Ballard Hall, Sheffield 26/12/09

[joybee]

This is more of a question than a report. I've tried to reply to a couple of threads that it says I can, without success.

There's been a bit on here about this place. I lived here in 82/83 when it was a hall of res for Sheffield City Polytechnic, (pre Hallam Uni days.) There was hardly any on site security compared to modern standards. More along the line of blokes on the ground floor, gals on top!! (Not a bad combination usually but not when it comes to security issues.)

This is the current demolition of one of the warden's houses. I use the term warden, loosely, as they were usually (very) laid back PhD students (usually with wife and kids in tow,) who couldn't give a t*** what anyone was up to. Drunken student antics of the highest order and an occasional jumper out of one of the blocks, (how could anyone be so unhappy in a place such as Ballard Hall?) were the norm.



This photo is taken in the top car park. This is where my very reliable,(except when the back seat caught fire--- battery and springs, you get the picture!) badly resprayed, gold VW Beetle (classy eh?) slept, usually next to a much more spangly red one, plying for the same space. It also shows the last bit of the infamous communal block. This is where Archimedes and Pythagoras (the dinner ladies) attempted to add up what little credit we had left on our meal cards and served us with the corresponding size piece of "sparra", (misshaped and exceedingly small chicken? breast.) It was also here they valiantly attempted to extinguish the flames of the toast machine @ breakfast, which could never cope with pikelets, only with the use of their asbestos fingers.



This pic is taken from the other car park. You couldn't see the church that clearly when all the blocks were there. Just a shadow now, in the snow, of another warden's house now boarded up. It probably won't be demolished as it's in tune with the local dwellings.



This is a view up the site to the top blocks. There were a load of climbers and cavers living up there and they used to test out their new ropes and stuff off the block roofs. The sun illuminated one is an example. Where are you now, Andy from Accrington?



This is about where my block was. No 8. The fence has always been there but we never really noticed it. (Another attempt @ security, no doubt)



Finally, I know this is isn't a great site in ue terms and the pics are but this is the last time I'll see it. I still walk round this place when I can't sleep and like the rest of Sheffield, a part of me is still there. Goodbye Ballard.