File:County Hall and Cross Street, Beverley from South East, c.1912 (archive ref PO-1-14-263) (24135175588).jpg

County Hall and Cross Street, Beverley c.1912 East Riding County Council was formed in 1889. In 1890, the former Mechanic’s Institute in Cross Street was bought as the site for a new county hall. The newly formed council and its committees first met in the Sessions House and the Guildhall. The building was built of red brick to designs by Smith and Brodrick, Architects of Hull. It opened in 1892 with the first meeting held in the council chamber, with its impressive panelling for the doors by James Elwell, father of the artist, Fred Elwell, himself a wood carver of high reputation. The novelist, Winifred Holtby, was inspired by the building itself and explained at the time how the drama of local government had captured her imagination in the preface of her book, ‘South Riding’ remembering as a child watching her mother, Mrs. Alice Holtby from the public gallery, elected as the first woman alderman of East Riding County Council in 1934. If you like old pictures like this - you can now buy high quality vintage prints online at www.picturearchives.org/eastridingphotos

(Why not try searching our East Riding of Yorkshire Map for more historic images? www.flickr.com/photos/erarchives/map )

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