Kempsey Post Office

About

Kempsey Post Office is a heritage-listed post office at Belgrave Street, Kempsey, New South Wales, Australia. It was designed by the Colonial Architect's Office under James Barnet, and was built by Gabriel and McMorrine, with additions in 1903–04 built by Hocking Brothers. The property is owned by Australia Post.

The first official postal service in Australia was established in April 1809, when Sydney merchant Isaac Nichols was appointed as the first Postmaster in the colony of NSW. Prior to this, mail had been distributed directly by the captain of the ship on which the mail arrived; however, this system was neither reliable nor secure.

In 1825 the colonial administration was empowered to establish a Postmaster General's Department, which had previously been administered from Britain.

In 1828 the first post offices outside of Sydney were established, with offices in Bathurst, Campbelltown, Parramatta, Liverpool, Newcastle, Penrith and Windsor. By 1839 there were forty post offices in the colony, with more opening as settlement spread. The advance of postal services was further increased as the railway network began to be established throughout NSW from the 1860s. Also, in 1863, the Postmaster General WH Christie noted that accommodation facilities for postmasters in some post offices was quite limited, and stated that it was a matter of importance that "post masters should reside and sleep under the same roof as the office".

The appointment of James Barnet as Acting Colonial Architect in 1862 coincided with a considerable increase in funding to the public works program. Between 1865 and 1890 the Colonial Architects Office was responsible for the building and maintenance of 169 post offices and telegraph offices in NSW. The post offices constructed during this period were designed in a variety of architectural styles, as Barnet argued that the local parliamentary representatives always preferred "different patterns".

The construction of new post offices continued throughout the 1890s Depression years under the leadership of Walter Liberty Vernon, who retained office from 1890 to 1911. While twenty-seven post offices were built between 1892 and 1895, funding to the Government Architect's Office was cut from 1893 to 1895, causing Vernon to postpone a number of projects.

Following Federation in 1901, the Commonwealth Government took over responsibility for post, telegraph and telephone offices, with the Department of Home Affairs Works Division being made responsible for post office construction. In 1916 construction was transferred to the Department of Works & Railways, with the Department of the Interior responsible during World War II.

On 22 December 1975 the Postmaster General's Department was abolished and replaced by the Postal & Telecommunications Department, with Australia Post and Telecom established. In 1989, the Australian Postal Corporation Act established Australia Post as a self-funding entity, which heralded a new direction in property management, including a move towards smaller, shop-front style post offices away from the larger more traditional buildings.

For much of its history, the post office has been responsible for a wide variety of community services including mail distribution, as agencies for the Commonwealth Bank, electoral enrolments, and the provision of telegraph and telephone services. The town post office served as a focal point for the community, most often built in a prominent position in the centre of town close to other public buildings, creating a nucleus of civic buildings and community pride.

Europeans first settled in the Kempsey area in the mid-1830s, when limekilns were built along the Macleay River to supply the penal settlement at Port Macquarie. In 1836 Enoch Rudder, a squatter, advertised land for sale on his property, in a town he named Kempsey, where East Kempsey now stands. In the same year the Commissioner for Crown Lands established his regional headquarters on the river bank opposite Rudder's land. These two establishments, along with a growing timber industry and fertile farming land, encouraged the further settlement of the area and growth of the town of Kempsey.

The first Postmaster, Edgar Alderidge was appointed to Kempsey in August 1843, with the first office opening one week later on 1 September. Between 1843 and 1859 the Kempsey office was located in East Kempsey; however, from 1859 the post was delivered to West Kempsey, where the new Postmistress, Miss E. P. Dangar, was building a new store, part of which she proposed to be used as the Post Office. In August 1859 the Post Office was relocated to Dangar's store.

In May 1870 the first telegraph line was connected to Kempsey, with the Telegraph Office being located in West Kempsey, being the only intermediate station on the Armidale to Port Macquarie line. The Telegraph and Post Office operated out of separate buildings, due to both services being conducted by different departments.

In July 1875, Robert Burdett Smith, MP applied for the erection of an official Post Office at West Kempsey, and £1,850 was put on estimates for the purchase of land and erection of the building. At this time there was a post office at Kempsey, West Kempsey and East Kempsey, and it was pointed out that a site for the new West Kempsey office would need to be carefully considered, as there was much more business being conducted at Kempsey than at the other two offices. By 1878, there was enough confusion between the three offices that it had been proposed that both Kempsey and East Kempsey offices should be closed and all mail directed to the new West Kempsey office.

In early 1880 moves were begun to have the Kempsey Post Office and the Telegraph Office amalgamated, which was achieved by July of the same year. By 1882 the combined office had an annual revenue of £750, including post, telegraph, money order and Savings Bank business. The same year, a postal inspector reported that the only Government land available for the erection of a new office was at the wharf reserve, which was a hazardous spot during flood periods. Meanwhile, the premises of Mrs Mary Smith were being rented for use as a Post and Telegraph Office from 1 January 1882, for an annual sum of £40. Mrs Smith's building was in Smith Street, on the river side of the road.

£2,500 was put aside for the erection of a new post office for Kempsey, with a site still to be found. Mrs Smith offered a site in Smith Street, known as Barrie's Corner for £600. The block was adjacent to the wharf reserve, and had a building used as a hotel standing on it, which Mrs Smith offered to remove. The land had a frontage of 50 feet to Smith Street and a depth of two chains, although when surveyed it was revealed that it encroached on the wharf reserve by 28 feet. With this in mind, and the wharf reserve unavailable, tenders for a site were called. However, Mrs Smith's site was eventually purchased for the original cost of £600.

The Colonial Architect's office, under the administration of James Barnet, drew the plans. Tenders were called for the erection of the Post Office building, with the builders Messrs Gabriel and McMorrine being accepted for £2,679. The building was completed and occupied on 23 March 1886. So impressed were the citizens of Kempsey with their new office, that they sent a telegram to the Department of Works congratulating them on it. The two-storey building contained the Post Office, a drawing room, dining room, four bedrooms, a bathroom with force pump and the clock tower.

A ball was erected on the top of the clock tower to announce the arrival of steamers at the town wharf. However, within five months the ball was found to be out of order, and was replaced by a flagstaff. The clock itself was also delayed, being installed in 1892. In 1903, £489 was spent to increase the amount of public space available in the postal section of the Office. It had been noted that, due to the small size of the original office, during mail delivery periods anyone could read the telegrams that were being written. A new room was added to the north side of the building, with a door to the street to allow more public space.

In January 1908 the Kempsey Manual Telephone Exchange opened in the former battery room at the Post Office, while the fodder storeroom in the stable was converted into the battery room.

In 1927 the building was extensively remodelled at a cost of £5,496, with work being undertaken by Mr J. Danton of Sydney. The work included the infill of the original entrance in the northern corner, with the front of the office being converted to an entrance lobby, including private boxes. The telephone exchange was moved to a room of its own, providing extra space within the office for the enlargement of the Postal Department room and public space.

New rooms were constructed to house the battery and power rooms, as well as extra bathrooms, a bicycle shed, and a storeroom at the rear of the office. A new entrance was also opened where the old letter box lobby had been. A new stairway from here lead to the Telegraph and Postal Inspector and Clerk's offices on the upper floor.