Fitzalan Square: what's the history of the old Post Office?

[minetiger 10]

The chute was no more than perhaps 15 feet long and led to the upper ground floor by the side of the lift. The lower ground floor housed the city delivery office, but was at ground level from the Pond Street side The entire building is like a rabbit warren inside.

 

 

hi are you nigel that used to deliver in ecclesfield

[Nigel Womersle 10]

hi are you nigel that used to deliver in ecclesfield

 

 

I might be if you tell me who you might be. But then again..................

[Nigel Womersle 10]

I might be, if you tell me who you might be. But then again.....................

[minetiger 10]

I might be, if you tell me who you might be. But then again.....................

 

i am the post woman that lived on the common in the late 70s

[Nigel Womersle 10]

i am the post woman that lived on the common in the late 70s

 

 

Hi. 397 The Common to be precise. Known by some as 'The Doll's House'.Am I right?

[minetiger 10]

Hi. 397 The Common to be precise. Known by some as 'The Doll's House'.Am I right?

spot on

 

live at high green now still married kids all grown up almost all flown the nest but none of them will give me any grand kids yet

[Nigel Womersle 10]

spot on

 

live at high green now still married kids all grown up almost all flown the nest but none of them will give me any grand kids yet

 

 

Nice to hear from you Sue.. Take care - Nigel

[Sheff2006 10]

Does anyone know what the old Post Office in Fitzalan Square is going to be now that the extension building has been demolished? Tried looking online but can't seem to find anything about it.

[sandie 11]

It also used to house the main Telephone Exchange until the 1960's.

 

I worked for the GPO Telephones in in 1968 and it was still the main exchange, west street was the second I will agree that Eldon House took over the main control 69 to 70.

[sandie 11]

The telephone exchange was called Sheffield Vulcan and I worked as a telephonist for there for 4 years before transefering to Sheffield Hallam- next door to Telephone house on Wellington St. From a cord exchange to cordless switchboards.

 

The exchange was on the next to the top floor and we could only go up in the lift...never down ...don't know why but as a 15 yr old I didn't argue with my supervisors. We even had to ask to go to the toilet..seriously! You had to ask if you could

"slip on top" cos the loo's were on the floor above ,only two girls were alowed at a time tho!

 

The swithboard suites when fully seated held over 250 telephonists.

100,192 and 191 calls were taken there aswell as 999's.

 

The top floor was the canteen but we prefered to go over the road to the sorting office to see the telegram lads who were based across the road.

 

In the basements were rooms that basically had been turned into bunkers and had never been changed since ww2 apparently.

 

Best days of my working life... ruled by supervisors with a rod of iron ..but some of the best mates I have ever come across.

Proud to say I was GPO trained!

 

C

 

The one thing as a young Apprentice Telephone Engineer was going down to the basement area you describe ans seing the duplicate telephone system down there. Later the Telex division was located there.

I remember the old drop down switchboards with their cords, we used as young lads have to replace the cords and the plugs, Tip, Ring and Sleave still are inprinted in my mind.

 

I will suport your comment I am also proud to say I was GPO Trained, you dont get that today.

[peterw 10]

Those lorries were Scammel (Ironhorse) and yes they belonged to British Rail.

 

And before that to the LNER, LMS, GWR, SR and any other pre-war mainline railway company.