Misplaced Pages

#38961

109-545: Rockhampton Courthouse is a heritage-listed courthouse at 42 East Street, Rockhampton , Rockhampton Region , Queensland , Australia. It was designed by John Hitch and built from 1950 to 1955. It is also known as District Court, Queensland Government Savings Bank , Commonwealth Bank, Magistrate's Court, Police Court, and Supreme Court. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 21 October 1992. The Rockhampton Courthouse complex comprises

218-605: A United States post office as well as court facilities for the District of New Jersey . Some branches of U.S. federal government courts are housed in rented office space in buildings housing commercial tenants; for instance, the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware is located in an office building in Wilmington, Delaware , across the street from the main courthouse of

327-486: A pediment crowned by a sandstone ornament. The arcade has a boarded ceiling, and a stair is located at the southern corner of the Denham Street elevation. The base of the clock tower has a central entrance at the ground level surmounted by sandstone corbelling supporting a projecting balcony above. The entrance is flanked by pilasters, and the balcony is framed by paired columns, flanked by pilasters, supporting

436-542: A "gloomy, sombre looking" building. The first half yearly sitting of the Circuit Court was held in September 1887, but there was no official dedication ceremony. This was a further slight to the residents of Rockhampton, who were now advocating for the appointment of a Supreme Court Judge. The new Court House was still to be served from Brisbane. A second judge was appointed to the northern district in 1889, however

545-702: A Magistrate's Court in 1991. The present Family Services' building was constructed as part of the project to provide employment in Queensland through the capital works building programme of the Forgan-Smith government . The Department of Public Works described the new building as being part of a continuing development of the Supreme Court site designed and constructed in sympathy with the neighbouring Commonwealth Bank building: This building, of brick and concrete construction, with tile roof, will replace

654-598: A banking establishment until 1986 when it was purchased by the State Government, to alleviate overcrowding. The building was converted to house the District Court and associated staff, and general facilities for the use of the public and staff members of the Court. With the enlarging and extending of the former Queensland Government Savings Bank being completed, an additional Court building was constructed by

763-411: A broken pediment with central circular opening crowned by a sandstone ornament. The clock tower has a square plan with corner pilasters supporting a deep entablature with dentils surmounted by a sandstone parapet balustrade to the roof. The tower has a circular clock face with sandstone surrounding moulding to each side. The northeastern clock face has the words ANNO 1890 DOMINI (literally translated as 'in

872-408: A circuit town for the Supreme Court in 1863. In 1859 residents had petitioned for the provision of a court house in the new town. A site for a court house had been reserved fronting onto Quay Street in 1859–1860. However, community agitation was responsible for the establishment of a more central reserve for a court house and lock up on five acres of land bounded by Bolsover, East and Fitzroy Streets. It

981-489: A completely different continent. These characteristics include the materiality in terms of large stone construction, the repetitive rhythmic use of windows containing various sized arches and barrel vaults directing attention towards them, decorated spandrels (wall section connecting arches) and the inclusion of gabled walls (pointed sections). Old City Hall has been designated a National Historical Site since 1989. Rockhampton Post Office Rockhampton Post Office

1090-660: A concertina arrangement of private mail boxes. The rear addition has open mail sorting space with three partitioned offices against the inside rear wall. This area has exposed metal roof trusses and vinyl floor tiles. The first floor has large sash windows, French doors with arched fanlights (located opposite the projecting balconies), and timber panelled doors with fanlights opening onto the arcade. The southeast end has boarded timber ceilings, open office space with two partitioned rooms, and central timber posts with shaped capitals. The southwest end also has central timber posts with shaped capitals and boarded timber ceilings, and contains

1199-474: A counter in order to hand correspondence to the public instead of the usual method of serving through a small window. In the three decades leading to the establishment of the 1892 post office, Rockhampton had proved itself a thriving commercial centre due to its position as an official port of entry servicing a vast area of central Queensland. The immense financial boost from the Mount Morgan gold rush in

SECTION 10

#1732800915039

1308-600: A federally owned building that houses courtrooms, chambers and clerk's offices. Many federal judicial districts are further split into divisions, which may also have their own courthouses. However, sometimes divisional court facilities are located in buildings that also house other agencies or offices of the United States government; for instance, the Mitchell H. Cohen United States Courthouse in Camden, New Jersey houses

1417-424: A judge on circuit from Brisbane. In 1881 a larger and more substantial Bowen Courthouse was erected, which caused anger amongst the citizens of Rockhampton, who felt that Rockhampton was deserving of the appointment of its own judge, and the establishment of a Supreme Court. The first Rockhampton Court House served the community of Rockhampton until the 1880s. At this time the discovery of gold at Mount Morgan , in

