[1] In the early 20th century the East Ham Urban District Council held its meetings in the local school board offices in Wakefield Street.

[2] Following a rapid growth in the local population,[3] civic leaders decided to procure purpose-built council offices: the site chosen for the new building was a plot of open land on the corner of Barking Road and High Street South.

[5] It was designed by Henry Cheers and Joseph Smith in the Renaissance style, built by D.W. Barker and was officially opened by the philanthropist, John Passmore Edwards, on 5 February 1903.

[6] The design involved an asymmetrical main frontage with six bays facing onto Barking Road; the right hand section featured a 150 foot (46 m) high tower and a large archway to the extreme right inscribed with the words "Public Hall" above.

[1][7] The tower contained a clock by Smith & Sons of Derby,[8] and an hour bell cast by John Taylor & Co of Loughborough, which weighed almost a ton (19cwt).