Norwich Civic Centre

The location of the City Hall was settled many years before it was built and the various properties on the site were gradually acquired by the Corporation; an architectural competition for the design of the new building was held in 1930. After a delay of some three years, due to Government policy, constructional work was started in 1935 and the major portion of the building was opened by King George VI in October 1938. Plans for the completion of the building were in the course of preparation and had received the Minister of Health’s approval in 1939, but construction work had not commenced when war broke out.

Civic centre 00 [ Construction of City Hall ]

Civic centre 01 [ Distant views of City Hall ]

Civic centre 02 [ Foundation stones (laid by the Lord Mayor Councillor Walter Riley and Sir Ernest White - on behalf of the architects Charles Holloway James and Stephen Rowland Pierce), Main entrance (bronze lions sculpted by Alfred Hardiman A.R.A.) ]

Civic centre 03 [ Main entrance left-hand door plaques (Wine bottling, Soda water works, The building of the City Hall, Brewing industry, Aeroplane building, Making wire netting) ]

Civic centre 04 [ Main entrance centre door plaques (The building of the Norman Castle, The landing of the Vikings, Various historical implements x2, The Black Death, The Hanging of Robert Kett) ]

Kett’s Hill

Civic centre 05 [ Main entrance right-hand door plaques (Chocolate making, The mustard industry, The cattle market x2, Shoemaking, Silk weaving) ]

Surrey Street: Weaving

Civic centre 06 [ Police station entrance Bethel Street (decorative panels carved by H Wilson Parker), Rates Hall entrance (steel doors and coloured roundels bearing the City Arms), Window of Regalia room Bethel Street (City Arms above it carved by Eric Aumonier), Rear of Council Chamber (figures symbolising Recreation, Wisdom and Education carved by Alfred Hardiman A.R.A.), Corner masts of tower (prior to erection 15th May 1938) ]

Civic centre 07 [ City Hall bell (inscribed “Gillett & Johnston Founders Croydon” “City of Norwich 1937” - it weighs nearly 3 tons - the tower for it rises 185 feet above the pavement), 1965 extension (for ambulance station and additional police accommodation) ]

the Market Place: City Hall bell

Civic centre 08 [ St Andrew’s Street Free library (opened 16th March 1857 - demolished after the Central library opened on 19th January 1963 by H.M. the Queen Mother), Central library 1961 (Bethel Street - architect David Percival A.R.I.B.A.), Esperanto Way (formerly Lady’s Lane) ]

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