1526-582: A judicial solution to the strike and proceeded to arrest strike leaders in March 1891. Most of those arrested were acquitted; however fourteen shearers alleged to have been strike leaders, were charged with conspiracy. The conspiracy trial was held in the Rockhampton Court House in May 1891. Twelve were found guilty and sentenced to three years prison. Unable to succeed through direct strike action,

1635-417: A lunch and amenities area with a central partitioned structure containing kitchen facilities, store and locker room. The southwest end contains toilet facilities, remnants of an original kitchen fireplace, and a metal framed and timber stair is located adjacent at the southwest end of the arcade. The central section of the first floor has a fibrous cement panelled ceiling with a partitioned office which fronts

1744-406: A meeting place for the local community has established the post office building as a symbol of Rockhampton. The place has a special association with the life or work of a particular person, group or organisation of importance in Queensland's history. The Rockhampton Post Office has a special association with the post and telegraph services in Queensland which spans over 100 years. It illustrates

1853-466: A multiplying population of Rockhampton. The design was also criticised as not providing enough office space, and appearing to be designed more for a country court house than for a growing major centre of population. Revised drawings were prepared as a result of these complaints. Initially the proposal had been made to locate the new court house building on the Rockhampton immigration depot, away from

1962-573: A new Supreme Court house for Rockhampton. The Morning Bulletin , 4 October 1882 envisaged a "handsome capacious edifice in the northern part of the town... two storey's high, of Stanwell sandstone". To accommodate the increased needs of the judiciary a replacement court house was under design in the period of 1884. The architect of the second Court building was John James Clark , (1838-1915). Clark had been born in Liverpool in England, and attended

2071-489: A new telegraph office was erected next to the old post office. At this time Rockhampton was the main telegraph traffic centre for central and north Queensland and was the largest telegraph office outside Brisbane. In 1881 telephones were introduced to Rockhampton with the first telephone exchange opening in April 1884 in a low, wooden building behind the telegraph office and next to the old post office facing East Street. By 1886

2180-592: A purpose built Court House in 1975. The Rockhampton Court House is the only one to maintain its connection with its place of inauguration. Although designed as a Court House for the Brisbane Circuit, it was intended for it to be the home of a Supreme Court. A Rockhampton branch of the Queensland Queensland Government Savings Bank was first proposed in 1914. Tenders for the erection of a new building to be built on

2289-435: A raised base with a terrazzo floor with non-slip applied finishes. Steps are located below the projecting balconies and at the corner of East and Denham Streets, and the ceiling is finished with fibrous cement sheeting. The first floor arcade comprises columns supporting an entablature with dentils , surmounted by a sandstone parapet balustrade to the roof. The arcade has arched sections with expressed keystones located behind

SECTION 20

#1732800915039

2398-603: A significant group of buildings on the Government Reserve bounded by Fitzroy, East and Bolsover Streets, Rockhampton. The buildings all reflect the involvement of the Queensland Government in the development of the City of Rockhampton from the colonial period until the present day, in various areas such as the administration of justice, and the provision of government services within Rockhampton. After

2507-413: Is a heritage-listed former post office at 80 East Street, Rockhampton , Rockhampton Region , Queensland , Australia. It was designed by George St Paul Connolly and built from 1892 to 1896 by Dennis Kelleher. It is also known as Rockhampton Post and Telegraph Offices. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 24 January 2003. This grand two-storeyed brick post office with sandstone facing

2616-419: Is an important component of the civic centre of Rockhampton, and the detailing of its materials and finishes demonstrate a fine quality of workmanship. The place has a strong or special association with a particular community or cultural group for social, cultural or spiritual reasons. The Rockhampton Post Office holds a special association for the people of Rockhampton. Its landmark position and its role as

2725-703: Is designed with portico to match the neighbouring building of the Commonwealth Bank, and together with the Supreme Court, should complete a pleasing architectural group... accommodation will be provided for the Clerk of Petty Sessions and his staff, together with strong rooms, and also the Police Magistrate.... In rear approached from entrance drive to the Supreme Court, will be situated the new court room... with verandahs on either side and at rear, and with rooms for solicitors and witnesses... Altogether,

2834-703: Is equivalent to the city hall as the symbol of the municipium in European free cities . Courthouses are often shown in American cinema (i.e. " Peyton Place ", " Back to the Future ", and " My Cousin Vinny "). They range from small-town rural buildings with a few rooms to huge metropolitan courthouses that occupy large plots of land. The style of American architecture used varies, with common styles including federal , Greek Revival , neoclassicist , and modern . Due to

2943-498: Is important in demonstrating the planning of a nineteenth century Post Office, and of the four stone-faced post offices in Queensland (i.e. Brisbane General Post Office , Warwick Post Office , Toowoomba Post Office and Rockhampton's) the Rockhampton Post Office is the most outstanding example of this type of structure. The place is important because of its aesthetic significance. The Rockhampton Post Office

