Post Office Savings Bank, (Blythe House) Blythe Road West Kensington

NEW POST OFFICE SAVINGS' BANK, KENSINGTON - This building, the foundation stone of which was laid by H.R.H. the Prince of Wales on Saturday last, is to take the place of the existing Savings' Bank in the City. Owing to the enormous growth of the business, the present building, which has been twice enlarged during the last ten years, is much too small, and cannot be further enlarged except at very great expense. The building to be erected at present will have an area of 46,700 feet, and will accommodate upwards of 4,000 clerks, but provision for extensions to accommodate 3.000 additionalclerks has been made. The structure will consist of two main blocks, each 320 feet long, connected by two transverse blocks enclosing a large central courtyard. The basement will be half sunk, and reached at the back by an inclined road, and there will also be a ground and four floors. The central courtyardwill be approached by a triple-arched gateway, under which will be the two principal entrances. The gateway will be boldly treated with rusticated columns. It will be flanked by towers rising to a height of 132 feet, and projecting considerably from the face of the wall, while at the ends of the elevation there will be large projecting wings. The general character will be Renaissance with mullioned windows. the architectural features being of stone with red brick tilling. A great feature will be the large size of the rooms, many of them being the length of the building—viz.. 320 feet —and 47 feet in width. The basement will be occupied principally by stores, strong-rooms, and the printing shop. The ground, first, second, and third will be occupied by offices, and the fourth by the dining-rooms and kitchens, which are very extensive. The front part of the building will be occupied by the male staff, and the rear by the female staff. The construction throughout will be fireproof, the floors being of rolled steel joists embedded in breeze concrete. and finished with wood blocks in the rooms, and tiles in the corridors The roof will be similar in construction and asphalted. Much of the interior will be lined with glazed bricks of various tints. Electric passenger and goods lifts will be provided in connection with each staircase. The engine and boiler rooms, with the electric light and power plant, will be in a separate building at the back, and the exhaust steam will be utilised for heating purposes. The architect is Mr. Henry Tanner, and the contractors for the foundations, the only contract at present let, are Messrs Foster & Dicksee, of Rugby. [Builder 1 July 1899 page 21]

Reference         Builder 1 July 1899 page 21