Post Office Savings Bank HQ at 144 Queen Victoria Street
GPO South ...more than 100 years of history.
Post Office Savings Bank, Queen Victoria Street.
Growth in the Post Office Savings Bank business lead to the establishment, circa 1880, of a new GPO headquarters building on Queen Victoria Street. To distinguish this from other GPO HQ, the site was designated 'GPO South'.




Photo: Post Office Savings Bank HQ circa 1880 © The National Archives - used with permission.
| EXIT to GPO South | Post Office Savings Bank at Queen Victoria Street | Addle Hill Annex | Finale |
| EXIT to PO Savings Bank |
Introduction

The Post Office Savings Department, the National Savings Committee and the Department for National Savings were established to undertake savings bank business, to encourage and maintain, and provide a safe place for the deposit of, voluntary savings and investments made by members of the public.

The Post Office was authorised to undertake savings bank business by the Post Office Savings Bank Act 1861.

Growth in the Post Office Savings Bank business lead to the establishment, circa 1880, of a new GPO headquarters building on Queen Victoria Street. To distinguish this from other GPO HQ, the site was designated 'GPO South'.

Further Growth
The Savings Bank scheme proved so popular that additional accommodation, to house the ever growing business, was sought nearby at 147, Queen Victoria Street.  This overflow site was less than satisfactory as an extract from Hansard recalls.


POST OFFICE SAVINGS BANK DEPARTMENT, QUEEN VICTORIA STREET— INSANITARY CONDITION. HC Deb 28 February 1887 vol 311 cc692-3

DR. CAMERON (Glasgow, College) asked the Postmaster General, Whether his attention has been called to the insanitary and inadequate nature of the accommodation provided for the staff of the Post Office Savings Bank Department at 147, Queen Victoria Street; whether the gross cubic space of one room, in which 40 employees have to work, allows less than 360 cubic feet of air per head, and the rooms are dark, ill-ventilated, and disturbed by the  noise and vibration of adjacent machinery; and, whether, in view of the fact that these conditions are unquestionably detrimental to health, and that several years must necessarily elapse before a new building can be erected on the site which has been purchased under the sanction of Parliament, he will at once take steps to provide suitable accommodation in some other building or buildings?

THE POSTMASTER GENERAL (MR. RAIKES) (Cambridge University) I have personally inspected the premises, No. 147, Queen Victoria Street. They have been taken for a temporary purpose only, and were the best that could be obtained, it being necessary to have the accommodation as near as possible to the main Savings Bank Office. The premises are not all that could be desired; but I do not think they can be considered as very objectionable for a mere temporary purpose. I will, however, make inquiry whether improvement can be effected in the ventilation. Attention is also being given to the question of obtaining additional temporary accommodation to meet increase of business, and of thus relieving any inconvenience which may exist at present.


By 1884 plans had been drawn up to identify the existing buildings on Bell Yard, Carter Lane, Addle Hill and Great Knightrider Street, with the purpose of purchasing the land for the Savings Bank extension of 144, Queen Victoria Street. Planning and works for the first and second portions of the extensions occurred between 1888 and 1894. Thus by about 1885, the Savings Bank  encompassed a large block of land between Carter Lane and Queen Victoria Street.

Addle Hill Annex
Carter Lane/Addle Hill extension.
As the Savings Bank business continued to grow, the Queen Victoria site expanded onto Addle Hill, circa 1890, and along Carter Lane.



Photo: Post Office Savings Bank HQ circa 1890 © The National Archives - used with permission.

Finale

The Savings Bank vacated the Queen Victoria HQ and transferred to Blythe Road in 1903. It is surmised that the premises were never reoccupied. The Queen Victoria Street building was demolished in 1929. [London Trunk & Toll 'A' Committee Memorandum]		  

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