Town Hall 150 Years

From Humble Beginnings

Leicester was still using the medieval Leicester Guildhall as its Town Hall right up until the mid-1800s. By the 1870s however it was no longer adequate to support a rapidly growing industrial town. A site close to the centre of town and with enough space for a large building was needed. The old cattle market site was chosen due to its proximity to the city centre and its large footprint, meaning there was space for both the new Town Hall plus the laying out of a formal ‘square’ in front.

From Guildhall to Town Hall – A Growing City

A competition was held to design the new building. This was won by Leicester born architect Frances J. Hames, with a modern Queen Anne style design. The foundation stone was laid on 3rd August 1874. It took two years to construct and fit-out.

The new Town Hall was opened on 7th August 1876 by the Mayor, Alderman William Barfoot . Once completed the new Town Hall housed Council Offices and the Council Chamber, Law Courts, the town's Sanitary Department, the School Board, and 30 lamplighters who kept the gas powered street lights burning at night. The Borough Police relocated into basement offices, adjacent to 13 prison cells, whilst the Fire Brigade had a station behind the building.

Town Hall Square - A Place For Everyone

Frances J. Hames also designed Town Hall Square with its fountain, the gift of Alderman Israel Hart, the first Jewish Mayor of Leicester. Alderman Hart was a pioneer manufacturer of ready-made men’s suits. The famous fountain is constructed of bronze-painted cast iron, Shap Granite and Ross of Mull Granite. The Town Hall Square was unveiled by Sir Israel Hart on 24 September 1879. It has become place of celebration, commemoration, enjoyment and quiet contemplation for the residents and visitors to the city.

Expansions and Additions

During its lifetime the Town Hall has undergone many additions and changes to keep it fit for purpose, and to better serve our communities.

Extensions were made in 1910 to alleviate the cramped conditions as the Corporation expanded to keep up with a rising population, which had reached over 212,000 by 1901. Despite Leicester being granted City status in 1919, the building retained its original name, and in 1924 saw further expansion, with a new rear extension added along Bowling Green Street in the same ‘Queen Anne Style’ as the frontage.

On the night of 19th/20th November 1940, the worst night during the "Leicester Blitz", a German bomb struck the Town Hall. It smashed through the roof and through several floors, coming to rest in the basement without exploding.

Democracy at the Heart of Leicester

Leicester has a long history as a socially progressive city, rooted by its history of secularism and freethought, religious tolerance, strong trade unions, women’s suffrage, and the cooperative movement.

The famous suffragette Alice Hawkins lived in Leicester from the age of 13, when she came to work at Equity Shoes on Western Road. Many Leicester women were involved in the struggle to obtain the vote. Many became members of the Leicestershire branch of the National Union of Women’s Suffrage Society, which was formed in 1887. Alice Hawkins became a major figure in the movement, and in 1907 invited Sylvia Pankhurst to speak in Leicester. Shortly after, the Leicester branch of the Women’s Social and Political Union (WPSU) opened on Bowling Green Street.

The story of Amos Sherriff is one of remarkable achievement in the face of severe adversity. He was born on 6th January 1856 at 23 Russell Street, near Wharf Street, one of the poorest areas of Leicester. From these very humble beginnings that Amos Sherriff became one of the greatest civic and political figures in Leicester. Determined to take the fight against unemployment and poverty to the heart of the nation, in 1905 Amos Sherriff and trade unionist George White led 500 local works on a 100 mile march to London. The 'Leicester March of the Unemployed' was the first of its kind in the UK. In 1908, he became an Alderman, representing the West Humberstone Ward, and in 1922 was elected Lord Mayor of Leicester, the first to represent the Labour Party.

Over the years the Town Hall has seen many public events and gatherings, from the proclamation of monarchs to parades of mourning on their death, commemorations of war and peace, celebrations of festivals, sporting victories, and political demonstrations. Some notable protests include the 1960s movement to fight racism, the 1970s labour strikes against exploitation mobilised by the Indian Workers' Association, and 1985's protests against the then government's rate-capping programme.

Memorials and Remembrance

Two war memorials were placed in the Square in the early 20th Century. The first, at the corner of Horsefair Street, was unveiled in 1909 to commemorate those who served in the South African War (Second Boer War) of 1899-1902.

The second was a temporary memorial during the First World War. This "temporary" memorial wall in stone was unveiled on 24th June 1916, initially to remember 2129 Leicester men who had, at that time, already given their lives. Extra names were added in the following years, until in 1925 it was superseded by the permanent ‘Arch of Remembrance’ memorial in Victoria Park, which commemorates all 11,000 sacrifices. The temporary memorial, however, wasn't removed until 1954, when it was carefully dismantled.

Visitors Through the Years

The Town Hall has seen many famous visitors over the last 150 years, from royalty, to Leicester’s most famous sons and daughters.

King Edward VII (then the Prince of Wales) and the Princess of Wales visited Leicester on Whit Monday, 29th May 1882. They arrived by railway at London Road, then journeyed in procession along Granby Street, past the Town Hall, then onto the Market Place before continuing the rest of the journey to Abbey Park.

Queen Elizabeth II visited Leicester many times during her reign. Her Majesty's first two visits, on 9th May 1958 and on 14th March 1980, included stops at the Town Hall. During her 1980 visit HM The Queen famously greeted the crowd in Town Hall Square, waving to them from the central balcony of the Town Hall.

The Town Hall regularly saw civic history being made. In 1941, ex-suffragette and philanthropist Alderman Elizabeth Rowley-Frisby became the first woman to serve as the Lord Mayor of Leicester. In 2008, Councillor Manjula Sood became the first Asian female Lord Mayor in the UK.

In 1990, the City of Leicester awarded the title of Freemen of the City to Lord Richard Attenborough and Sir David Attenborough. The brothers’ lifelong ties to the city were honoured during a special ceremony at the Town Hall, in recognition of their achievements in the worlds of film and natural history.

The Town Hall Today

The Town Hall and its Square continue to be a vital part of Leicester’s public and civic life after 150 years of service. The Town Hall Square serves as a popular meeting place and the Town Hall itself contains the offices of the Lord Mayor of Leicester and the registrar services for Leicester's Residents.