Greenbank Halls of Residence

Derby Hall was built on land acquired in Allerton from the Rathbones of Greenbank. It was designed by Harold Dod, the architect who designed the Harold Cohen Library, and was officially opened by Lord Derby in 1939.

Dr Donald E Stevenson lived in Derby Hall from 1951 to 1954. He remembers:

"During my first year in Hall...we studied until about ten each evening, when we would chat for about half an hour over tea, coffee or cocoa and make toast on the electric fire before getting on with more swotting.

During the week dinner was ‘formal’ i.e., it was at a set time, we sat at specific tables, gowns were worn and grace was said. The food was sufficient and reasonable – rationing was a thing of the past and fast food had not been invented.

When we wanted a drink we walked to one of the local pubs such as the Rose of Mossley. Dances were a common form of weekend evening entertainment with a steady stream being provided by Barkhill, the DomSci’s, Physics, Student Union, nurses etc. etc."

Greenbank House, the home of the Rathbone family, was presented to the University in 1944 and formed an annexe to Derby Hall until 1963-4, when it was converted into a social club for staff and students. The Greenbank site was expanded with the addition of Rathbone Hall in 1959 and Roscoe and Gladstone Halls in 1965.

In 2018, as part of a plan by the University to build and upgrade accomodation, Derby House, Rathbone Hall, Rathbone House, Warden’s House, Warden’s Court and Roscoe and Gladstone Halls were replaced by three new student accommodation blocks (Derby Hall, Rathbone Hall and Gladstone Hall).