Havering Town Hall

TQ 58 NW 940/10/10009

MAIN ROAD Havering Town Hall

II

Town Hall. Built as Romford Town Hall, designed in 1935 by architects H R Collins and A E O Geens in International Moderne style and extended by three bays to the south west in 1960 in matching style and materials. The 1988 south eastern wing is not of special interest. Steel-framed with Leicester silver grey facing bricks and Swanage stone facings and plinth. Flat roof. Plan was L-shaped and a proposed refreshment hall and assembly hall was never built. Two storeys, with partial set back attic storey to main front; 14 bays to main front and 17 bays to rear wing. Windows are metal-framed casements, tall narrow windows to first floor and shorter tripartite windows to ground floor. The main feature of the front elevation is the projecting full-height entrance hall with tall central staircase windows and, smaller narrow flanking sidelights. This incorporates three flagpoles. Under a flat canopy is the stone architrave to doorcase with double oak doors flanked by sidelights with decorative metal grilles and two square stone plinths. To the right is a partial attic storey which was originally a caretaker's flat and outside four windows is a balcony with metal railings. The L-wing has mainly tripartite windows apart from tall staircase windows and a stone surround to a rear entrance. The south western extension has matching brickwork, windows and stone entrance. INTERIOR: Staircase Hall has large Imperial staircase with metal handrails, hall lined in Bath stone with rusticated courses and columned entrances to Council Chamber and Committee corridor. Council Chamber retains Austrian oak Public Gallery with giant piers, dado panelling and dais and large skylight to ceiling. Committee Room One retains oak panelling and folding doors. Committee Room Two retains folding doors and probably original panelling beneath later C20 panelling. Former Rates Office on ground floor retains original steps under later floor. Original corridors and staircases and some small offices survive. ["The Architect and Building news" 1.10.37.]

Listing NGR: TQ5140089194