General Post office & sorting office Fitzalan Square. Sheffield. Feb 2012

[converse1]

General Post office & sorting office Fitzalan Square. Sheffield. Feb 2012

Blimey feel like a noob! Soz it's been so long, anyway here's my take on Sheffield's central post office.

In some ways it was a bit disappointing but in others the building was just what you'd expect from the period; what I mean is from the outside it looks magnificent, very grand and imposing. The inside however is utilitarian and built for a purpose with no frippery to speak off. This was built in 1910 so the Victorian age had gone and Edwardian Britain was more about clean(er) lines and working it's way into a modern word.

Evidence of interior indulgence was evident and this was great to see however most of the ornamentation was saved for the exterior.

Anyway a brief bit of history then some pictures:

History


Sheffield's Head Post Office operated in the square for almost ninety years. Built in 1910 as an addition to the 1897 post office building on Flat Street, it closed in 1999, with the main post office moving to new premises within the Co-op store on Angel Street. The Grade II listed Post Office building was up for sale for a considerable time before finally being sold for development in early 2006.


The post office and square in 1910

http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w265/converse1_photos/Central%20Post%20office%20Sheffield/7396925.jpg

Again in 1913 at the statue unveiling.

http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w265/converse1_photos/Central%20Post%20office%20Sheffield/s03832-28-10-13.jpg

And again in 1959

http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w265/converse1_photos/Central%20Post%20office%20Sheffield/s16062-09-02-59.jpg

And on the day of my visit. :smile

http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w265/converse1_photos/Central%20Post%20office%20Sheffield/DSC09822.jpg

Most of the single story buildings used for sorting and van loading have been demolished:

http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w265/converse1_photos/Central%20Post%20office%20Sheffield/DSC09820.jpg

Once inside there are lot's of corridors!

http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w265/converse1_photos/Central%20Post%20office%20Sheffield/DSC09815.jpg

And empty rooms!!

http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w265/converse1_photos/Central%20Post%20office%20Sheffield/DSC09796.jpg

Most of the place is like this TBH, but there are one or two frantastic bits like.....

The staircase!

http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w265/converse1_photos/Central%20Post%20office%20Sheffield/DSC09792.jpg

http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w265/converse1_photos/Central%20Post%20office%20Sheffield/DSC09793.jpg

http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w265/converse1_photos/Central%20Post%20office%20Sheffield/DSC09801.jpg

And the main counter room:

http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w265/converse1_photos/Central%20Post%20office%20Sheffield/DSC09788.jpg

http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w265/converse1_photos/Central%20Post%20office%20Sheffield/DSC09807.jpg

http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w265/converse1_photos/Central%20Post%20office%20Sheffield/DSC09814.jpg

This was just off the main public counter room, very nice Lincrusta wall panels:

http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w265/converse1_photos/Central%20Post%20office%20Sheffield/DSC09809.jpg

And finishing off with a a last few bits.

The main door from inside:

http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w265/converse1_photos/Central%20Post%20office%20Sheffield/DSC09805.jpg

And we all love a bit of glazed brick action! :thumb

http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w265/converse1_photos/Central%20Post%20office%20Sheffield/DSC09794.jpg

That's it, hope you enjoyed it as much as I did, if you go, watch out for the dead cat in the gent's; it stinks!


~~~//~~~