Report - Pendleton House (former Coroner's Court), Salford - September 2018

[TVurbex]

History
Pendleton House was built during the Great Depression in 1936 as a Public Assistance Office, where the poor and unemployed were put through stringent means tests to determine whether or not they qualified for 'dole'. It is not documented how long this office functioned for, but when the adjacent Pendleton Town Hall (built 1868) was demolished in around 1970, the City of Salford Coroner's Court relocated to Pendleton House, where it remained until 2005.

Following the closure of the coroner's court due to accessibility issues, the building was used as offices for Salford City Council and Greater Manchester West Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust until around 2009. Office space was also shared with at least one non-council organisation.

Additionally, an attached single-storey office building to the rear (known as 'Back of Pendleton House') served as the Pendleton Walk-in-Centre health clinic from around 2004 to September 2011. Both buildings have been vacant since - under the ownership of Urban Vision, a council part-owned company.

Following a £790k purchase by a developer in 2017, the building is set to be converted into apartments over the next couple of years, with the removal of the coroner's court wood paneling etc. and demolition of the single-storey annexe. A new six-storey southern wing will be added on the site of the current car park (former Pendleton Town Hall location) and the main building retained.

Explore
Inspired by @Jbrxo's report, I decided to go and take a look. Access was unceremonious, and involved sitting on a metal barrier which functioned as what I can only describe as a 'magic carpet', naturally lowering me to the ground as branches gave way beneath me in a rather terrifying ordeal.

Much of the building is unremarkable, but the former coroner's court and some nice features remain in the main building. There are also various remnants of retro technology.

Pics
Main building (coroner's court)

'Back of Pendleton House'

Interview room - not sure what this was for?:

Walk-in-Centre:

Stuff
Safe & vault:

Thanks for looking

 

[mookster]

The interview room was probably for interviews, just a guess.

 

[TVurbex]

The interview room was probably for interviews, just a guess.

Yes, very funny, but what sort of interviews? Between whom? Why recorded? What's the police-style observation room for?

I also don't know for definite if it is an interview room - it just looks like one from the layout, sign etc. The word 'tribunals' is also written on the sticky note.

 

[Yorrick]

Yes, very funny, but what sort of interviews? Between whom? Why recorded? What's the police-style observation room for?

When someone dies, the role of the coroner is to determine who the deceased was and how, when and where they came by their death. When the death is suspected to have been either sudden with unknown cause, violent, or unnatural, the coroner decides whether to hold a post-mortem examination and, if necessary, an inquest. During an inquest, people may be required to give evidence in open court, or in private in an interview room such as that.

 

[TVurbex]

When someone dies, the role of the coroner is to determine who the deceased was and how, when and where they came by their death. When the death is suspected to have been either sudden with unknown cause, violent, or unnatural, the coroner decides whether to hold a post-mortem examination and, if necessary, an inquest. During an inquest, people may be required to give evidence in open court, or in private in an interview room such as that.

Thanks