3052-496: Is located on the western corner of East and Denham Streets, fronting the East Street mall to the northeast. The post office was originally constructed as separate postal and telegraph buildings linked together by means of a clock tower and an arcaded sandstone facade to both street frontages. The two buildings were separated by a laneway, above which the clock tower was located. This laneway has since been enclosed and now forms

3161-429: Is significant architecturally as an example of Victorian Classical architecture of the late nineteenth century. The building is of considerable aesthetic significance, and its form and fabric exhibit a skilled design approach. The post office, through its scale, detailing and prominent clock tower, is recognised as a local landmark and makes an important contribution to the Rockhampton streetscape and townscape. The building

3270-834: The Collegiate Institute in Liverpool, where he was trained in architectural drawing. In 1853 his family emigrated to Victoria during the gold rush era. Clark had begun his career as an architect with the Office of the Victorian Colonial Architect . In 1881 he moved to New South Wales where he designed the Town Halls for Orange and Waverley in Sydney . In 1883 Clark was appointed Queensland Colonial Architect . His best known public building

3379-698: The Customs House . The completion date was expected to be 1916. The building of the Queensland Government Savings Bank was the first major construction work undertaken on the Government Reserve since the erection of the Supreme Court building in 1885–1887. The bank building was to be one of the few purpose built Queensland Government Savings Bank buildings in Queensland. Other Government Savings Banks were also built in Brisbane and Toowoomba . The Brisbane Office, constructed on

Rockhampton Courthouse - Misplaced Pages Continue

3488-594: The Oklahoma City bombing , the federal government proceeded to heavily fortify all large federal buildings, including many urban courthouses. Some courthouses in areas with high levels of violent crime have redundant layers of security. For example, when the Supreme Court of California hears oral argument in San Francisco or Los Angeles, visitors must pass through one security checkpoint to enter

3597-501: The Supreme Court building (Block D 1886–87), Magistrate's Court building (Block B, former Police Court building 1934–1936), District Court building (Block C, former Queensland Government Savings Bank and Commonwealth Bank , 1915–16 and 1932–1933), Family Services' building (Block F, former Labour Bureau 1934–36), and the Bolsover Street Government Office building (Block E, 1950–55), which all form part of

3706-466: The United States , most counties maintain trial courts in a county-based courthouse, which also house other county government offices. The courthouse may be a part of a wider county government building or complex. The courthouse is usually located in the county seat , although large metropolitan counties may have satellite or annex offices for their courts. In some cases, the building housing

3815-812: The Yungaba Immigration Centre in Brisbane, Townsville Post Office and following his dismissal was responsible for the design of the Lady Norman Wing, Brisbane Children's Hospital , and the Townsville railway station . The sketch design was heavily criticised by local members of the Queensland Legislative Assembly , as well as by the Rockhampton Police Magistrate. Both criticised the new court house design as not allowing for

3924-448: The 1880s further established Rockhampton as a wealthy commercial centre. The grand structure of the Rockhampton Post Office symbolised the prominence of the city during this period and the confidence which was held for its future. Many buildings of similar architectural and aesthetic calibre which were constructed in Rockhampton during this period (e.g. Quay Street) were a manifestation of the city's economic wealth. With Federation looming,

4033-461: The 1887 Supreme Court building. The Tiffin Court House was replaced with an even more imposing building for the Court in 1887. The Tiffin Court House continued to serve as a Court building and then administration office building until 1969, when new purpose built offices were provided for the State Government in East Street. The Tiffin Court House was demolished in 1978. The booming economy of

4142-492: The Bolsover Street Government Office building was necessitated by the increased accommodation requirements of various Government Departments in Rockhampton after the Second World War , partly as a result of a policy of decentralisation. Previously, accommodation was supplied by a two storeyed former fire station on the Government Reserve. However, it was felt that this accommodation was not appropriate or in keeping with

4251-685: The Commonwealth Government and the Rockhampton Post Office became the Property of the Post Master General's Department. By 1913, the Telegraph Masters accommodation had been replaced with staff facilities and a telephone switch room which was subsequently expanded in 1921 to cope with the rapidly increasing demand for telephones. In 1940, the present automatic telephone exchange building was opened enabling

4360-560: The Dee Range some forty kilometres from Rockhampton, transformed the town. A major building boom occurred in Rockhampton as the wealth of the mine was shipped through the river port. As the boom was to continue into the early part of the twentieth century, the wealth generated was to create other major forms of public buildings in Rockhampton. These included the Rockhampton Customs House , Rockhampton Post Office , and

4469-686: The Los Angeles Superior Court added such checkpoints to all entrances to its main courthouse in Downtown Los Angeles after a woman was shot and killed by her ex-husband in open court in September 1995. The Supreme Court of California ruled in 2002 that Los Angeles County (which at the time was responsible for maintaining the courthouses) was not liable to her three children under the California Government Tort Claims Act. After

