Charles Jones (architect)

Charles Jones (1830–1913) was Ealing's first architect, engineer and surveyor. He held these posts for fifty years. He is admired to this day, by both local residents and visitors, for his pleasing, well proportioned and functional civic buildings. Born at Beccles in Suffolk, he first started working for Ealing Council on a commission only basis in 1863 until he was given a salaried post in 1882, which he held until he retired in 1913, shortly before his death the same year.

His most prominent work is that of Ealing Town Hall. Before building could go ahead, Jones also had to find the land and negotiate the purchase. In 1885 he finally persuaded Edward Wood to sell his whole meadow which lay between the Uxbridge Road and the Great Western Railway cutting and alongside the very old road of Longfield Avenue. Being on such a busy thoroughfare, next to the new town centre and so close to both of Ealing's railway stations it was very much a prime site. Even so, Jones was able to persuade Wood to part with the land for only £4,000 (well below its market value) on the understanding that it would always remain council property for public buildings guaranteed by Deed of Covenant. This was indeed fortunate, as it allowed the building to be later extended on its east side and to have room behind for three municipal public swimming baths (Wood went on to donate a further £500 for the building of Victoria Hall).

It is in the "Revived Gothic" style with Kentish ragstone walls. Fine-grained Bath Stone has been used for the molding around the windows. It was completed for a cost of £16,000. English Heritage has classified it as a Grade II listed building.

As the population grew, so did the need for a large function room. The necessary funds for building were found by public subscription. In order to secure generous patronage from wealthy residents, Jones needed to make it look as grand as possible. Also, he needed to span a reasonably wide expanse of area without recourse to vertical roof supports. Jones solved both requirements by basing the roof construction on medieval 14th century baronial architecture. It features wall-posts supporting moulded hammer-beams, and curved braces. The king post are hidden above the ceiling, which is on the level of the horizontal ties, these stop the roof collapsing in upon itself. By this means, Jones was able to span a width of 45½ feet. The hall is some 74-foot (23 m) long; with a stage at one end. Around the top of the room are the shields and emblems of the various parishes and former municipal councils which amalgamated to form the present borough. The window are glazed with stained glass. As usual for halls of this type, a room, was also built below (the Princes room), not just for the economic advantage of using the same land footprint, but also to ensure that the room above could be held at a reasonable temperature. Otherwise the sudden increase in moisture from a large crowd of people would cause heavy condensation to form upon the chill floor. It is built onto the back of the town hall's municipal buildings. The wall facing the street are in the same Gothic style to match that of the town hall. It was named Victoria Hall to celebrate Queen Victoria's 1887 Golden Jubilee. It was officially opened on 15 December 1888 by Edward, Prince of Wales (later Edward VII). Adjoining town hall, it is part of the same Grade II listed structure.

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