Old halls of residence
As we look back over 50 (or more) years, we’ve been gathering memories of time spent in some of our Halls of Residence which are no longer in use. Please comment below with your memories, especially from Chalmers, Peterson, and other halls which are no longer being used.
Airlie Hall, Airlie Place
Airlie Terrace was demolished to make way for the DUSA building, but the buildings in the rest of Airlie Place are now used for a variety of University departments, including the School of Nursing & Health Sciences, the Nursery, Careers and several others.
Do you remember Airlie Hall? Comment below …
Airlie Terrace taken by George Massie
Airlie Hall, 1966
I lived in number 4 Airlie for a while and then number 10 for the rest of the year… my original bedroom was the one I ended up working in when I first started as an International Officer for the University!
Belmont Hall
Belmont Tower and a new Belmont Hall are still in use, but the old refectory and the original halls are no longer there. Do you remember eating at Belmont?
Belmont Refectory, 1970s
Wimberley Houses
Situated near Ninewells, Wimberley Houses were vacated by the University, and converted into private homes recently. Were you a Wimberley resident?
Regarding photo of Belmont Refectory. The year shown underneath cannot be correct. I know, and am still in touch with, a couple of those shown in the photo and they were only in Belmont for academic years 66/67 and 67/68.
Thanks, we’ll go back and check. Were you in Belmont?
You are almost correct as I am in the picture and I was in Belmont 1968/69
I used to work on the servery at Belmont Refectory, it was always busy the dining room used to be full, the picture is the sameas how I remember it the table used to be all set
What about Peterson Halls?!
Have you got any memories or photos from Peterson?
Yeah, would alo like to know about them. Stayed there in 1989 for one term before moving into Springfield Avenue.
My Mother, Elizabeth. H.L Boath, was a resident in Airlie Hall in the 1920s, when she was a Medical Student.
She married Alexander Robertson in 1923- they had an apartment in 21 Airlie Place,first floor where I was born in 1926-
What a lovely story, thank you so much for getting in touch!
There was University housing along the Perth Road – I used to stay at 40 Perth Road – they are private flats now. The same goes for Springfield. There were West Park Halls too. Stayed at Peterson Halls during the summer of 2003 to attend my graduation. Loads of memories but sadly no grounds photos in the archive.
Wonderful to see some of these photos. I lived in G6-1 Belmont hall for 2 years (so I suppose my room still exists!) then Peterson House for my third year in 1985. Peterson was quite spacious, really, with a large kitchen-diner and a separate living room. Lots of room to party! I moved to Leeds in 1988 but my youngest son is now resident in Seabraes having followed his mum’s advice about Dundee being a great place to study. Thanks for these memories!
I remember meals in Belmont- 1973. Wednesday lunch was particularly leisurely- most had a half day & lunch was followed by biscuits & cheese.
We would also occasionally book the music room to use its hi fi & Sunday night was a must for Morcambe & Wise in the TV room.
I was in Chalmers Hall academic year 77/78. There were four floors – three floors of men and one of women. It was a great place to live!
I was in Chalmers 95/96 when it was one floor men two floor women! Best crowd of folk and a great time was had by all.
I was in Chalmers for 85/86 and 86/87. Brilliant if somewhat anarchic time. As it only held around 80 people you knew everyone pretty well. Parties could encompass one or two floors of the building and the roof! The food was generally terrible, somehow our first meal on the first day of Freshers was leftovers and it didn’t get much better, so being in the town centre was very useful if you wanted to not die from malnutrition. Lots of great memories and lifelong friends from there.
Spent my first year in Airlie hall (73-74). Convenient for both Old & New Unions!!
Shame about the Sunday morning bagpipe practice 9.00am-10.00am then Perth Rd church bells 10.00am-11.00am!!
I was at 26 Wimberley Houses for 3 years: 1976-79. There were four Medics and two Social Scientists during this period except one year when it was 3 and 3. The House of Wimberley (as we called it) was really a place for Medics. We are still all in touch, have attended each others weddings and meet up regularly, particularly significant birthdays.
Our local was the Invercarse Hotel (t’Carse) nearby, particularly on a Sunday evening, but the large Students’ Association bar (t’Union) was the most popular particularly on Friday and Saturday nights.
I was on the Student Association Council and successfully lobbied the University to install a phone box ( no mobiles then) and laundry (washing machines and dryers) for the 200+ residents.
I stayed in Wimberley 92/93. I dont have madly fond memories especially of the walk home from the uni, but my flatmates, Robbie, James, Andy, Krispy Kris and Sam the Eagle were legendary.
My year were probably some of the last students to stay in the old Belmont Halls and use the canteen. I really liked my room – it was bright, warm and generously proportioned, especially compared to my friends miniscule room in Peterson Halls. There was an ongoing battle about the lawn in front – management persisted in trying to stop people walking across it even though it was a ridiculous detour to go the proper way, even putting up a fence at one point which was quickly destroyed! I liked the warm wood in the canteen, but wasn’t so keen on the food… In general I feel Belmont Hall was alot warmer and lived in than the newer more hospital like student halls that are designed now.
I was in Belmont annexe in 1991. Studied Chemistry. It’s all knocked down now. Went on to stay in a flat in Blackness Road. Memories of Belmont refectory include boiled eggs and toast for breakfast and queuing for dinner in evenings. My daughter Bethany may be heading to Dundee Uni in September, 26 years later!! I’m a Depute Headteacher and am always very positive about my alma mater
I was in West Park Hall in 1968/9. Top floor overlooking the graveyard, loved the view! I remember formal hall dinners some nights when you had to wear your gown. Also phone duty in the evenings. There was one line in and you had to take the calls and run to the room of whoever was wanted.
Likewise remember, I came in 1969 and remained at West Park Hall for my first 2 years. I also recall the Burns Night formal dinner, Peter Ustinov coming to lunch on one occasion. Miss Canon was the warden. After a ball one year the male guests were counted out, but some came back in via a downstairs window to be counted out again – much to the consternation of the poor chap doing the counting!
Then a flat in the centre of Dundee with at least 3 others – from Iraq, Czechoslovakia & Aberdeen. Fourth year in Peterson House, with the friend from Aberdeen and 3 medics – and we are still very much in touch with each other and meet up whenever we can.
I arrived in Dundee in 1998 and stayed in a halls of residence at the top of Blackness Road, I think it was called Duncan House? It was a small building with communal kitchens beside an older, Victorian-style building. We were almost certainly the last year to use that halls.
I was at Wimberley in 1975. The rooms were so small, if I stretched my arms out sideways looking out of the window, I could touch the bookshelf unit on one wall and the wall opposite. I was a grad student, rather than an undergrad, and I was in a block inhabited by medical post-grads from the Middle East. It was a very short walk for them to Ninewells hospital. It was open house to all their friends, and it was fascinating for me to share in all this.
I was in Belmont (tower) 1972/3 and loved it. Menus were displayed outside the dining hall each week and one group of students – who had sherry before dinner! – had carefully chosen an expensive bottle of wine to go with the chicken dish one evening. Unfortunately they took so long over their sherry there was nothing left but Spam by the time they appeared. This was very much the Monty Python period so for the rest of the year they were regaled with the Spam song wherever they went.