Sessions House, Surbiton

In the late 19th century Surbiton local board met in various places including private residences and public houses but, after the area became an urban district in 1894, civic leaders decided that this arrangement was inadequate and chose to procure purpose-built civic offices;{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LhrwDQAAQBAJ&pg=PT102|title=Surbiton Through Time|first= Tim |last=Everson|publisher=Amberley Publishing|year=2017|isbn=978-1445668383}} the site selected had been occupied by a private residence known as "Hill House".{{cite web|url=https://www.old-maps.co.uk/#/Map/518388/167425/12/100555|title=Ordnance Survey Map|year=1898|accessdate=25 April 2020}}{{efn|After the Castellated Palace at Kew was demolished on the orders of George IV in the early 1820s some of the stone was recovered and used for the construction of Hill House which was completed in 1826.{{cite web|title='Kingston-upon-Thames: Introduction and borough', in A History of the County of Surrey|volume=3|first=H E|last= Malden |location=London|year=1911|pages=487–501|publisher=British History Online |url=http://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/surrey/vol3/pp487-501 |accessdate= 16 September 2020}}Richardson, p. 8 The last owner of Hill House was Sir Charles Pressly (1794-1880), Chairman of the Inland Revenue.Richardson, p. 23{{cite web|url=https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/c/F48751|title=Pressly, Sir Charles (1794-1880) Knight Chairman of the Inland Revenue|publisher=National Archives|accessdate= 16 September 2020}}}}

The building, which was designed in the Edwardian Baroque style, was completed in 1898. The design involved a symmetrical main frontage with five bays facing onto Ewell Road; the central section featured an arched doorway with a fanlight on the ground floor; there was a wrought iron balcony and a round-headed window with the borough coat of arms and a pediment above on the first floor; there was a cupola containing a clock at roof level.

The building became the headquarters of Municipal Borough of Surbiton when it secured municipal borough status in 1936Frederic A Youngs Jr., Guide to the Local Administrative Units of England, Vol I: Southern England, London, 1979 but ceased to be the local seat of government after the creation of the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames in 1965.{{cite web|url=http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1963/33/contents|title=Local Government Act 1963|publisher=Legislation.gov.uk|accessdate=25 April 2020}} Instead, the building was converted for judicial use as a venue for holding the quarter sessions: it then became known as the "Sessions House". Following the implementation of the Courts Act 1971, the former assizes courthouse was re-designated Surbiton Crown Court.Courts Act 1971 (Commencement) Order 1971 (SI 1971/1151)

Crown Court sittings at the Sessions House ceased in 1997 when a new Crown Court opened at The Bittoms in Kingston upon Thames.{{cite web|url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200506/cmhansrd/vo060508/text/60508w0023.htm|title=Civil Courts (Enforcement of Judgments)|date=8 May 2006|publisher=UK Parliament|accessdate= 16 September 2020}} However the courthouse continued to operate as an immigration appeal court.{{cite web|url=http://www.newwalkchambers.co.uk/areas/immigration.php|title=Immigration Law|publisher=New Walk Chambers|accessdate= 16 September 2020}} After the building fell vacant in 2009,{{cite web|url=https://moderngov.kingston.gov.uk/documents/s23044/Asset%20Management%20Plan.html?CT=2|title=Asset Management Plan|publisher=Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames|accessdate= 16 September 2020}} it was converted for use as a learning disability centre managed by a social enterprise concern known as "Your Health Care" which started to provide some services at the centre on behalf of Kingston Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.{{cite web|url=https://www.yourlocalguardian.co.uk/news/9687753.kingston-council-refuses-to-deny-surbiton-library-sell-off/|title=Kingston Council refuses to deny Surbiton library sell-off|date=7 May 2012|publisher=Your Local Guardian|accessdate= 16 September 2020}}{{cite web|url=https://www.nhs.uk/services/service-directory/learning-disability-partnership-board-kingston-upon-thames/N10499122|title=Learning Disability Partnership Board Kingston Upon Thames|publisher=National Health Service|accessdate= 16 September 2020}} There were concerns in the local community in May 2012 when the Deputy leader of Kingston Council, Liz Green, refused to deny that the council wanted to dispose of the Sessions House along with the adjacent library. The roof was subsequently changed{{cite web|url=https://petersroofing.co.uk/project/the-sessions-house-surbiton/|title=The Sessions House, Surbiton|publisher=Peters Roofing|access-date=18 January 2023}} and the building was then used as an Asylum and Immigration Tribunal office.{{cite web|url=https://www.mysurgerywebsite.co.uk/website/H84051/files/LOCALSUPPORTSERVICESGUIDE.pdf|title=Local Support Services Guide|publisher=My Surgery|access-date=16 January 2023}}

{{notelist}}

{{reflist}}

• {{cite web|url=https://archive.org/stream/surbitonthirtytw00richrich/surbitonthirtytw00richrich_djvu.txt|title=Surbiton; thirty-two years of local self-government, 1855-1887|page=8|publisher=Bull and Son|year=1888|first=Rowley|last=Richardson}}

Category:Grade II listed buildings in the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames

Category:City and town halls in London

Category:Government buildings completed in 1898

Category:Grade II listed government buildings

Category:Court buildings in England