Note Of Historic Interest

History of the Main Building and ancillary works City College Norwich, Ipswich Road, Norwich NR2 2LS.
For general interest the following is a synopsis of our knowledge to date. However, we feel our research is in no way complete and we would therefore be pleased to hear from anyone with further infomation

1938 Design and working drawings prepared for Norwich City Council by Norwich City Architects Department under the supervision of L.G.Hannaford F.R.I.B.A
for a three storey, brick clad steel framed building in Neo Georgian style for City College Norwich at Ipswich Road site. (n. b. the frontage of the building is some 15 metres longer than the frontage of Norwich City Hall)

1939 Construction work started - foundations for steelwork excavated and concrete poured. Structural steel frame erected.

Construction work stopped due to the outbreak of World War 2. The skeletal framework stood for the duration of the war, although locally the residents believed the steel would be taken for the war effort. This did not happen and the steelwork stood until construction work started again in 1949.

1941 Single storey workshop block completed and opened for use. At this time the only completed building on site. Now positioned at the rear of the main building

1949 Some redesign and construction work re-started.

1953 Building finished after 4 year construction programme. Officially opened 8th October, 1953. In total 15 year programme from design to completion of building works all under the supervision of L. G. Hannaford F.R.I.B.A. during his tenure as Norwich City Architect.



Leonard G Hannaford F.R.I.B.A. (1890 - 1981)
For general interest the following is a synopsis of our knowledge to date. However, we feel our research is in no way complete and we would therefore be pleased to hear from anyone with further infomation

Before outbreak of 1st World War was assistant to Sir Edwin Lutyens

Served in Army during 1st World War

After 1st World War returned to Sir Edwin Lutyens as assistant, worked on the public buildings at New Dehli, India

1928 Won an open competition for the Williamson Art Gallery and Museum at Birkenhead and oversaw building work

Circa 1930 - Did drawings for Stormont Government Buildings, Northern Ireland

1932 Entered open competition for new Headquarters for Royal Institute British Architects, 66 Portland Place, London

1932 - 38 Chief Architect to Leicester Corporation

1938 Appointed Norwich City Architect (was chosen from 92 applicants)

1938 North Earlham Junior School

1939 Work started on his finest and major task as Norwich City Architect- Norwich City College - brought to a halt by the outbreak of the 2nd World War. However a single workshop building was completed in 1941 and opened for use. Steel frame of main building stood for duration of war and until 1949 when after some redesign work finally began again. Finished in 1953 and officially opened 8th October that year. Brick clad and Neo Georgian style.

For the ten years after the war was responsible for West Earlham and Tuckswood Estates and for half the development of the Heartsease Estate. In that period, his department built 6500 houses and 7500 places in new school buildings

Designed entrance to Ipswich Road Playing fields

1954 Designed Infants School, Angel Road, Norwich

1955 Retired after 17 years tenure as City Architect