Shoreditch Town Hall

Shoreditch Town Hall is a municipal building in Shoreditch, London. It is a Grade II listed building.[1]

Shoreditch Town Hall
Shoreditch Town Hall
LocationOld Street, Shoreditch
Coordinates51.5270°N 0.0791°W / 51.5270; -0.0791
Built1866
ArchitectCaesar Augustus Long
Architectural style(s)Italianate style
Listed Building – Grade II
Designated4 February 1975
Reference no.1235232
Shown in Hackney

History

The original facility, which was designed by Caesar Augustus Long in the Italianate style as a vestry building, was completed in 1866.[1] At the time it was described as "the grandest Vestry Hall in London".[2] The building was embellished with symbolic statuary alluding to the borough motto, "More Light, More Power", which refer to the council's aim of generating its own electricity to power local industry.[3]

On 12 November 1888 the inquest into the death of Mary Jane Kelly, the last victim of the Whitechapel murders, was held in the building.[4]

Following the creation of the Metropolitan Borough of Shoreditch in 1899, the building was extended westwards by adding a tower and an extra three bays to the five bays that already existed.[1] This design by William Hunt created a monumental structure which was completed in 1902.[1] After a major fire in the new assembly hall, that part of the building was rebuilt to the designs of Alfred Cross in 1904.[1] An additional wing to the south of the main building was added in 1938.[5]

The building ceased to be the local seat of government after the formation of the London Borough of Hackney in 1965.[6] It was subsequently used as a venue for boxing and other events and in 1969 Ulric Regis died from brain injuries soon after being outpointed by Joe Bugner at the town hall.[7]

After a period of neglect, it passed into the ownership of a trust in 1997.[2] Following an extensive restoration programme, the building was converted into an arts centre and reopened in 2004.[2]

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References
  1. Historic England. "Shoreditch Town Hall (1235232)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 3 May 2020.
  2. "Shoreditch Town Hall". Open House London. Retrieved 3 May 2020.
  3. R. Crosley, London's coats of arms and the stories they tell (Robert Scott, London, 1928)
  4. Evans, Stewart P.; Rumbelow, Donald (2006). Jack the Ripper: Scotland Yard Investigates. Stroud, Gloucestershire: Sutton Publishing. p. 175. ISBN 0-7509-4228-2.
  5. "London's Town Halls". Historic England. p. 77. Retrieved 3 May 2020.
  6. "Local Government Act 1963". Legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 25 April 2020.
  7. Giller, Norman (2012). Henry Cooper: A Hero For All Time. Biteback. ISBN 978-1849541596.
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