The Town Hall

Leicester Guildhall to Town Hall

Leicester was still using the medieval Leicester Guildhall as its Town Hall right up until the mid-19th century. By the 1870s however it was no longer adequate to support a rapidly growing industrial town. The old cattle market site was chosen for a new Town Hall and a competition held to design it. Leicester born architect Frances J. Hames won the commission with his modern Queen Anne style design. The new Town Hall housed the Council offices and Council Chamber, law courts, Sanitary Department, School Board and 30 lamplighters. The Borough Police moved into the basement (where there were 13 cells) whilst the Fire Brigade had a station behind the building.

The opening ceremony of the Town Hall, August 7 1876

The opening ceremony was performed on 7 August 1876 by the Mayor, Alderman William Barfoot, beginning with the Borough Magistrates and members of the Council ‘taking a regretful leave of their ancient and time-honoured place of meeting at The Guildhall’. The proceedings were followed by a banquet at the Corn Exchange for around 400 of ‘the principal gentlemen connected with the borough and the county’. It was a Bank Holiday, chosen to allow as many people as possible to attend the ceremony, and then enjoy the entertainment provided by bands on the Racecourse and a ‘grand display’ of fireworks in the evening. 

What is unusual about the Town Hall?

Look carefully and you can see it has been built on a sloping site with an extra storey levelling it up at the Horsefair Street end. The construction period is reflected in the different dates on the front gable (1875, the intended date of opening) and wrought iron gates at the main entrance (1876).

A modest but elegant square

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. There is an almost identical fountain in Porto, Portugal.

Town Hall Square, c1920s showing the temporary war memorial

Two war memorials were placed in the Square in the early 20th century; one at the corner of Horsefair Street commemorating those who served in the South African War of 1899-1902, and the other a temporary memorial to the dead of the First World War that later became the permanent ‘Arch of Remembrance’ memorial was built in Victoria Park. Town Hall Square has always been more than an ornamental space, however. Over the years it has seen many public events and gatherings, from the proclamation of monarchs to parades of mourning on their death, commemorations of war and armistice, celebrations of festivals, sporting victories, and political demonstrations.

Lord Mayors

Information on former Lord Mayors and other civic dignitaries is retained by Leicester City Council's Member & Civic Support Team. If you would like to enquire please contact them by email: lord.mayor@leicester.gov.uk