St Albans Old Town Hall will soon be a Museum

Restoration and conversion work is well under way

The Same view 100 years ago

More views of the Town Hall in the early 20th century

A History of the old Town Hall in St Albans

I have just heard that Chris Green has written a book about the old Town Hall in St Albans and I can't wait to get my hands on a copy. Chris is a former director of St Albans Museum and will be signing copies of the book from 12.00 to 1.00 pm on Saturday 2 September, at Waterstones, St Peter’s Street, St Albans. The full colour, fully illustrated book costs £6.99, ISBN 978-0-901194-10-7. It is being published by St Albans & Hertfordshire Architectural & Archaeological Society, email publications@stalbanshistory.org.

During his time as director of St Albans Museums Chris Green worked in the old town hall and over the years has studied almost every inch of the building. He has drawn on his extensive knowledge and experience to write this definitive, fully illustrated guide to its history and use over almost 200 years. Original plans for the neo-classical building by architect George Smith are included in the book. The front cover of the book shows George Smith’s original drawing for the building.

The old town hall originally served as a place of local justice, with the local seat of government occupying just one large room. In 1851 the Bribery Commission held court in the building to investigate the ‘cash for votes’ scandal that resulted in St Albans losing its parliamentary representation for a period of time.

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In case you didn't know the original City Museum in Hatfield road closed in 2015 and is due to reopen in the Old Town Hall in Spring 2018

Click Here for some old post card images of the Old Town Hall

Work is about to start on the New Town Centre Museum at St Albans

It is just over a year since I posted pictures of the closure of the Victorian museum building in Hatfield Road (which had been made of bricks from my Great Grandfather's works on Bernards Heath. I am therefore delighted to see that St Albans Council have just posted information to say that the building work to prepare the museum's new home in the former Town Hall building will start in November.

Book Sale - to support St Albans new museum 24th October

Saturday 24 October 2015 at the Old Town Hall, St Albans

The Society in partnership with the St Albans Civic Society is pleased to announce that it is holding a book sale in the Assembly Room of the Old Town Hall on Saturday 24 October 2015. It will be open between 10am and 4pm.

While there will be some older books, most are nearly new with others barely touched.

Please do come along with your spare pennies and pounds. Tea, coffee and buns available.

All proceeds go to the new museum and gallery fund.