Old Woolwich Town Hall restoration complete

Work to restore the exterior of the Old Town Hall in Woolwich has completed.

The listed building, which was succeeded by the current Town Hall located a short distance, had been in decline for many years.

Two years ago I covered plans for both the Old Town Hall and adjacent former Woolwich library to be refurbished.

Extensive renovation follows emergency work in 2019, as the 2020 planning application highlighted: “In 2019, Potter Raper Ltd undertook emergency repairs to the Old Town Hall to stabilise falling masonry. Emergency works included reforming mouldings on the elevation and roof repairs”.

At the time of that application, occupants were the Unite union, Citizens Advice Bureau, Indian Cultural Centre and the TUC.

Old Town Hall

Constructed in 1842, the old Town Hall was also initially used as a County Court.

It quickly grew too small and was enlarged a couple of decades after completion.

One notable event held at the site was the inquest into over 600 deaths in the Princess Alice sinking on the Thames in 1878.

Town hall services moved to what is the current Greenwich borough town hall (then Woolwich borough) constructed in 1906.

When Greenwich and Woolwich boroughs merged in 1965, Woolwich was chosen above Greenwich to host the town hall covering the newly enlarged area of administration.

The former Greenwich town hall now sees plans for extension and conversion to flats.