Ilford Town Hall and Former Library (Now Planning Offices) at the Rear of the Town Hall, Redbridge, London

Description

937/0/10036

OAKFIELD ROAD
Ilford Town Hall and former library now planning offices at the rear of the town hall
HIGH ROAD
Ilford Town Hall and former library now planning offices at the rear of the town hall
18-AUG-03

II
Town hall, 1899-1901 by Ben Woollard, architect; additions of 1931-3 by L.E.J.Reynolds, borough engineer; former public library, 1925 by H.Shaw, borough engineer. One continuous range, formerly two, infilled in 1931-3. 1899-01 in eclectic Renaissance manner.

MATERIALS: Bath stone, slate roofs hidden behind parapet.

EXTERIOR: High Road elevation. Five symmetrical bays, arranged 1:5:1:5:1, two storeys and basement, with pavilions to outer bays and three storey central bay, which break forward. Channelled ground floor, upper storeys to outer bays having narrow, banded quoins. Deep egg and dart cornice. Central bay canted at ground floor, upper storeys between canted shafts rising above parapet. Three bay, round- arched lobby, the arches with enriched mouldings supporting shaped balcony, the convex centre balustraded, flanked by concave panels. Buttress - like piers with facetted shafts, banded quoins echoing outer bays, flank steeply pedimented Ionic alcove between vertical small paned lights, under enriched panel. Above moulded cornice, triple small paned lights under shaped hood mould. Cupola with Ionic pavilion at each angle, each surmounted by bulbous facetted finial, three bay arcade to each face, under depressed copper dome. Outer bays; at ground floor, to left, sash with glazing bars, to right a paired doorway, at first floor each with oriel window with sash with glazing bars or small paned fixed lights. At outer angle, parapet in form of triangular panel most with enriched face. Shaped octagonal Ionic pavilion beneath cupola. Inner bays each with semicircular canopy on Ionic columns, carrying balustraded parapet bearing coat of arms. Outer round arch to coffered barrel vaulted lobby; pair of part-glazed panelled doors between similar margin panels, with shaped heads under enriched swan- neck pedimented panel, beneath round arched overlight with vertical glazed lights. Doors to right entrance retain coloured leaded lights. Flanking sash with glazing bars in moulded architrave. At first floor, in five bays, attached Ionic columns frame similar sashes, with enriched architraves, each under blind round arch. Balustraded parapet.

EXTERIOR: Oakfield Road elevation. Of three phases, 1899-1901, 1925 and 1931-3. The earlier phase consists of two storeys and basement, arranged 3:5:1. Intended as a symmetrical scheme, outer bay reflecting that to High Road. Chanelled basement. To left, first floor Palladian window beneath steep open pediment, flanked by shorter similar windows terminating at cornice band. Ground floor sashes with glazing bars in simple openings; similar treatment to ground and first floor windows of bays to right. Deep continuous cornice with alternating blank and balustraded parapet. The later 1931-3 phase consists of a steel frame with Bath stone facade, slate mansard roof with copper dressings. Symmetrical, in five bays, three storeys, attic storey, dormers and basement. Rusticated entrance under arch with shaped voussoirs, pair of panelled oak doors with bronze fittings. To left and right triple small paned sashes, those flanking entrance on bracketed cill bearing seated lions. Outer bays have first floor oriel windows, central bay has tripartite window in pedimented architrave, flanked by similar small paned sashes to those at ground floor. Second floor, shallow ranges of three and five small paned casements the central paired lights under round arch, all beneath continuous cornice band. Deep moulded cornice. Attic storey of small paned casements repeating rhythm of second floor, behind alternating panelled and balustraded parapet. Roof has three flat roofed dormers, possibly altered, with outer small paned occuli in moulded architraves. Tall stack rising from outer panel of attic storey. Right hand bay, of three storeys, under lower roofline, remodelled 1931-3. The 1925 phase comprises the former central library with offices above. Included as part of the municipal development of the Oakfield Road elevation. Brick, Bath stone facade. Three storeys with later attic additions. Left hand entrance bay set forward, rusticated round arched entrance with panelled oak doors under large fanlight. Giant order pilasters, supporting open pediment, frame narrow tripartite windows on first and second floors, at second floor treated as Palladian window with pronounced keystone. To right, channelled plinth; ground and first floor small paned sashes grouped in pairs or as three, with similar Palladian windows to upper floor. Square framed attic storey windows, later additions above.

