Ocean Buildings

Ocean Buildings (Timothy Ferres, 2024). Click to enlarge.

Ocean Buildings, once known as Pearl Assurance House, is located at numbers 1-3, Donegall Square East, Belfast, on a corner site adjoining Chichester Street.

There were originally three terraced houses here, one of which operated as the Prince George Hotel.

The Ocean Buildings were completed in 1902 at a cost of approximately £27,000, about £2.7 million in today's money.

Marcus Patton, OBE, writing in 1993, described the building as “…splendid asymmetrical … building in red Ballochmoyle sandstone.” 

Ocean Buildings in 1910 (Hogg Collection/NMNI)

The building was designed by Robert Young in Scottish-Baronial Gothic style.

The principal entrance, at the corner, is corbelled out over a miniature rib-vaulted soffit, with three carved heads of Queen Victoria, King Edward VII, and Queen Alexandra fronting the principal brackets.

Queen Victoria's nose appears to be in need of some attention (!).