Sarah
Hawkins Genealogy Site
Newspaper
Articles
Taunton Courier. Bristol and Exeter Journal, and Western Advertiser. Wednesday 10 Jul 1907
Page 4 Column 7
THE NEW POST-OFFICE FOR TAUNTON.
ANOTHER STEP FORWARD.
The new Post-office for Taunton is slowly but surely becoming a certainty. There is every probability now that within a few months visitors to the town will no longer need to ask a policeman where the Post-office business is conducted, and after some difficulty succeed in finding the building which goes by that name, where the officials are said to be languishing for want of fresh air owing to their confined surroundings. All this is to be altered, and strangers to Taunton in the near future will be able to find without any difficulty the new building which is to be erected in the main thoroughfare, North-street. It has been on easy matter to get even to the present stage in the negotiations which have at last reached the purchasing of the site. Three years ago the Taunton Town Council moved in the matter and sent a petition to the Postmaster-General. The then Mayor, Councillor Josiah LEWIS, was one of a deputation which waited on Colonel WELBY, who was then member for Taunton, and he and the deputation afterwards interviewed the Postmaster-General. So well did matters progress that the Department responsible decided that a new post-office for Taunton was imperative. Then came a change of Government, and the subject was lost sight of for a time, when Sir Edward BOYLE, K.C., M.P., the present representative of Taunton, in the House of Commons, agreeably with the wishes of the Town Council and others, once more brought it under the notice of the Postmaster-General. However, for about three years negotiations have been in progress for the acquisition of a suitable site, and Messrs. W. J. Villar & Co., auctioneers and estate agents, of 10, Hammet-street, Taunton, have now completed the arrangements for the purchase of the Spread Eagle site and that adjoining in North-street on which can be erected very commodious buildings. This property comprises the Spread Eagle Inn, the license of which expired at Lady-day last, and the whole of the cottages at the rear, including the entrance to this court, also the shop formerly occupied by Mr. J. SCOTT, jeweller, who has removed several doors below, with the ground extending back to Dr. BIRKBECK's garden, which bounds Magdalene-lane. In addition the Post-office authorities have purchased part of what is termed the Half Moon property with the present entrance to the Half Moon yard, and the little shop recently occupied by Messrs. JOHNSON, dyers. Messrs. JOHNSON's shop will become the joint entrance to the Half Moon and the Post-office, and the Post-office buildings will extend over the licensed premises and over the existing entrance. The entire property has a frontage of 56 feet, and that would allow of a ten feet entrance. The depth of the Spread Eagle property is over 300 feet, and that of the Half Moon property 118 feet. Mr. W. J. VILLAR purchased the property on behalf of the Postmaster-General from Messrs. Hancock & Sons, Wiveliscombe, owners of the Spread Eagle, and Messrs. Hanbury & Cotching, Taunton, owners of the Half Moon property. The solicitors acting for the vendors were respectively Messrs. Poole and Boulting and Messrs. Kite, Broomhead, & Kite.