INTERIORS: 1899-1901: Elliptical crush lobby with curved part- glazed doors flanking alcoves with fan decoration to niche. Bronze war memorial over inner doors. Terrazzo floors with mosaic margins. Public hall: Embellished square piers support panelled frieze between robust brackets. Elliptical proscenium arch on moulded pilasters, with almost Baroque frieze above. Small gallery over entrance. Elliptical top-lit roof with deep moulded ribs. Monumental stair to former council chamber and committee rooms. At base heavy square newels with strapwork panels support pair of Ionic columns. Closed string stair with chunky turned balusters and broad, shaped, ramped, grey polished stone balustrade, rises to form horseshoe at upper landing. Toplit stairwell with deep, ribbed, coving above heavy cornice. Eared doorcases with shallow swan neck pediments, each with pair of panelled doors with brass door furniture. Former council chamber reordered, with suspended ceiling, but pilasters remain.

1931-3: Council chamber, six by three bays, lined with fluted Ionic columns in Siena marble with bronzed or gilded caps and bases, on black marble plinth and dado, between panels of Indian laurel (or possibly walnut) under scagliola frieze arranged in symmetrical panels. Elliptical roof with glazed panels with coloured margins as those to clerestory windows. Coffered ceiling with deep moulded ribs. Doors, panelled externally to match those in corridors, internally, with moulded panels with bronze door handles and plates. Tripartite mayoral dais, with Borough crest, set forward from entrance; horseshoe arrangement of seating with tiered public gallery at rear, dais and other fittings, in walnut. Clock over public gallery. Parquet floor with emblem reflecting treatment of ceiling. Some seating said to be from former Ilford Council, some from Wansted and Woodbridge.

Mayor's parlour. Fully panelled in Indian laurel (or possibly walnut). Panelled chimneypiece with replaced fireplace. Plaster moulded ceiling. Members' room. Fully panelled, the chimneypiece retaining original marble slips and grate. Corridors, with tall panelled dado with ribbed band, doors with with single, flat, raised panel with rondels at the angles, a theme repeated throughout the building. Rear staircase with coloured tiled dado, at each landing with oak framed screen, glazed with small leaded panes, pair of doors with panels with rondels, below small paned leaded lights with margin glazing. Refreshment Room (Lambourne Room), with applied Deco treatment to octagonal piers pilasters and wall panels, recently refurbished but structurally intact. Lighting is late C20.

Former central Library, and offices, now planning offices, included for elevation to Oakfield Road. Library comprised Reading Room to Oakfield Road; Junior Room, and Reference Room flanking central Lending Room. Range of lunettes to inner light well. Lending Room under central ribbed glazed dome, simple pilasters to walls. Junior Room and Reference Room top -lit, the former with plain pilasters, the latter with slightly battered Ionic pilasters. Small sections of oak panelling and shelving remain.

HISTORY: This imposing town hall reflects Ilford's dramatic late Victorian expansion. Newly created an Urban District Council, the borough held a design competition in which Woolard's design was placed second. The phased building of the complex reflected delays in construction and the outbreak of WW1. Later additions were made in a contextual manner in the 1920s and 1930s. A proposal to demolish this building and replace it with a design by Frederick Gibberd was not proceeded with. The spectacular council chamber is among the most impressive examples in Greater London.

Joanna Smith et al., 'London's Town Halls' (English Heritage 1999), 64.
'Souvenir of the official Opening of the Extensions to the Ilford Town Hall , Thursday, 9th February 1933', (Borough of Ilford 1933).

This List entry has been amended to add the source for War Memorials Register. This source was not used in the compilation of this List entry but is added here as a guide for further reading, 30 October 2017.

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