Courts, where the County Court was held all the year round, and
the assizes and sessions were held, and at the back of the Commercial
Rooms, to which there were upwards of 600 subscribers.
"Mr. Alderman NAISH said that what weighed with him was that the
Government had not applied for a better site. He apprehended that Mr.
Shaw-Lefevre was perfectly satisfied with the accommodation he could get
on the present site. He had seen the draft of the Bill promoted by the
Government for taking possession of a building under the compulsory
powers at a fair valuation. Someone in Bristol wished them to go
somewhere else. All Mr. Shaw-Lefevre said was that if the citizens
wanted to go elsewhere they must take the old building. The
Postmaster-General did not suggest the removal, but somebody else did
(hear, hear). The Postmaster-General knew his business, and he probably
considered that the present office could be enlarged so as to provide
all the accommodation necessary. They could thus have a good public
improvement in the centre of the city, and at the same time provide for
the postal requirements. They were simply asked to go to a street in
which certain people were interested, which, although a large
thoroughfare, had two lines of tramways running through it. He hoped the
Council would not agree to the proposal.
"Mr. MATTHEWS said if the question was put to them simply, did they
require more postal accommodation?--they would unhesitatingly say that
they did; but the question of site was a totally different matter. They
had not gone into the question whether another site would not be a
better one than the Baldwin Street one. He moved that the question of a
site be remitted to a committee, with instructions to report to the
Council, and that the committee consist of the Mayor, Aldermen Spark,
Harvey, and Naish, and Messrs. Townsend, C. F. Hare, Barker, and Inskip.
"Mr. LEVY considered that the city was indebted to those who suggested
the Baldwin Street site. There could be no two opinions about the matter
(cries of 'Oh,' and laughter). They had seen an amusing correspondence
in the papers about it. He would not do anything to injure the _Times
and Mirror_ for a moment (laughter). In Baldwin Street a Constitutional
Club had been established, and the _Times and Mirror_ might consider
that institution (laughter).
"Mr. WHITWILL thought they should simply confine themselves to an
expression of opinion as to the desirability of Baldwin Street site, for
he should be strongly opposed to the exchange (hear, hear).
"Mr. H. G. GARDNER said the position in Small Street was preferable to
him, but they ought to sink personal convenience. The Chamber of
Commerce suggested the matter, and he looked on that body as young
Bristol.
"Mr. ROBINSON said he only meant that the property should be taken over
if an equitable arrangement could be come to. He would drop the last
part of his resolution, and it would now read as follows:--'That,
considering the want of adequate space in Small Street for the postal
telegram arrangements, it is desirable that a new Post Office
be erected in Baldwin Street on the site recently viewed by the
Postmaster-General.'
"The motion was then put with the following result:--_For_: Aldermen
Lucas, Edwards, Jose, Spark; Messrs. Moore, Robinson, James, Pethick,
Wills, Bartlett, Fear, Bush, Townsend, C. Gardner, Jefferies, H. G.
Gardner, Low, Lane, Levy, Garton, Derham, Whitwill, Barker--23.
_Against_: The Mayor; Aldermen Morgan, Smith, Naish, Fox, Jones,
Hathway, Harvey, Cope-Proctor; Messrs. Terrett, Dix, Gibson, Alsop,
Francis, Bastow, A. Baker, C. F. Hare, C. B. Hare, Harvey, C. Nash,
Hall, Lockley, Daniel, Matthews, Follwoll, Sibly, Inskip--27. Aldermen
Proctor Baker and George and Mr. Dole did not vote.
"Mr. LEVY asked if the Postmaster-General made an offer it would be
entertained.
"The TOWN CLERK said he supposed that any offer from the
Postmaster-General or anybody else would be considered."
The Council dropped the matter of removal, and an enlargement of the
Post Office was commenced in 1886 on 5,500 square feet of ground on
which the Rectory House of St. Mary Werburgh formerly stood. The
enlargement was completed in 1889. The structure was designed by the
Surveyor of Her Majesty's Office of Works. In making his plan in 1868 no
doubt the Surveyor thought he was building for, at least, fifty years;
and so he set back his building to form a square structure, instead of
following the line of street as laid down by the city authorities in
their Act of Parliament. The new part of the building had to conform to
the city line, and had, therefore, to be built at an angle with the old
office, which detracts from the general appearance. The Post Office
building in Small Street stands on a site 17,300 square feet in extent;
and now, thirty-one years from the opening of the new office and ten
years from its enlargement, further extension is necessary, and the
erection of a second or supplementary office larger in dimensions than
the present structure is about to be proceeded with.
As the work in the Post Office goes on through the whole day and night,
the air in the working rooms became vitiated and over-heated when
lighted with gas. In 1896 the effectual remedy of abandoning the use of
gas and adopting electric light was carried out. The Corporation
provides the current. The lamps used are 4 arc lamps, of approximately
750 candle-power each, and 450 glow lamps of 8, 16, or 25 candle-power.
Two million gallons of water a year are used to keep the buildings
clean.
[Illustration: THE BRISTOL HEAD POST OFFICE IN 1899.
_From a photograph by Mr. Protheroe, Wine Street, Bristol._]
As the Post Office, from its size, if not from its architectural beauty,
dominates Small Street in some measure it may be well here to introduce
particulars from an ancient manuscript in the City Library, which show
that Small Street has been a street ever since Anglo-Saxon times.
About Small Street and St. Leonard's Lane lived some of Bristol's
greatest merchants. For hundreds of years there was not within the walls
of Bristol a more fashionable street than Small Street. Many of the
mansions there had good gardens. In the reign of Charles II. there were
only six houses on the west, or Post Office, side of the street. Amongst
the worthies who resided there were the Colstons, the Creswicks, the
Kitchens, the Seymours, the Esterfields, the Codringtons, the Haymans,
the Kilkes; John Foster, the founder of the almshouse on St. Michael's
Hill; Nicholas Thorne, one of the founders of our Grammar School; and
Thomas Fenn, attorney, who in 1762 succeeded to the Earldom of
Westmoreland. It is not indicated whether he was related in any way to
William Fenn, who was postmaster, 1778-88, but it might have been so,
for William Fenn must have been a person of some note or the appointment
would not at his death have been conferred on his widow. In Small
Street, too, more Royal and noble visitors have lodged and received
hospitality than in any other street in Bristol. The Earl of Bedford and
his son were received there in 1569, and Robert Dudley, Earl of
Leicester, one of Queen Elizabeth's favourites, and the Earl of Warwick,
in 1587; the latter lodged at Robert Kitchen's. In 1643 King Charles I.,
with Prince Charles and the Duke of York, lodged there, so did Oliver
Cromwell and his wife in 1649; and James II., with George, Prince of
Denmark, and the Dukes of Grafton, Beaufort, and Somerset, in 1688.
Queen Catherine was entertained at Sir Henry Creswick's house in 1677,
where Sir Henry, the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, the good and great Duke
of Ormonde, lodged for several days in 1665. We learn that Small Street
was selected for the reception of these illustrious visitors "by reason
of the conveniency of the street for entertaining the nobility."