Rockhampton Courthouse - Misplaced Pages Continue

4578-546: The Post and Telegraph Masters, each of their apartments situated above their respective sections on the ground floor. The front wing of the Post Office section was originally divided into rooms for the savings bank and money order office, delivery room and the private letter box office by partitions of cedar with embossed panels. The delivery room of the new Post Office introduced an innovation in customer service by installing

4687-472: The Queensland Government. The new Police Court building design was part of a projected townscape of buildings on the Government Reserve, to complement the design of the Commonwealth Bank building. The Police Court building was also built in response to the impact of the depression on the local community. The construction of the building was viewed as one of three possible projects to alleviate

4796-485: The Rockhampton Post Office had processed more than a quarter of a million ordinary letters and fifteen thousand registered letters as well as providing money order and savings bank services. From 1879, postal and telegraph services were amalgamated under the Queensland Post and Telegraph Department, but the two services continued to operate separately in Rockhampton, with both a Post and Telegraph Master. In 1883

4905-609: The Rockhampton region was to find an expression of its wealth in the public buildings constructed in the period of 1885–1910. An example of this is the Supreme Court building. With the growth in population in Rockhampton and central Queensland, the Tiffin-designed court house was found to be inadequate to the demands being placed on it by the community. A petition had been put before the Minister for Works in October 1882, for

5014-475: The arcade at the southern end of the building were removed to create arched openings to access a concertina arrangement of private mailboxes. The Rockhampton Post Office ceased functioning as the main post office in Rockhampton in May 1997. In 2015, the building has a number of commercial tenants including a restaurant and cafe. The Rockhampton Post Office, a two-storeyed rendered masonry structure with an arcaded sandstone facade and corrugated iron hipped roof,

5123-468: The arcade with a large sash window in a rendered masonry wall. This section of the arcade originally overlooked the laneway, and retains the original sandstone balustrade and paired columns which are now positioned in front of the infill wall. This section of the arcade also originally contained two stairs , either side of the laneway, and evidence of this area survives including sections of rendered masonry walls with door openings. A metal ladder also accesses

5232-418: The arcade. The southeast end contains mail sorting facilities, with partitioned office areas including the original strongroom, adjacent to the central entry. This area has boarded timber ceilings, and large openings which access the rear addition. The French doors and sash windows, which originally opened onto the arcade at the southern end of the building, have been removed to create arched openings which access

5341-460: The building has rendered masonry walls, and contains suspended lighting and air-conditioning ductwork. The ground floor central entry, located in the infilled original laneway, has sliding glass doors accessing a central foyer with a metal framed and timber stair. The northern end contains the public counter, and has central timber posts with shaped capitals and boarded timber ceilings. Large sash windows and French doors with arched fanlights open onto

5450-455: The building in 1933 in association with the provision of sewering the entire site, and the construction of the adjacent toilet block. A toilet, bath and wash basins were provided on the upper storey for the Judge's room, and the jury room. The Supreme Court building at the present time contains the Supreme Court, Supreme/District Court Registry, Legal Library, and associated ancillary services for

5559-591: The building when completed, should be an asset to the already long list of handsome buildings erected in this city. Estimated cost of construction was to be £7,825. The colour for the Police Court building was also chosen so as to blend in with the Commonwealth Bank. At the same time new police buildings and courthouses were being erected in Mackay, Dalby and Toowoomba. The Police Court was accommodated in this building until being altered to its present arrangement as

SECTION 50

#1732800915039

5668-660: The building, and another to enter the courtroom. In Canada , each municipality constructs its own courthouse, or several in the case of large cities. In smaller communities the court is in the same building as the city hall and other municipal offices. In the past many courthouses also included the local prison. One well-known court house in Canada is the Romanesque Revival (Neo-Romanesque) Old City Hall in Toronto , Ontario . Designed by E.J. Lennox , Old City Hall

5777-450: The central entry to the building. The arcaded sandstone facade is punctuated by projecting balconies which are supported by columns at each corner flanking entrance steps. The balconies are located below the clock tower and centrally along both street frontages. The ground floor arcade comprises arches, with expressed keystones , separated by pilasters and surmounted by a deep entablature with triglyphs . The ground floor arcade has

5886-548: The changing functions of a major post office from the late nineteenth century to the present. The building is also an important example of the work of the office of Colonial Architect George Connolly from 1885-1891. [REDACTED] This Misplaced Pages article was originally based on "The Queensland heritage register" published by the State of Queensland under CC-BY 3.0 AU licence (accessed on 7 July 2014, archived on 8 October 2014). The geo-coordinates were originally computed from

