Eston Town Hall
| Eston Town Hall | |
|---|---|
 The building in 2010 | |
| Location | Fabian Road, Teesville |
| Coordinates | 54°33′56″N 1°09′26″W / 54.5656°N 1.1571°W |
| Built | 1961 |
| Demolished | 2012 |
| Architect | John Poulson |
| Architectural style(s) | Modern style |
.svg)  Shown in North Yorkshire | |
Eston Town Hall was a municipal building in the Teesville area of Eston, in North Yorkshire, England. The building, which was the headquarters of Redcar and Cleveland District Council, was demolished in 2012.
History[edit]
Following significant population growth, largely associated with the mining industry, a local board of health was appointed in Eston in 1884.[1] The local board established offices on Whitworth Road in 1886.[2] The board was succeeded by Eston Urban District Council in 1895 and the new council continued to use the offices on Whitworth Road.[3] After amalgamation with Normanby Urban District Council in 1915, the enlarged Eston Urban District Council moved to Cleveland House on Eston Road in 1920.[4][5]
After the Second World War, the council decided to commission a dedicated town hall. The new building was designed in the modern style by John Poulson, who was also the architect for many other buildings in the town, something later linked to corruption.[6] It was built in red brick and was officially opened by Councillor Bill Herlingshaw on 15 May 1961.[7] The design involved a main rectangular block, with an hexagonal structure to accommodate the council chamber at the southeast corner of the main block.[8]
The town hall continued to serve as the headquarters of the council for the next decade and remained the meeting place for the enlarged Langbaurgh Borough Council, which was formed in 1974.[9][10] The council became known as Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council in 1996.[11]
By 2004, the building was in poor condition, with an estimated repair bill of £850,000. The council proposed moving its headquarters to new civic offices, while retaining some staff at the building, and using it for mayoral functions until 2007.[7] The plan was opposed by the local Labour Party, and was dropped when it won control of the council. However, by 2012, repair costs had grown to £2.4 million. Council staff were moved to other locations, including new offices at Redcar and Cleveland Civic Centre in Ridley Street in Redcar, and the building was demolished.[12][13][14]
References[edit]
- ^ "Records of Eston Urban District Council". National Archives. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
- ^ "Grangetown". Cleveland and Teesside Local History Society. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
- ^ "No. 27379". The London Gazette. 22 November 1901. p. 7868.
- ^ "Cleveland House Naval Hospital, Grangetown during the Great War". Wartime Memories Project. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
- ^ "Pictures from Eston book Born of Iron Made of Steel by Ann Higgins". Gazette Live. 18 November 2015. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
- ^ Fitzwalter, Raymond; Taylor, David (1981). Web of Corruption: The Story of J. G. L. Poulson and T. Dan Smith. Granada. p. 6. ISBN 978-0246109156.
- ^ a b "Time is running out for old hall". Teesside Gazette. 20 July 2004. Retrieved 10 January 2024.
- ^ "Demolition of Town Hall and James Finegan Hall, Eston". Hidden Teesside. 25 July 2012. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
- ^ Local Government Act 1972. 1972 c.70. The Stationery Office Ltd. 1997. ISBN 0-10-547072-4.
- ^ "No. 46285". The London Gazette. 9 May 1974. p. 5679.
- ^ "The Cleveland (Structural Change) Order 1995". Legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
- ^ Robson, Dave (16 February 2012). "Council to save 'millions' by flattening Eston Town Hall". Teesside Gazette. Retrieved 10 January 2024.
- ^ "Earlier town hall closure to save cash". The Northern Echo. 16 February 2012. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
- ^ "Redcar and Cleveland Council's town hall site for sale". BBC News. 15 February 2012. Retrieved 3 February 2024.