Fitzalan Square Mystery

[hilldweller]

The building you can see in the distance is the Norfolk Building of Sheffield Hallam University, previously called the eight storey building.

I worked on the campus for a number of years, both as student and staff. I think it was the first permanent building to be erected in the fifties. Shortly afterwards the craft blocks were built in 3 single storey terraces along the hillside, (now demolished and built on)

The next block was the 12 storey (now called the Owen Building), which fronted on to what became Arundle Gate. This was damaged by the crane toppling in the gale.

Then the 5 storey block came along at the end of Pond Street (now called the Surrey Building).

Around about 1990 the car park in front of the Owen Building was flattened and the Harmer Building was erected in the gap. The land was very unstable due to ancient mine workings and had to be stabilised by the pressure injection of a huge amount of cement slurry.

After completion of this building a Atrium roof was erected between the Owen Building and the Harmer Building and the east external face of the Owen Building became the west internal face of the Atrium.

At about the same time the old Students Union Building across the other side of Pond Street was demolished and the Sheaf Building was erected with a bridge over Pond Street to connect it to the main campus.

There has been much further infilling of the campus since I retired.

[Boginspro]

Hi. I`m pretty sure the building everyone is wondering about was Sheaf House.

If I remember correctly it was demolished ten to twenty years ago.

I`m not one hundred percent on the time of demolition, but I`m sure the building was Sheaf House.

 

Vanner.

 

---------------

I think it has been proven in earlier posts by hillsbro and me-and-pippo that it is the College of Technology which was one of the ealiest post war new buildings built in 1950. ( Date from http://www.shu.ac.uk/university/overview/history/ ) As previously said Sheaf House was not built until 1964 but the photo' is 1959.

[vanner]

Yes. I think you are correct. It is the Poly.

I wasn`t following Pond St round from Flat St. Thinking it went straight on.

My mistake.

[Voldy]

Here is a further picture taken in the early sixties (may have been '62) that I recently unearthed. Unfortunately only my Kodak and Agfa slides of that period have weathered well; think this was Gevaert or Perutz, poorer performers.

[Boginspro]

Here is a further picture taken in the early sixties (may have been '62) that I recently unearthed. Unfortunately only my Kodak and Agfa slides of that period have weathered well; think this was Gevaert or Perutz, poorer performers.

 

 

-------------------

Having looked at your picture I now noticed that you can just make out part of that funny wavy roof on the original picture.

Edited February 22, 2016 by Boginspro
spelling

[Polpeor]

The building you can see in the distance is the Norfolk Building of Sheffield Hallam University, previously called the eight storey building.

I worked on the campus for a number of years, both as student and staff. I think it was the first permanent building to be erected in the fifties. Shortly afterwards the craft blocks were built in 3 single storey terraces along the hillside, (now demolished and built on)

The next block was the 12 storey (now called the Owen Building), which fronted on to what became Arundle Gate. This was damaged by the crane toppling in the gale.

Then the 5 storey block came along at the end of Pond Street (now called the Surrey Building).

Around about 1990 the car park in front of the Owen Building was flattened and the Harmer Building was erected in the gap. The land was very unstable due to ancient mine workings and had to be stabilised by the pressure injection of a huge amount of cement slurry.

After completion of this building a Atrium roof was erected between the Owen Building and the Harmer Building and the east external face of the Owen Building became the west internal face of the Atrium.

At about the same time the old Students Union Building across the other side of Pond Street was demolished and the Sheaf Building was erected with a bridge over Pond Street to connect it to the main campus.

There has been much further infilling of the campus since I retired.

 

Thank you for the information Hilldweller - I would very much like you to contact me please in response to this and another post you have written - I have only just joined the forum and cannot direct mail you yet so hope this message reaches you!