5995-415: The clock tower above. The central metal framed and timber stair is located behind the partitioned office and accesses the roof space above. The northern end has timber and fibrous cement partitions which divided the space into various sized offices. The ceilings have fibrous cement sheeting, and the northwestern rear wing contains service rooms. The rear verandah has a concrete stair with metal handrail at

6104-631: The corner of George and Elizabeth Streets, was completed in the period of 1914–1922. It survives at the present time as the Family Services Building . The construction of the Queensland Government Savings Bank was a result of the initiative of the Ted Theodore Government . State enterprises were to be an important element of the social and political platforms of the Labor Party. This included intervention in

6213-427: The courthouse also contains the main administrative office for the county government, or when a new courthouse is constructed, the former one will often be used for other local government offices. Either way, a typical courthouse will have one or more courtrooms and a court clerk's office with a filing window where litigants may submit documents for filing with the court. Each United States district court also has

6322-621: The courthouse may be named in some way or its function divided as between a judicial building and administrative office building. Philadelphia City Hall , for instance, serves as the seat of the legislative and executive functions of the consolidated city and county of Philadelphia , but most of its floor space is devoted to the Civil Division of the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas . The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania shares space with three local governments and with

6431-414: The development of communication technology in one of the most important postal centres of Queensland. While the grand, stone exterior of the post office has remained largely intact, the interior of the building has been altered a number of times to accommodate the changing needs of the postal and telegraph services. During construction of the post office, parcel post was introduced to Queensland, and one of

6540-528: The district court. The United States District Court for the Eastern District of California has a courthouse in Yosemite to hear misdemeanors and petty crimes for Yosemite National Park . Most of the United States courts of appeals are based in the main courthouses of the federal district court in the city in which they are seated. The courthouse is part of the iconography of American life and

6649-415: The early section, with louvred ventilation panels to the rear plant area. The rear of the building has a large single-storeyed addition which infills the original U-shaped rear courtyard . This addition has a shallow pitch roof, masonry walls and metal framed glazing. The first floor has a verandah which is enclosed with mostly glass louvred panels and has an ogee shaped corrugated iron roof. Internally,

SECTION 60

#1732800915039

6758-577: The economy, especially through the provision of a wide range of products to allow for lower prices for goods and services. The Queensland Government Savings Bank had been formed in 1916 with the amalgamation of the Government Savings Bank, Agricultural Bank and the Workers Dwelling Board under The Queensland Government Savings Bank Act 1916. The new bank would compete in the economy utilising the same market approach as

6867-503: The establishment of the Rockhampton Post Office was held as a great boon to the advancement of the Central Queensland separationist movement which had long supported a political rivalry with the capital of Brisbane. Rockhampton was the communication nexus for the developing areas of central and north Queensland and the continuing use of the Rockhampton Post Office for postal services over the last century clearly demonstrates

6976-539: The existing wood and brick structure, and provide central accommodation for officials of the Department of Labour and Industry. Architecturally, it is treated in a similar manner to the Police Court now under construction in East street. The building will accommodate Labour Agent, General Office, Clerks, Female Labour Agent, Travelling inspector, and will have necessary lavatory accommodation. Estimated cost of construction

7085-453: The first alterations occurred in 1896 to provide more suitable accommodation for the processing of packages. A separate space for parcels was created at the rear of the building with a new public counter accessible through the Denham Street arcade. Another extension was added at this time at the rear of the post office section adjacent to the carriage-way. Following Federation in 1901, the colonial post and telegraph services were handed over to

7194-494: The first floor sill height. The first floor has tall sash windows and the ground floor has arched sash windows, all with window hoods comprising metal brackets with timber battens and corrugated iron awnings . A tall masonry wall abuts this elevation, adjoining the adjacent building to the northwest, forming a vehicular entrance to the rear service court. A rear wing consists of the remains of an original rear annex with several additions. The wing has sash windows with window hoods to

7303-440: The footprint of the building. Secure entrance vestibules provide court staff the opportunity to screen visitors to the building for contraband, such as weapons and narcotics, as well as for unauthorized access. Mid size to larger courthouses often have separate entrances to the building for the public, prisoners, judges, and witnesses. These entrances may be monitored remotely from a central security station. In lower risk settings,

7412-581: The government reserve closed on 28 June 1914. In 1915 construction began on the new Queensland Government Savings Bank. £2,685 was allocated by the State Government for the construction of the Savings Bank. The design of the Queensland Government Savings Bank was supervised by Alfred Barton Brady and Thomas Pye of the Works Department. AB Brady and Thomas Pye were also responsible for overseeing other notable buildings in Rockhampton, including

7521-477: The home of the Northern Court was relocated at that time from Bowen to Townsville . The Rockhampton Courthouse became the focus of both state and national attention in May 1891, as a result of the shearer's strike of February–March of that year. Early in 1891 the central Queensland towns of Barcaldine , Clermont , Winton and Springsure had been the centre points of the strike, which had arisen over

