CIVIC PRIDE
In 1847 The times announced that, in consequence of a
new Act to make it easier to recover small debts, a country
court and market house was to be built in Brentford which
will afford accommodation for the holding of the County
Court, Magistrates court and public meetings'. The town
Hall and Market Place Company, brought the site, pulled
down the old market house and put up a building called
the Town hall (now the Magistrates Court) in 1850. The
Company owned the building and the toll rights of the
fairs and market The building was leased for various
activities as well as for sessions of the county and
Magistrates courts Meetings of the Board of Guardians
were held here; it also housed the library and meeting
room of the local Literary and Scientific Association
and was headquarters of the Brentford Local Board from
its formation in 1874 until 1888.
In 1891 the Middlesex County Council for use purchased
the Town Hall as a full-time Magistrates Court. The MCC
built a second court in front of the original building
with a balcony above which was placed the 18th-century
clock made by Jullion of Brentford. From 1929 the court
house was constructed: the balcony was removed and the
outside entirely rebuilt 'with a fine stone frontage to
the market place' and now Jullion's clock perches above
this.
This was the only large official building in Brentford
until the Brentford Urban District Council was formed
in 1894 This body had far more powers than the previous
Local Board and it immediately set about commissioning
some municipal buildings The Council was lucky enough
to employ as its Surveyor an architect as able Thomas
Henry Nowell Parr. Between 1896 and 1905 he designed
five large buildings in Brentford, many in his distinctive
style of red brick with terracotta decoration.
These buildings were the Public Baths in Clifden Rd the
Fire Station the enclosed market at Kew Bridge the Public
Library and the Vestry Hall. The latter, a magnificent
building, stood in Half Acre and was opened in 1900 by
the earl of Jersey of Osterley Park. The main hall
possessed a stage and could seat 600. There were offices
and committee rooms and in, the basement, a soup kitchen,
stores and strong rooms. The Vestry Hall functioned as
the County Court from 1907 until the present County Court
was opened in January 1963. The Vestry hall was demolished
in that year and the architecturally inferior, utilitarian
Police Station and Section House built on the site. The
Vestry Hall was actually built by the Overseers of the
Poor for Old Brentford, rather than the council, but the
Council allowed Parr to act as architect. This was his
first private commission and although he stayed with
Brentford Council for 12 years he also built up a
successful private practice with A E Kates, specialising
particularly in the design of public houses (the Pottery
Arms in Clayponds Lane and the Beehive in the High street
were built to his design)
The Monument (now outside the County Court in Brentford
high street) was erected in ferry Lane in 1909. It was
unveiled by His Grace the Duke of Northumberland of Syon
House. The moving force behind the Monument was local
antiquarian Sir Montagu Sharpe, a man firmly convinced
of Brentford's importance throughout history

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Last Updated: 22nd NOVEMBER 2005