Relive the restoration of Hartlepool’s Municipal Buildings through photo collection

Alan Reay, a retired architect who worked in the town for over 15 years, kept a step-by-step photographic account of every stage of the project, which he has now passed over to Hartlepool Mayor Councillor Paul Beck. 

The restoration, which took place in the mid-1980s and included a total overhaul internally of the Council Chamber, the Mayor’s Parlour and all Civic other rooms, took two years to complete and cost just under £1 million. 

The albums will be kept in the Mayor’s Parlour within the Civic Centre, however members of the public can gain access to digital files of the historic images through both the museum collection and the local studies collection of the library at Community Hub Central. 

The Mayor of Hartlepool, Councillor Paul Beck, said: “When I was presented with the photo albums, I was astonished at how detailed the collection of images was. It was fascinating to gain insight into where places such as the Council Chamber used to be and see how they changed over time. 

“Alan clearly took great pride in restoring the Municipal Buildings, and we are extremely thankful for his work on the project and his kind donation of images which otherwise would have been lost to history.”

Alan Reay said: “I was pleased to present to the Mayor my extensive collection of photographs from my time working on the Municipal Buildings.

“The buildings are an important part of Hartlepool’s history, and I am honoured to have played an integral role in restoring them to full grandeur.”