County Hall, Wakefield - Decoration

Decoration

The interior decoration is largely by Henry Charles Fehr. It is a library of symbolism, for which Fehr was justly famous.

On the main staircase for example an Owl and the Scales represent Meditation and Justice, against which recline two winged figures of Debate and Dictation. The Seal of the West Riding County Council hangs each side. A second panel contains implements representing the main industries of the West Riding, surrounding the White Rose of York, all entwined by a serpent symbolising Wisdom, crowned with a spray of oak for Independence, while beneath the honesty plant and flax are interwoven for Honesty and Industry.

Two further panels show Peace (a winged figure resting on an olive tree with ingrafted roses and sheltering a wren, doves in the tree and broken swords below) and Plenty (a winged figure seated on a golden throne with arms outstretched over divers fruit and grain).

Elsewhere are figures of Art and Science, the Book of History, Inspiration and the Lamp of Knowledge, with globes representing the Domains of Art and Science beneath their feet.

Elsewhere the white Yorkshire rose and British Lion predominate.

In 1913 a delegation from a joint committee of Middlesex County Council and the Middlesex Quarter Sessions visited Wakefield and forthwith commissioned a copy of the Council Chamber for their own new Middlesex Guildhall.

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