| In 1987, the School of Health Sciences,
which had been formed in 1986, moved into the Old Post Office in Lichfield Street, and
the old Valhalla pub. In February 1987, the council's
finance committee agreed to a request from Councillor
Alan Garner, chairman of the Polytechnic Governors, for
the council to acquire a twenty year lease on the old
post office and the Valhalla pub, which at the time
belonged to Leamore Developments, based in Walsall. The
old post office had been empty for two years and the
Valhalla, even longer. The lease was initially acquired
for £250,000 per year. The refurbished buildings would
house up to 200 students and a large number of staff, to provide ample office space; biomedical, physiology, and
psychology laboratories; three lecture theatres; a
dining room; and the Polytechnic's shop. The first
head of the section was psychologist, Bob Jamieson. In 1990 or 1991 he
returned to his home country of Australia and taught
psychology at the Bendigo Campus of La Trobe University. |
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The old post office in its early
years. |
Lichfield Street and the old
post office in the early 19th century showing the
Criterion pub on the corner that became university
offices and the higher education shop. |
| The following photos were taken in 2001 when the
School of Health Sciences had become part of the
School of Applied Sciences, and the staff and
laboratories were moving to main site. |
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The foyer with the main entrance
on the right. The far door led to one of the lecture
theatres. |
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Another view of the foyer. The
doorway on the left led to the ground floor corridor and
the lift. |
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The refreshment room. Light
refreshments were served behind the hatch. |
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Another view of the refreshment
room. |
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The
staff staircase. |
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The
first floor corridor, above the main
staircase. |
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| The
first floor corridor leading to MV Block and
the stairs. |
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In the
other direction the corridor led to the lift
and more offices. |
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Some
of the staff offices further along the
corridor which led to the staff staircase. |
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The
water dispenser and the stairs leading to
the upper psychology lab. |
Joyce Wilson at work.
Mel Porter-Turner at work in
one of the laboratories.
Bev Parker in room MT 104.
Courtesy of David Parsons.
Many people will
remember Ken Harper, who was Laboratory
Superintendent in the School of Health
Sciences. |
Members of the School of
Health Sciences staff.
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Another view of the first floor corridor. |
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One
of the offices, almost packed and ready to
go. |
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Another nearly empty office. |
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Pat Martin at work just before the
move began. |
| The university continued to use the old post
office and the Valhalla, until 2007. |
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Return to
C Block |
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Return to
the contents |
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Proceed to
Bereavements |
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