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Guant Yard Darnall


kevstones

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I have a relative living in Gaunt Yard Darnall in 1851. Googled it but nothing. Does anybody have any information please?

Kevin

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In 1849 based on complaints from the inhabitants, the Sheffield Town Council set up a committee to report on the conduct of the Poor Law Board, in Attercliffe and Darnall.  The Poor Law Board were responsible for sanitary arrangements.  The report was published for comments, and set off a tirade of political recriminations.  The Clerk to the Guardians (Poor Law Board) was John Watkinson.  He had been personally involved in some heavy handed clean up operations during that September – demolishing privies, destroying water troughs and removing beds that he deemed dirty. The most damaging activity however was arranging for the fire brigade to play their hoses on many of the houses in the village, using water from the canal, and from other ponds including Whitworth’s pond which was a run off for various stables and cowhouses. 

Immediately afterwards ten cholera deaths occurred plus ten victims who recovered.  Details of the residents complaints were printed in the Independent on 3rd November 1849.

 

“ Esther Seagur, wife of Charles Seagur, warehouseman.  We live in Gaunt’s or Queen’s Head yard in Attercliffe.  I remember two men coming into our yard on the 19th September last, about nine in the morning.  They said they had come from the Sheffield Workhouse, and had orders to clean out the ash place and privy, which are common to all the six houses in the yard.  They took out the soil and threw it into the yard, where it remained until six in the evening.  It was very offensive, from being so exposed, and made me feel quite ill.  When we ourselves clean out the ash place &c,. we back a cart up to it, and throw in the soil, and take it away immediately.  The ash place, &c, had been cleaned out about a fortnight ago, in consequence of a printed notice issued by the Surveyors of Highways.  When  they took away the soil, they left the yard in a very dirty condition, and we had to wash and clean it.  The neighbours complained very much of the proceedings, considering them unnecessary.  I remember the fire engines coming, on the 21st September.  The same two men were with them.  We have an old detached building, which was formerly used as a malt house, but now as a lumber room.  There was a swill tub in it.  It was a good tub, and nearly full of swill.  Also two empty tubs.  The door of this building was locked, and one of the men asked for the key, which I refused to give him.  He threatened to break open the door, and in consequence I unlocked it.  He then upset the swill tub, and rolled it and the two empty tubs into the yard, which caused an offensive smell.  In about half an hour afterwards, a fire-engine, accompanied by several men, was brought into the yard.  A young man on horseback, who I have since learned was Mr.Watkinson, Jun., gave directions to the men what to do.  I told them that the houses had lately been limewashed, and begged them not to play against them, particularly as one of the windows was an old lead one, and would not bear the force of the water.  I went upstairs to fasten the window, and when I made my appearance there, they began to play against the window, and the water was driven in and ran over the chamber floor, to the top of the stairs, some of it falling upon my person.  The men laughed an seemed amused.  The water was dreadfully dirty.  I felt very alarmed at the proceedings.  When they had gone, my house was in a shocking state, and I was occupied a long time in drying and cleaning it.  Many of my neighbours were treated in a similar way.  The window of one of them was broken by the water.  Young Watkinson was riding about on horseback all the time, giving directions, and seemed very busy.

Benj. Charles, living in the same yard, spoke to the same facts, and said he had been made ill by the stench of the water."

 

John Watkinson replied in the Independent on 24th November, refuting all the statements and justifying his actions.  No further action seems to have been taken on this matter, but in February 1954 the Board of Guardians of the Poor Law Union held an investigation into the conduct of the clerk, Mr Watkinson.  It was alleged that he often refused to carry out the instructions of the Board and that he treated the Poor in the harshest manner possible.  No mention was made of the events in Attercliffe in 1849.  Although there were some statements in his defence, he was forced to resign as of 12th April 1854.

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Assuming that Gaunt Yard is the same as Queens Head Yard, here are the 1851 Census entries for the area, which is on Church street, Attercliffe (which would become Worksop Road).  The Queens Head pub was occupied by Henry Elvidge, and there is no record of this pub in the Sheffield History pub index.  Looking at the 1853 map, I have made a suggestion for Gaunt Yard / Queens Head Yard as being either A or B.  The building marked in red is Benjamin Huntsman's house, which later became the Britannia, but was this a pub called the Queens Head in 1851?  (The old penny had Britannia on one side and the Queen's head on the other.....possibly there had been confusion with the other Queens Head at the top of Shirland Road)  The history of the Britannia pub before 1869 is not clear.  In 1890 the large building at the rear of Hunstmans house was a malthouse - had it reverted back to being a malthouse (as described in the newspaper account)?

Church_street_1_1851.thumb.jpg.a0d96a71f

Church_street_1851.thumb.jpg.9ee8ab757dc

Queens_Head_Yard_1851.thumb.jpg.f61a7299

Queens_Head_1851.thumb.jpg.50c14b6cd5909

Church_Street_1853.thumb.png.0b972464106

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1851

Mr. Gaunts yard  2342=532b

 

John Gaunt  Darnall House 2342-533

 

 

John Gaunt ran a grocers / tea dealers shop on Westbar Green for many years.  He seems to have retired to Darnall, with his wife Judith, who was there with him in 1841 but had died during 1846. In 1851 the census refers to his neighbours as living in Mr Gaunt Yard:

Mr_Gaunt_Yard_Darnall_1851.thumb.jpg.c56

John_Gaunt_Darnall_1851.thumb.jpg.c165dd

 

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