7630-558: The labour movement was to seek social reform and change through political methods, the result of which was the formation of the Labor Party . The party began contesting parliamentary seats in 1893. The Court House was finally elevated to the status of having a resident Supreme Court judge in 1896. This was a result of the passing of The Supreme Court Act of 1895. Five Supreme Court judges were appointed, three in Brisbane and one each in Rockhampton and Townsville. The Central Supreme Court

7739-1125: The legislative and executive branches of the state government of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia City Hall in Philadelphia, the Pennsylvania State Capitol in Harrisburg , which it shares with the Pennsylvania General Assembly and the Governor of Pennsylvania , and the Pittsburgh City-County Building in Pittsburgh , which it shares with the governments of the City of Pittsburgh and of Allegheny County . Many judges also officiate at civil marriage ceremonies in their courthouse chambers. In some places,

7848-465: The modalities involved in the hearing of complex cases, including civil, criminal, and family law disputes, the architecture of court buildings can present significant security challenges to enforcement officers. Architects typically use two main tools to mitigate security risks within the adjudicative space depending upon local needs, such as the proliferation of weapons: secure entrance vestibules and separation of circulation pathways and adjacencies within

7957-401: The northwestern end, and timber lattice screen with gate at the southern end. The former Rockhampton Post Office was listed on the Queensland Heritage Register on 24 January 2003 having satisfied the following criteria. The place is important in demonstrating the evolution or pattern of Queensland's history. The Rockhampton Post Office, erected in 1892, is important because it reflects

8066-490: The old post office of twenty years and the 1883 telegraph office were too small and the Colonial Architect was requested to plan a new building. With the construction of the 1892 Post and Telegraph Office the three buildings which housed Rockhampton's communication network were demolished and a temporary post office was established in the old Court House while construction was taking place. The present post office

8175-419: The only place the systems of circulation, including hallways, stairwells, and elevators overlap is within the monitored setting of the courtroom. This reduces the risk of unauthorized access to court materials by the public, such as court clerk record vaults, as well as the risk of in-custody defendants intimidating witnesses or jurors while being escorted through the public areas of the courthouse. For example,

8284-401: The previous rented premises at 74 East Street in Rockhampton. In the 1930s there was a demand for enlarged and improved accommodation for the Commonwealth Bank in Rockhampton. The building was considerably enlarged in the 1932–1933 period. The expansion of the Commonwealth Bank building added new facades to the exterior. An air-conditioning plant room was added in 1975. The building continued as

8393-534: The private banks. The Queensland Government Savings Bank functioned as a separate financial identity until 1920, when the businesses and assets of the State Bank were transferred over to the Commonwealth Bank. Under this transfer to Commonwealth control, the state was to be able to borrow larger funds from the Commonwealth body. The Commonwealth Bank took possession of the building in 1920, relocating from

8502-453: The projecting balconies, flanking the clock tower, and at the end corners of both street elevations. The arched sections flanking the clock tower, and at the southern corner of the Denham Street elevation, are enclosed with large arched sash windows. The arcade has cast iron balustrade panels, with a sandstone hand rail, and the projecting balconies have a sandstone balustrade with corner pillars. The balconies are also framed by columns supporting

8611-577: The remainder of public buildings on the Supreme Court site . Courthouse The term is commonly used in the English-speaking countries of North America. In most other English-speaking countries, buildings which house courts of law are simply called "courts" or "court buildings". In most of continental Europe and former non-English-speaking European colonies, the equivalent term is a palace of justice (French: palais de justice, Italian: palazzo di giustizia, Portuguese: palácio da justiça). In

8720-471: The reserve on East Street. Clark's design for the riverfront court house was to be basically unchanged when the new building's location was changed to sit adjacent to the 1861–1862 court house on the Government Reserve, away from Quay Street. Pressure was brought to bear on the Minister for Works to relocate the court house to the centre of Rockhampton from various groups, including the Chamber of Commerce. It

8829-426: The rise of Rockhampton as the major commercial centre of central Queensland during the late nineteenth century. In the 1880s, Rockhampton benefited economically from the mining of gold at Mount Morgan. The immense wealth generated from the gold mines created a period of buoyancy in Rockhampton which produced many prestigious buildings of which the Rockhampton Post Office is an outstanding example. The Post Office building

8938-654: The security screening may be more perfunctory and serve as an information desk to direct visitors to the various agencies and offices housed within the court building. Once users of the court have entered the building through security screenings and access control checkpoints, the circulation systems of passageways through the building provide discrete pathways by which the public, court staff, and in-custody defendants access to courtrooms and other court services, such as attorneys, pretrial and probation services, and clerks' offices. The circulation pathways and adjacency diagrams designed for newer and larger courthouses often ensure that

