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Sheffield Student Guide [ Academic ] [ Accommodation ] [ Alumni ] [ Social ] [ Societies ] [ Sport ] [ Sports Clubs ] [ Travel ] [ Welfare ]   Sheffield City Guide [ Bars Clubs and Pubs ] [ Eating Out ] [ Shops ] Sheffield University Sorby Halls of Residence

[edit] Construction

Sorby Hall was constructed in 1961, a 12 storey concrete building consisting of 435 rooms and named after English microscopist and geologist Henry Clifton Sorby who had worked for the Univeristy of Sheffield. Each floor was given a letter rather than a number, with occupied rooms on floors C - M, the reception and in later life shop, cafe and I.T. suite on floor B (the ground level) and laundry facilities on floor A (the basement level).

[edit] Layout

Floors D - M were identical to each other, split into two unequal parts at the landing where the staircase and lifts were located. One side of the corridor contained 2 shared rooms and 8 single rooms, with a laundry/airing room and a bathroom containing shower, toilets and bath nearest the landing. The other side of the corridor had two bathrooms, a tutor/floor warden's (a student in their 2nd or 3rd year most often) room 3 double rooms and 11 single rooms. Both sides of the corridor had fire exits and phones for free use.

The two lifts that serviced the hall went to 'odd' and 'even' floors; one lift serving floors D, F, H, J, L and one lift serving E, G, I, K, M. Both lifts serviced floors A, B and C. Both lifts were also notorious for breaking down.

Each single room had a fitted carpet, a ceiling and table light, a notice board, a sink, a mirror, a cupboard, a desk and chair, a comfortable chair and a bed with mattress, with all other furniture and creature comforts provided by the occupant. Each room also had a large 'suicide' window. Not all rooms had their furniture set out in the same layout. The double rooms had a shared occupancy space featuring two desks with chairs, two comfortable chairs, lights and notice boards. Two other doors faced each other across this space leading to a much smaller room that contained a bed and cupboard.

Sadly, much of Sorby Hall was in disrepair - partly due to age, but mostly due to deliberate damage caused by residents; the most prevalent case of which was the continued breaking of ceiling tiles.

[edit] Demolition

Sorby Hall, along with Earnshaw, was demolished on the 27th August, 2006 at 11am as part of the projected building of a brand new 'hub' that would provide accomodation and services to the Earnshaw area.

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