Old Town Hall, Belfast facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Old Town Hall
Old Town Hall
Location	Victoria Street, Belfast
Built	1871
Architect	Anthony Jackson
Architectural style(s)	Italianate style
Listed Building – Grade B1
Official name: Old Town Hall, 80 Victoria Street, Belfast
Designated	23 September 1977
Reference no.	HB 26/50/044
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The Old Town Hall is a historic building located on Victoria Street in Belfast, Northern Ireland. This special building has been used for many different purposes over the years, including as a courthouse. It is officially recognized as a Grade B1 listed building, meaning it's an important part of history and is protected.

Building Belfast's First Town Hall

Belfast grew a lot in the 1800s. Many people moved there because of the booming linen and rope-making industries. Because of this growth, Belfast became a "municipal borough" in 1842. This meant it had its own local government.

At first, the town council met in a small rented building. But soon, they realized they needed a bigger, purpose-built place. They chose a spot on Victoria Street that used to be a market.

Designing a New Town Hall

The new building was designed by an architect named Anthony Jackson. He used the Italianate style, which was popular at the time. This style often features grand, classical elements.

A local builder, James Henry, constructed the hall. It was made from red brick with red sandstone decorations. The building was finished in 1871 and cost £33,000, which was a lot of money back then!

What the Building Looked Like

The Old Town Hall has a very balanced and grand design. The front of the building faces Victoria Street and has many sections. The parts at each end and the very middle section stick out a bit.

The central part has a special entrance with columns. These columns support a roof-like structure. The building has many round-topped windows on both floors. At the top, there's a decorative railing all along the roofline. The central and end sections also have triangular decorations with round windows. The roof itself was a special sloped style called a mansard roof.

Inside, the main rooms were offices for the town council. There were also courtrooms for legal matters. The furniture was made of shiny oak wood and covered in green leather.

From Town Hall to City Hall and Beyond

In 1888, Queen Victoria decided that Belfast was important enough to be called a "city." With this new status, the city leaders felt the Old Town Hall wasn't grand enough. They decided to build a much larger and more impressive Belfast City Hall in Donegall Square. This new City Hall opened in 1906.

After the new City Hall was built, the Old Town Hall was mainly used for court cases.

A Place for Important Meetings

For a short time, from 1910 to 1912, the building was used by a printing company. Then, it became the home of the Ulster Unionist Council, a political group.

In 1912, a very important meeting happened here. Sir Edward Carson led a meeting where people agreed to sign the Ulster Covenant. This was a protest against a new law that would change how Ireland was governed.

The Old Town Hall also became a base for the Ulster Volunteers, a group of people who trained to protect their beliefs. Many members of this group were later recruited here to fight in the First World War. They joined the 36th (Ulster) Division and were sent to the Western Front.

Later Uses of the Building

After the First World War, the building continued to be used by the Ulster Unionist Party. In 1927, it became the home of the Belfast Educational Committee.

During the Second World War, the building was slightly damaged during the Belfast Blitz. After the war, it went back to being a courthouse. For a few years, it also provided extra space for Belfast Metropolitan College.

The Old Town Hall continued to serve as a courthouse for young people and families into the 21st century. However, by 2020, the building was empty.