9047-471: The short lived Canoona gold rush of 1858, Rockhampton was proclaimed as a town and declared a "port of entry" in 1858. The first sale of town allotments was held in Rockhampton on 17 and 18 November 1858. In 1859 Queensland separated from New South Wales, and at this time Brisbane became the base of the Supreme Court of Queensland . The Supreme Court provided sittings for circuit towns that included Ipswich , Drayton and Maryborough . Rockhampton became

9156-416: The signing of agreements between pastoralists and members of unions representing the interests of bush workers. Police, volunteer members of the Queensland armed forces and Special Constables had been despatched from Rockhampton, Brisbane and other centres to the central Queensland pastoral districts. Shearers formed themselves into large camps, at Capella , Clermont and Barcaldine. The government pressed for

9265-548: The staff and general public. Since the Central Supreme Court was inaugurated in 1896, it has remained the only Supreme Court in residence in Queensland in its original setting and building. The Brisbane Supreme Court building, designed by FDG Stanley in 1879, burnt down in 1968. The Northern Supreme Court in Townsville, relocated from Bowen in 1889, moved into an adapted School of Arts, and was provided with

9374-507: The sum of exclusive of furnishings, of £12,533. This building is two storey's in height, built of brick, cemented, the front being of freestone. On the first floor is provided the court, with judge's, jury, witness, and other rooms. In the basement is provided strong room, prisoner's cell, and general office's for the transaction of Court business. The Court House was further described in the Brisbane Courier of January 1893 as being

9483-481: The telegraph operating room in the Post and Telegraph Office to be moved upstairs while the dispatch office and public counter remained on the ground floor. By 1945 the Post Master's accommodation on the first floor had been removed for use as offices and the first floor carriage-way had been infilled. In 1945, the first floor telegraph rooms were updated with new telegraph and phonogram accommodation. Rockhampton

9592-560: The titles and stamps office to open up the existing office space, and a new counter was provided for dealing with the public. Further alterations were made to the building in 1922, with the removal of a brick wall in what had been the Clerk Petty Sessions General Office. Concrete steps were provided on to a verandah on the northern side of the building. Other partitions were removed to open out space, and windows were installed. Other alterations were made to

9701-567: The two separate sections of the building. In 1975, the Australian Post Master General's Office became two separate commissions, Australia Post and Telecom , with telegraphic communications no longer a constituent of the post office. The interior of the post office was refurbished in 1980 with the exterior maintaining its grand colonnaded facade. In the 1988 the French doors and sash windows which originally opened onto

9810-514: The unemployment problem in Rockhampton, decided on by a committee consisting of the ALP, Unions, and unemployed workers. A deputation from the committee to the Attorney General led to the approval being given for construction of the building in late 1933. The local Labor member for Rockhampton , James Larcombe , MLA , was an ardent supporter of the initiative. The facade of the new Court

9919-426: The year of our Lord 1890') in relief above, and TEMPVS FVGIT CITO PEDE (literally translated as 'Time flies on winged feet') in relief below. The tower is crowned by a cast iron cupola , which consists of a central dome , surmounted by a spire , with pediments supported by columns to four sides. The northern end of the building has rendered coursing to the corners, rendered parapet details, and expressed coursing at

10028-416: Was a symbol of confidence for the future of Rockhampton and was held as a great boon for the separation movement which saw Rockhampton as the future capital of a separate state. The place is important in demonstrating the principal characteristics of a particular class of cultural places. The Rockhampton Post Office is a prime example of a grand Queensland Post Office with a sandstone facade. The building

10137-468: Was awarded the contract, for a total of £12,533. The tender documents also called for an alternate price should the whole external fabric of the building be constructed in stone. The option was not taken up. The tender was approved on 11 December 1885. Construction took eighteen months. The 1887 Annual Report of the Department of Public Works announced: Completed, under contract with T. Matthews, for

10246-640: Was completed in 1899 and has been functioning as a municipal building ever since. It was originally constructed to facilitate Toronto's City Council, legal and municipal offices and the city's courts however following the construction of the fourth city hall (adjacent to the third, on Queen Street) the building's purpose was limited to being solely a courthouse for the Ontario Court of Justice . The building can be described as Romanesque Revival due to multiple characteristics it shares with Romanesque architecture, despite being constructed seven centuries later in

10355-437: Was constructed of brick with a facade of sandstone from the nearby Stanwell Quarries. It was constructed by Dennis Kellaher when his tender for £14,368 was accepted as the lowest. Kellaher was also contracted to install the first floor accommodation for the Post and Telegraph Masters for £3579. The original design of the Post and Telegraph Office was reflective of the separate services of the two departments. The Postal section

10464-433: Was constructed of masonry and had an L-shape plan. The building was described as being of arcaded Italianate style. Valances to both levels were constructed as timber framed segmental arches, and a single-storeyed court room was provided, with ancillary spaces. Stables and associated outbuildings were also provided. Bowen had been made the home of the northern district Court in 1874. Rockhampton therefore had to be served by

