FFF 21 16th Dec ’22
There is so much that should be shared about East Block before we move across to West Block, so we will take a few more weeks to share about some other aspects.
As we have said before, many areas at the workshops have changed function, sometimes many times. Today the building known as the transport office at the east end of east block is one of them. The original function of this building is not known. It was almost certainly an office. But for whom? As the central office (clock tower building) had no space allocated for the Workshops Manager or Workshops Foreman, it is possible they were accommodated in this building. Or did this building accommodate someone who moved out of the central offices to make space for the manager?
Its early use is vague and the floor, walls, and ceiling structure indicate many changes of function. It may have even been used for timber drying at one stage.
In the 70’s this building was used for training classrooms. In 1988 it was the office for the Transport Foreman and his staff, including truck and forklift drivers.
It is 11m x 20m and structurally is identically to the rest of east block. Although no definite construction date has been discovered, it is assumed it was built at the same time c1886-1888 as east block, and probably by the same contractor. It seems likely that it was added to the EB contract as an after thought. Although it is in sound condition, there is obvious evidence of many changes to doors and windows.
It has been used by the ARHS as an office and archive storage. This use continues with the new museum management, but the archive storage has well outgrown its storage space and now occupies two nearby storage containers that have been fitted with shelving, temp control and 240v lighting.
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