Head Post Office
Counter Front – Newspaper article (Western Morning News, 1933a); 1933
Pillar Capitals (2) and Clock Cases (2) – Photographs (PWDRO 116/23); 1933
A newspaper article in April 1933 describes the Central Hall in the reconstructed interior of Westwell Street Head Post Office in Plymouth and states that all the woodwork was of British oak and that much of it has been beautifully carved by Miss Pinwill, of Plymouth, including the counter front and the capitals of the two pillars. This implies that there was more work undertaken by V. Pinwill than is represented by the photographs in PWDRO 116/23, not least the counter front, which at 102’ in length was a not insignificant undertaking. The opening ceremony included an evening event held in the Guildhall and it was reported that ‘Miss Pinwill… wore silver grey, with a blue and grey straw hat’ (Western Morning News, 1933b p. 6). Unfortunately, the Post Office was completely destroyed in a bombing raid on the night of 20 March 1941 (Twyford, 2005).
Sources
PWDRO 116/23 Photograph. Plymouth General Post Office. Caps to pillars (2) and clock cases (2).
Twyford, H. P. (2005) It Came To Our Door. Plymouth in World War II – A Journalist’s Eye Witness Account. Revised and illustrated by C. Robinson. Pen & Ink Publishing, Plymouth.
Western Morning News (1933a) Programme of Events. Mayor to Receive Postmaster-General. 22 April p. 5.
Western Morning News (1933b) Scenes in Guildhall. Pretty Decorations and Dresses. What Some of Guests Wore. 18 May p. 6.