Redbridge Town Hall
| Redbridge Town Hall | |
|---|---|
 Redbridge Town Hall | |
| Location | High Road, Ilford |
| Coordinates | 51°33′32″N 0°04′27″E / 51.5589°N 0.0741°E |
| Built | 1901 |
| Architect | Ben Woollard |
| Architectural style(s) | Renaissance style |
Listed Building – Grade II | |
| Designated | 18 August 2003 |
| Reference no. | 1390560 |
  Shown in Redbridge | |
Redbridge Town Hall is a municipal building in High Road, Ilford, London. It is a Grade II listed building.[1]
History
In the late 19th century, the parish council was based in rooms above a shop in Cranbrook Road, but after becoming an urban district in 1895, it moved into a rented schoolroom in Ilford Hall in High Road in 1898.[2] In the late 19th century civic leaders decided this arrangement was inadequate for their needs and that they would procure a new town hall: the site chosen, which was already on the council's ownership, had been occupied by the local fire station.[3]
The foundation stone for the new building was laid by Councillor Gilson on 17 March 1900.[4] It was designed by Ben Woollard in the Renaissance style and was opened as Ilford Town Hall in December 1901.[1] The design involved a symmetrical main frontage with five bays facing onto High Road; the central section featured a triple-round-arched entrance on the ground floor; on the first floor there was alcove and a balcony flanked by Ionic order columns; there was a cupola with Ionic order pavilions on all sides at roof level.[1] There were separate porches at the front of the building giving access to a public hall to the east and the council offices to the west.[5] Internally, the principal rooms in the council offices were the council chamber and the mayor's parlour.[5]
The building went on to become the headquarters of the Municipal Borough of Ilford when the area secured municipal borough status in 1926.[2] A library was built to the south in 1927 and further alterations were carried out in 1933.[5]
The town hall was covered with flags and bunting in May 1945 to celebrate Victory in Europe Day towards the end of the Second World War.[6]
The building continued to serve as the headquarters of the municipal borough for much of the 20th century but ceased to be the local seat of government when the enlarged London Borough of Redbridge was formed in 1965.[7] It was subsequently used as a venue for large events and as the local registrars' office.[8] An art gallery, known as Space Ilford, opened in part of the town hall in December 2019.[9]
References
- ^ a b c Historic England. "Ilford Town Hall and former library (now planning offices) at the rear of the town hall (1390560)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
- ^ a b Powell, W R (1966). "'The borough of Ilford', in A History of the County of Essex". London: British History Online. pp. 249–266. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
- ^ "Ordnance Survey Map". 1896. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
- ^ "Ilford Town Hall". Hainault. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
- ^ a b c "London's Town Halls". Historic England. p. 162. Retrieved 4 May 2020.
- ^ "How did Redbridge celebrate Victory in Europe Day in 1945?". Ilford Recorder. 8 May 2020. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
- ^ "Local Government Act 1963". Legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 25 April 2020.
- ^ "Redbridge Register Office (Redbridge Town Hall)". London Borough off Redbridge. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
- ^ "Ilford's new art gallery is officially open". Ilford Recorder. 16 December 2019. Retrieved 10 May 2020.