County Hall

Wandering around Kendal this morning in the continuing mizzle,  I wondered what was the history of the Kendal County Hall building so I took a photo to make me do some research.
I find the Grade 2 listed building was  built for Westmorland County Council in 1939.  Westmorland as a county had been around since the 12C. 
 As many of you know, in 1974, Westmorland  was abolished and merged with equally ancient Cumberland (and bits of Yorkshire and Lancashire ) to make Cumbria.  The rationale was that with relatively small populations it was too expensive to administer two counties.   Then last year, 2023, they ( Who are "They")  abolished Cumbria County Council  and created two smaller ones - Westmorland (& Furness) and  Cumberland Councils. if you are paying attention you might wonder why they have gone back to the two county councils that were supposed to be too expensive to run.   The many organisations around here that never gave up their Westmorland name are delighted. But our postal address is still Cumbria which is a shame, 

Anyway, its  a fine council building.  I have blipped the clock tower before