10573-462: Was designed specifically to complement the Commonwealth Bank building. Construction of the building was begun in 1934 and completed in 1936. The Annual Report for the Department of Public Works, 1934 gave the following description: This building, which will be of concrete and brick construction with cement finish externally and tile roof, will provide accommodation for the Police Court and officials connected therewith. The main facade, facing East street,

10682-400: Was erected in 1892 for the Queensland Post and Telegraph Department. It was designed in the office of Queensland Colonial Architect George Connolly, and was built by Dennis Kellaher for £14 368. Situated at the corner of Denham and East Streets, it was the sixth post office to be established in Rockhampton after a succession of temporary and superseded post offices. An unofficial post office

10791-589: Was established at Rockhampton in 1858 at a store in Little Quay Street and in 1861 was relocated to a chemist shop. In December 1862, Postmaster General Thomas Lodge Murray-Prior recommended the establishment of an official post office in Rockhampton. By 1863 the first official Postmaster had been appointed and a temporary wooden post office building was constructed on the present post office site between 1863 and 1865. During this period Rockhampton's postal services had expanded greatly. In 1865 Rockhampton

10900-465: Was established in January 1896. The Police Magistrates Court was forced to relocate back to the Tiffin-designed court house. It was not until 1935 that a purpose building was to be provided for the Police Court. The interior of the building was carpeted in 1896. In 1908 a new strong room was provided on the ground floor of the building, which lead to the removal of a staircase. A wall was also removed in

11009-399: Was felt by such groups that the new court house should stand at a site close to the centre of town, and therefore help to improve the appearance of the town centre. The result of such pressure saw the court house located to its present place, in the centre of the reserve for government buildings. Tenders were called for the construction of the new court house on 8 October 1885. Thomas Matthews

11118-430: Was linked with Brisbane , via the inland route, through Taroom , Hawkwood , Dalby , Toowoomba and Ipswich and by the mid-1860s most outposts in Central Queensland were in touch with Rockhampton through fortnightly or weekly mail services. On 20 November 1864 a telegraph line was opened between Rockhampton and Gladstone and the first telegraph office was opened in a chemist shop. The makeshift wooden post office

11227-545: Was located on the corner of Denham and East streets and the Telegraph section was located at the northern end of the building facing East Street. The two were separated by a carriage-way and a clock tower which was installed in September 1894 by the Government Clockmaker. (The clock was made by Gillet and Johnston of Croydon , England, and cost £325.) The first floor was dedicated entirely to accommodation for

11336-558: Was on this central reserve that the court houses of Rockhampton were to be built. A court house was built in 1861–1862 on the corner of East and Fitzroy Streets. The total cost of the building was £1,130. The architect was Charles Tiffin (1833–73), who also designed such notable buildings as Parliament House in Brisbane, the Old Courthouse in Ipswich, and Old Government House in Brisbane. The completed two-storeyed building

11445-425: Was one of the seven original telegraph traffic centres to be equipped in 1947 with an Auxiliary radio channel for use during periods of land line failure. In 1963 the ground-floor carriage way was infilled and a central staircase inserted. A new main entrance was positioned at the former entrance to the carriage-way, under the clock-tower, and an extension was constructed at the rear of the building joining completely

11554-517: Was replaced in 1866 by an ornate two-storeyed brick building with decorative wooden verandahs. This building was designed by Colonial Architect Charles Tiffin but was originally planned for the Maryborough Post Office . Due to the cost of materials exceeding the budget for the post office originally planned for Rockhampton, the plans for the post offices were swapped. The two buildings were designed concurrently by Tiffin. In 1876,

11663-647: Was sited so as to provide a court related to the rear facade of the Supreme Court building. The second building, intended to complement the Labour Bureau building was not constructed. Additional offices for the Bureau were to be eventually included in the Bolsover Street Government Offices. All of the public buildings on the Supreme Court site were further modernised with the installation of a sewerage system in 1933. Construction of

11772-521: Was the Brisbane Treasury Building designed in 1883. Clark was dismissed from the Office of Colonial Architect in 1885. During the period that he was Colonial Architect Clark was responsible for the design of several Court Houses in Queensland including Charters Towers Courthouse , Mackay Courthouse , and the Rockhampton Court House (1885–87). He was also responsible for other notable public buildings throughout Queensland, such as

11881-515: Was to be £4,584. Work began in 1934 and was completed in 1936. The Labour Bureau was constructed to be one of two buildings designed to front onto Bolsover Street. The design was by the Queensland Department of Public Works under the control of Andrew Baxter Leven (1885-1966). Leven at this period was Chief Architect and Quantity Surveyor for the Department of Works, a position he held from 1933 until 1951. The Labour Bureau building

#38961