The neo-Georgian style former Town Hall extension (now Exchequer House) in Widmore Road, was built in 1938-39 and designed by Charles Cowles-Voysey (see wiki), well known for his work on town hall and public buildings in the 1920’s and 1930’s. He was the son of C.F.A. Voysey, one of Britain’s most influential architects of the Arts and Crafts movement.
Neo-Georgian Town Hall Extension
This property has been sold by the council, and together with the 1907 former town hall next door, has a planning application (expected to succeed) to develop it into rentable office space:
The School of Science and Art stands opposite the Edwardian Town Hall. The external relief terracotta panels include representations of science and art. The original building was designed by John Sulman and was built in 1878 by J C Arnauld at a cost of £3,000. The public opening included a display of the first working telephones ever made. The building was extended in 1894 to provide the town’s first library.
It was sold and converted into flats.
Cupola of the old Arts and Science college in 2006
This former Town Hall in Tweedy Road was built in 1906 by R Frank Atkinson in a neo-Wren style. The hipped slate roof has a central cupola constructed in timber, set above a fine entrance porch.
Neo-gothic style to recall Wren’s buildings.
The building was officially opened by Mayor Alderman R W Jones JP on 25 September 1907, the building cost £35,000 including furnishings.
1941 Weapons Week outside the Town Hall on Tweedy Road
At the rear of the building is the barrel vaulted first Magistrates Court, with two cells underneath; when this proved insufficient for the growing town, they built the 1937 C. Cowes Voysey Magistrates Court on south street (now Community House).
This building has been sold by the council (freehold), and CastleForge converted the building to make it into rentable office space:
The former Magistrates Court was designed in 1939 by the architect C Cowles Voysey and forms part of an identifiable group of public buildings with the Fire Station and the Town Hall complex.
Number 8 South Street, where HG Wells went to a Dame school
No. 8 South Street is where Mrs Knotts dame school was attended by a young H.G. Wells between 1871 and 1874. In his autobiography, he describes it as “off with my brother Freddy (who was on no account to let go of my hand) to a school in a room in a row of cottages near the Drill Hall, kept by an unqualified old lady, Mrs. Knott, and her equally unqualified daughter Miss Salmon, where I learnt to say my tables of weights and measures, read words of two or more syllables and pretend to do summing — it was incomprehensible fudging that was never explained to me — on a slate“.
HG Wells at school age
We have more about HG Wells in Bromley at our page here.
The Old Post Office in 2019, after it had been converted into flats. photo by Paul Ylaes.
Architect: Henry Tanner
The former Post Office in West Street was completed in 1896, and like the David Greig building facing it across Market Square, uses prefabricated decorative ceramic faces – in this case, terracotta. These facings were not just economic, but very fashionable as they were used in the Royal Albert Hall. On the building is the monogram of Queen Victoria. They occupied it in 1897. The second building was added in 1913.
It was built when the previous premises in Market Square had become too small to cope with the rapid expansion of the town. Later still a new building was built next to Bromley North station as the sorting office; in those days mail was sent on the branch line.
More far-flung communities in Bromley did not get their mail delivered – for instance, Charles Darwin rode his horse to the post office, from his house near Downe village, on a weekly basis to collect his post.
Number 19 East Street was formerly the offices of the Local Board (the first body of local administration in Bromley). It stood at the junction of East Street and West Street. The purpose of the local board was to provide such essentials as street lighting and an adequate sewage system for the town (the latter was not done especially well).
19 East Street The Local Board building decorated for Queen Victorias Jubilee
The Drill Hall, Nos 27-29 East Street, was opened in 1872 for use by the Bromley Volunteer Rifle Corps. Town celebrations and events were held here. It became a public house in 1997.
1914 advance guard departing to Dover
1872 Decorated for opening concert- when Sir Arthur Sullivan (Gilbert & Sullivan) played piano.
Sometimes called Bromley’s ‘Toy Town’ station. The current building dates from when the station was rebuilt, in Neo-Classical style, in 1925. The original timber buildings which formed Bromley North had become shamefully run down.
It was designed by the Chief Architect of Southern Railway, James Robb Scott. This was just prior to the electrification of the line. Charmingly, Wiki refers to it being 47 chains away from Charing Cross, here.
The original setting for the current station building.
The railway, both here and at Bromley South, altered Bromley’s existence as a market town. A population of 5,500 in 1861 had grown to 15,000 by 1881, and numbered 33,500 by 1911. By then Bromley had become an outer London suburb.
The land immediately behind the station has become a contested development site.
Beliving proposal scale drawing of their high rise next to the station. After spending tax-payers money at appeal the proposal was refused.
This includes the bus station, former charter market site, car parks, and buildings down Sherman road to the right (when looking at the front of the station). Originally allocated only about 300 housing units (in this case flats), each issue of the local planning documents had increased the number until it reached 525 in the 2010 AAP, which has been retained in the 2019 Local Plan. This has given rise to a number of speculative high-rise proposals, which if/when built, would dominate the Town’s conservation area, and due to being on high land, a wide area around.
Bromley North station. On the left is Sherman House (later to be re-purposed, re-clad and renamed Northpoint). Just to the right of the station is North House, replacing the matching 1925 wing of the station. Bromley North station in Neo-Classical style.Letter ‘R’ for our Easter Hunt game
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