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Wadsley Bridge/ Niagara House


Guest rachman

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Guest rachman

Hi there, new to this site.

I am researching my maternal Grandmother's family and have made great progress through the normal channels but am drawing a blank when it comes to where they lived in their latter years.

census return for 1901 shows the family living in a place called Forge Yard, along with several other families it appears. What was the exact location of Forge Yard please? I am guessing on or near Clay Wheel Lane.

Secondly, I know that shortly after this the family moved into a house called Niagara House. It was here that my mother was born in 1915 and lived for a short while before the family moved to Pembrokeshire.

Can anyone recall exactly where Niagara house stood? It was not a particularly grand house, but was a substantial detached property. I believe it was knocked down in the early 1950's, possibly to make way for the Police sports and social complex at the end of the existing Niagara (no-through) Road.

My grandmother's name was Dorothy Staniforth and she later married Sydney Ward (of Thomas W Ward company). Both families were involved in the steel industry as cutlers and steel reclaim.

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Hello and Welcome to the Site.

For your information 1957 (Kelly's) lists Pilkington Arth. (Brewery cott)

... Limestone Cottage Lane ...

Sheffield Gas Co.'s Sports Ground

on Claywheels Lane.

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George Staniforth, Cashier, Duke of Norfolk Estate, Corn Exchange Buildings; home Niagara House, Beeley Wood Road, Wadsley Bridge (White's 1919 and Kelly's 1925)

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1957 again

Beeley Wood Road ...

Number 11 Robinson Kenneth, dairyman

... Niagara Road ...

Staniforth Lennox (Niagara House)

City Police Recreation Society Ground

... Niagara Yard ...

then J & W Greaves and Son, wire manufacturers, Niagara Works

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Guest rachman

Fantastic - thanks so much for your prompt replies. I have a 1902 OS map of Hillsborough area so knowing it was on Beeley Wood road, I can hazard a guess as to the location.

George Staniforth was my great Grandfather on my mother's side and George Lennox was one of his 3 sons, along with Jack and William. This is great info you have supplied - I will probably be back later with more questions re the Ward side of the family! Ashley Skelton Ward, (later Sir Ashley Ward) Herbert Ward, Thomas W Ward junior and senior. Through marriage, Herbert's daughter Clementina joined the Wolstenholme family, another renowned name in the cutlery business who later developed and brought into production the use of stainless steel in cutlery. So many questions, but enough to digest for now. Thanks again

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Guest rachman

Wow, perfect! My mum died in 2005 at age 90 and I know she was trying desperately to find this information right to the end but drew a blank with the Sheffield council officials she contacted. Wish I'd had access to this site for her then, so, on her behalf, a big thank you. Amazing how important your family history becomes as you get older!

Ref the earlier Staniforth address showing in 1901 census as Forge Yard - might this have been close by do you know?

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1901, previous image has Penistone Road, then Travellers Inn, then Gate Inn then Penistone Road again, then Pump Yard then Forge Yard

after the last image it goes to Wadsley Bridge, then Quality Row, then Penistone Road (briefly 1 household) then Leppings Lane.

Wow, perfect! My mum died in 2005 at age 90 and I know she was trying desperately to find this information right to the end but drew a blank with the Sheffield council officials she contacted. Wish I'd had access to this site for her then, so, on her behalf, a big thank you. Amazing how important your family history becomes as you get older! Ref the earlier Staniforth address showing in 1901 census as Forge Yard - might this have been close by do you know?

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Guest rachman

Thanks for further details - yes, Broughton Rd then previous to that and parallel to Broughton is 61 Burrowlee Road where Dorothy was born, and before that even is 611 Penistone Road, now a B & Q I believe! This is where George was born and lived with his father, another George!

Don't wish to overload you, you've been fantastic so far -but 2 more quick questions - approx date/era Niagara was built?

and moving on to the Ward side of the family, they lived at Fern Villas, Bierley Carr, Wadsley Bridge - no road or street available, any clue of the location of this and is it still standing?

I attach 3 pics - one of Niagara House approx 1910 (my mother wrote on it, as she tended to do!), and both sides of a postcard sent by my Ward grandfather, Sydney, to his neice Constance Jackson in 1904. She was staying with his father at Fern Villas. The postcard is generally of Wadsley Bridge - can you identify the road shown please?

Best regards

Phil

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Well the pub on the left looks as though it could say "Travelers Inn" but it's only scanned at 72dpi so it pixelates when you blow it up.

If it does say Travelers then it's in the wrong place.

The railway bridge (if indeed it is one) certainly isn't Five Arches so it could be the one on Halifax Rd, Bottom of Foxhill Road.

They're the only two bridges around there as far as I know.

Can't make it fit with any Streetviews round there.

We need the name of the pub

Baffled

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Travelled this road over 20,000 times - on the way to Chaucer Scholl 1971-1980, plus worked briefly at Batchelorsand againbrieflyat Parkes Restaurant - it should look familiar !

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"Don't wish to overload you, you've been fantastic so far -but 2 more quick questions - approx date/era Niagara was built?

and moving on to the Ward side of the family, they lived at Fern Villas, Bierley Carr, Wadsley Bridge - no road or street available, any clue of the location of this and is it still standing?

I attach 3 pics - one of Niagara House approx 1910 (my mother wrote on it, as she tended to do!), and both sides of a postcard sent by my Ward grandfather, Sydney, to his neice Constance Jackson in 1904. She was staying with his father at Fern Villas. "

Hi rachman ..... Working around that area today, so I went for a walk, and

Assuming that we are talking of Fern Villas, Birley Carr (note the spelling) then the answer to your question is, yes Fern Villas is still standing, they are now No.6/8 Aysgarth Road, Sheffield S6 1HU

I have taken photos of both houses, so if you would like copies send me a private message with your email address and I will pass them on.

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Guest rachman

Ok guys, last challenge...

Ashley Skelton Ward 1977-1955, master cutler in 1939 and later Sir Ashley, was my mother's uncle.

She used to talk of visiting him at his house, called Sandygate. What is the location of this house, please?

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Sandygate House looks to have been on what's now Coldwell Lane. It's shown on the Godfrey map Yorkshire sheet 294.06 ( Sheffield Rivelin Glen) 1902.The area has been built over, but there's a group of older buildings that may be the remains of the place (one conversion is called The Coach House and the one by the road appears to have been reduced by the road alignment) They look in about the right place.

Google map

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Niagara House 1896,

Multiple Advertisements and Notices .

The Sheffield & Rotherham Independent (Sheffield, England), Tuesday, August 18, 1896;

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