Bognor Town Hall

Today we have an imposing Town Hall at the junction of Clarence Road and Belmont Street, but this is not the first premise used by the people engaged to look after the running of our town. The first premise was at No. 31 High Street, today occupied by Reynolds Funeral Service. Lillywhites, a local Company, constructed this original building.

SThe Town Commissioners were established in 1822 and the first Clerk to the Commissioners was Richard Daly. He occupied offices at No. 31 High Street, sharing these premises with a local tailor. During this period plans for the town included a market in the Steyne and there is also mention of levying the sum of 1s (5p.) duty on each ton of coal that arrived in the town, by way of the sea. This income was then used towards the cost of making the new road system around the rapidly expanding town.

In 1837 Mr. William K. Wonham was responsible for many new constructions in the town, one of which was to be named The Assembly Rooms and situated in the new Sudley Road. For a number of years the Town Council used this. The building still exists and today is used by a number of groups including members of the Bognor Club. During this period the Town Council had to share these premises with touring entertainment groups.

The Jubilee School was constructed in the High Street during 1817 - this is the site occupied by Safeway's car park. This was a subscription school, built to educate poor girls, which remained in operation until the 1880's when it closed due to the decline in the requirement for this type of education. Discussions were being held regarding its demolition and replacement by a Town Hall.

However it was eventually decided that the building should remain and Mr. Stringfellow, Council Surveyor, converted the school at a cost of £500 into a new Town Hall ready for use from 1882. Thus the Town Council operated from this site until the 1920's when new plans came into fruition for another venue.

Ultimately in 1927, when the local population was approx. 17,000, it was closed and demolished and within 7 years the Southdown Bus Company built their new bus station on the site.

In 1929 the fortunes of the town seemed to be changing. It was at a time when the town received the Royal accolade of Regis and it was the year when the Town Council were to have a New Town Hall. The Special Purposes Committee had to decide where the new Town Hall was to be built and numerous sites were considered, including Claremont Place, West St., Hothamton Place, Waterloo Square and the Royal Clarence Hotel. The town's surveyor discussed with the Royal Institute of British Architects the possibility of arranging an architectural competition to design a new building. The brief for the work and competition rules were sent out to 91 companies. Bognorians were not totally happy with the plans and when they were made aware of the location of this new building, it was felt that its construction in a 'back street of the town' the report continued that the 'town will regret as long as it exists' However it is not in a back street now.

Finally at a ceremony on 22nd May 1929 two foundation stones were laid for the New Town Hall in Clarence Road. One recognised William Grice, who had been a member of the Council for 36 years.

The Rev. Canon A.J. Sacre, J.P., Chairman of the Council, with Joseph Jubb, laid the other stone. Mrs. E. Sacre performed the official opening ceremony on October 11th 1930. It was thought that this new structure, in the fashionable neo-Georgian style, seemed to be worthy of Civic headquarters.

The builder of this new imposing Town Hall was the head of a well-known local company, H.W. Seymour. There is a small stone inlaid at the front of the building to denote his work. There is another stone in the façade of the building this time to show the involvement of Mr. C. Vowles-Voysey the architect, who won the competition to design this new construction. He was involved in many constructions along the South Coast including the White Rock Pavilion at Hastings, which won a national design competition in 1922. He also designed buildings in Watford and Cambridge and his designs in Worthing were included in a list of outstanding buildings of the 1930's. He died at the age of 91 in 1981.

When the building was formally opened on Monday October 6th 1929 it was described as being 'of high architectural merit - neat but not gaudy.'

In 1974 things were changing and with the Government re-organisation of local administration, the municipals of Bognor Regis, Littlehampton and Arundel were merged to form Arun District Council. This reduced the Bognor Regis Town Hall to the status of a branch office. However the dignified oak panelled Council chamber was still to be used for meetings of the new authority.

Outside the Town Hall stands the town's memorial to the dead of two World Wars. The memorial for the 1st war was originally in the High Street, in the vicinity of Hatters. Annually the town honours its dead with the Remembrance Service being held outside the Town Hall.

This was also the site of the town's floral tributes to Princess Diana when she died in 1997.

In 1992 the premises were used as the focal point for the commencement of celebrations for the commencement of the 200th birthday year of the town, when a cannon was fired at 11 a.m. on January 18th to announce the start of the birthday year.

Within the building hangs the portrait of Sir Richard Hotham, the town's founder. The painting of him in his old age was reputed is by George Romney.

Similar to most towns and cities around the country, Town Halls were catapulted into new uses for the duration of the 2nd World War. Not least was its use as a surface air raid shelter, hence the front entrance was bricked up and it had a sign advising that it's capacity was 22 people. There are pictures showing men of the Home Guard on a training exercise during a mock attack on the Town Hall.

During the war in 1943 there was much concern as to whether the tower could be used by the Germans to pinpoint the town. Discussions were therefore held to ascertain the cost of camouflaging the top. After much discussion it

was decided that the £25 required was too expensive.

To mark the Millennium the Town Council decided that after so many years there should be a timepiece on the Town Hall and that this would be a fitting way to celebrate the Millennium.

Over the years the building has seen many changes of use. Citizen's Advice Bureau, Rates collection, community service and other organisations have all used the building and no doubt it will have further uses in the future, however it cannot be denied that it is an impressive building, albeit in a 'back street.'

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