| AdminHistory | The original Vestry Hall opened in 1861, having been built at a cost of £6,000 (worth approximately £730,357.89 at 2020 prices: Bank of England Inflation Calculator). The expertise of the architect and builder was heralded, given that a building 'so commodious and substantial, and ... so elegant, has been produced, in the face of... bad weather and the unfortunate disputes in the building trade' (2). The building's fittings were largely provided by local firms, including the heating from W. Smith of Tenter Street (3). In 1899, an extension was built, comprising a coroner's court and a new main hall (4). The vestry remained the recognised unit of local government until the Local Government Act of 1899 replaced it with borough councils.
According to a Street Directory from 1921, 122, St. George's Street was occupied by a tailor and a tobacconist. The area at the front of St. George's Town Hall was the scene of the Battle of Cable Street in 1936. The building ceased to be a centre of local administration when new legislation facilitated the formation of the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, which would cover the old boroughs of Bethnal Green, Poplar and Stepney. In all 31 councils were superseded by 9 new ones (5).
Following closure, the old town hall was used for commercial purposes and as a community hub. In 1990, it acquired listed status. It later came under the aegis of the St. George's-in-the-East Conservation Area (6). The recent refurbishment of the Grade 2 Listed Building will provide accommodation to relocate the Town Hall's registry services (7).
Sources of information
1/2. 'Opening of the St. George's Vestry ': p.2 in The East London Observer, Saturday, 24th August 1861.
3. 'Stepney's Early Town Halls - fine commodious buildings' (2015) in municipaldreams.wordpress.com
4. 'Names For The New London': p.19 in The Daily Mirror, Saturday 14th December 1963
(References 1-2 & 4: British Newspaper Archive)
5. St. George's-in-the-East Conservation Area (2009) LBTH
6. 'St. George's Town Hall Refurbishment' in contractfinderpro.com
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