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

[peppermint 10]

Originally posted by peppermint

did anyone know that the posting box on the corner of the building had a shute about 30-40 foot long.

 

Apparetly they used the lower ground floor for the delivery office for areas sheff 1-4 and 14 up until 5 years ago when they transfered across the road. The exteria of the building is a listed building so they can't pull it down. however they can change the inside.

 

there are 2 ex posties here telling me this.

 

oh no this origional post has started something, memories of a postman LOL they havn't stopped, anyone would think they hadnt seen each other for years. They are swopping stories.

believe it or not its only a week max since they have seen each other.

[Caz1 10]

Originally posted by rbbt

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.

 

C

 

Hi

i too worked at Sheffield Hallam from the age of 17. i started in 1979 but we were still having to ask for slips then. Also we the newbies didn't mix with established operators. It was very strict but the best training ever..it still stands me in good stead today. i loved it and hated it in equal measures.

[gingercat1 10]

I Do Remember That It Was A Landmark Meeting Place, Everyone Knew Where The Post Office Was

[kingfisher 10]

I was in the Post Office Home guard (WR 18 we used to go training on a Sunday morning and occasionally in an evening, I wonder if there are anymore still around

[Nigel Womersle 10]

I was one of the last persons to work in the building (July 2004). It had hardly changed from its beginnings. I worked in 'The Attic' overlooking the old Odeon cinema (now Mecca Bingo), and it was a regular thing to get locked in the lift with its criss cross expandable door.

[Daven 10]

My Grandfather was a telegram boy in the early 1900's and became a GPO engineer after WW1 until his death in 1950. My Mum was a switchboard operator at the GPO building from the late 1940's until she married in 1954

[Daven 10]

I was in the Post Office Home guard (WR 18 we used to go training on a Sunday morning and occasionally in an evening, I wonder if there are anymore still around

I think my Grandfather was in the GPO homeguard during WW2 - his name was Joe Fox - do you remember him ?

[HotPhil 10]

Joby, one thing I think you should include in your project (and I wish the council would actually do!) is to de-island the square. In the current weather, the square itself is quite a nice place to sit for 10 mins and have a sandwich, however because buses thunder past it on all sides, it's hard to get to. I think the taxi rank should be moved to a semi-pedestrianised area on the other side of the square with no buses allowed in either direction along that side - integrating the square with the paved area in front of the Post Office/Superdrug etc. Then the crossing with the intensely irritating "If you're a dumbass, remember to look for cars" voice-thing should be moved uphill slightly. That way the square could be utilised as the main pedestrian thoroughfare, imo dramatically improving the feel of the area.

Think there may be some issues with the turning radius of the buses and how they'd negotiate the left turn coming from the interchange and rounding the corner with the motorcyle gear shop on, but nothing a sensibly controlled junction couldn't be built to accomodate. The council would, I'm sure, relish the opportunity to buy more traffic lights.

[Cayenne 10]

You and me both, George.

 

Do you remember those little three wheeler lorries that used to deliver parcels. Maybe they were railway lorries ?

 

These were Scammel "Mechanical Horses" - see http://www.3wheelers.com/scammell.html

 

The Post Office didn't use them as far as I can recall. They were built for the railways as they were very manouvreable and could get round in the tight spaces inside goods sheds and stations.

 

Reviewing later posts, I stand corrected. Can't ever remember seeing any PO ones, though.

 

The last time I was in Fitzallan Square PO building was about 18 months ago. We used to use the rooms on the next to top floor for meetings as there was not anywhere suitable in Pond Street RM offices. You could get in at the Pond St. side and climb the stairs, it was creepy. The whole building was in a poor state and everywhere smelled musty.

 

There was talk that the building was going to converted to flats. I don't think anything has happened about this yet, though.

[playman 10]

If you remember the ' marble columns ' in the old post office, these came from the black marble mine at 'Ashford in the Water ' just down the road from thornbridge hall the old teacher training college, the ' marble ' is not marble but a coloured limestone that polishes up just like marble and has the same effect.

[playman 10]

Yes the corner post box was a long chute that went down to the floor below and the mail collected in a large wooden sided tray like thing, the snooker room was looking out onto flat street directly across from the steps up to the subway under arundel gate, not only was the post delivered from the CDO ( city delivery office) all the inward mail for delivery in sheffield was sorted and despatched to all the local delivery offices from there.

[Nigel Womersle 10]

did anyone know that the posting box on the corner of the building had a shute about 30-40 foot long.

 

Apparetly they used the lower ground floor for the delivery office for areas sheff 1-4 and 14 up until 5 years ago when they transfered across the road. The exteria of the building is a listed building so they can't pull it down. however they can change the inside.

 

there are 2 ex posties here telling me this.

 

 

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.