Heritage and History

Barking Town Hall

Following a competition to design a new Civic Centre for Barking, the scheme submitted by architects Herbert Jackson and Reginald Edmonds was accepted and the final designs were agreed in October 1936.

Building was abandoned in 1939 with the outbreak of war, but the site was used for air raid shelters, a decontamination centre and air raid precaution headquarters.

Work did not recommence on the site until April 1954. The Town Hall and Assembly Hall were built by our Direct Works Organisation.

The first stage, the Civic Suite and Municipal Offices (now known as the Town Hall), was opened in December 1958. The Assembly Hall (now known as The Broadway) was completed in 1961.

At the time it was believed to be the largest civic scheme in the country built by direct employees of a council.

The Assembly Hall faces the Curfew Tower which, together with part of the garden walls, is the only part of the former Barking Abbey still standing.

The Town Hall building is constructed in small red brick with red bold roll clay tiles and wooden Georgian style sash windows. To the front aspect the building has an imposing 4-faced clock tower. Many of the building's original features and fittings still remain. The building originally had in-wall central heating.

The gates to the main entrance were made from ancient oak salvaged from the 16th century Leet House when it was demolished in 1926.

The main foyer area contains Ashburton marble-faced columns with the dado in Travertine. The floor in a pattern of terrazzo tiles.

The Council Chamber is walnut panelled with the anteroom of figured teak and straight grained elm. The Mayor's parlour walls are faced in wych elm.

The Town Hall itself cost £476,000 to build and the Assembly Hall around £154,000.

Barking Town Hall location map|

Contact

Linda Rhodes

Local Studies Librarian

Local Studies Centre

Valence House Museum

Becontree Avenue

Dagenham

RM8 3HT

Tel: 020 8270 6896

Fax: 020 8270 6897

Email: localstudies@lbbd.gov.uk|