Jump to content

Sheaf Market


Sheffield History

Recommended Posts

Screenshot 2020-06-05 at 20.49.07.jpg

SHEAF MARKET - SHEFFIELD CITY CENTRE

Sheaf Markets was a thriving and extremely busy market building, and in the 1970's and 80's you could buy just about anything in there.

I used to go in there every single Saturday morning and loved walking round experiencing it all

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Here's a picture from Peter Jones that brings back some memories - I remember the record shop underneath the markets

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I miss the markets.

Me and mum used to walk to town and then onto sheaf markets and down that ramp that lead to the Norfolk Arms pub. Used to be able to smell the chippy underneath.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest lesvegas

Anyone used to go in the cafe?

It was practiacally in the roof, it had birds flying all over it nicking chips

interesting fact,

Paul O Grady got the inspiration for Lily Savage from someone he saw in the cafe

I used to love going, lovely chip butties

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest lesvegas

honest ?

Yep

I heard it on tv once, cant remember what on but ive always rememberred it

I used to like sitting on the edge tables, you could look down into the market at the shop that had all the dusty bins (from 321) around the top of it

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Where were the open-air markets? I always thought they were on that site, but there's the building there on those pictures...

The building at the top of the picture is probably the old Corn Exchange which was eventualy demolished in the late 50s or early 60s. The unlucky company that started the job went bankrupt trying to knock it down.

The open air market, known affectionately as the Rag & Tag is to the tight of the picture.

Norman Bardwell (electronics shop now on Abbeydale Rd) could be found there every Saturday selling ex army walkie talkies that weighted about 60lbs. Just about portable......!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Where were the open-air markets? I always thought they were on that site, but there's the building there on those pictures...

A couple of pictures taken in December 1974 when the magic roundabout had been completed and the Sheaf Market was in full swing. One picture shows the market hall from the roundabout which was enclosed and built onto the back of Woolworths building, the other shows the open market. I am not exactly sure of the exact location of this, it may have been on the site of the old rag and tag to the left of the Sheaf market, but I think this may have been just a car park at the time. Alternatively and more likely it was to the right of the Sheaf market behind the Castle market on the site of the later Setts market, although it is difficult to see how they would have room for a market of this size in this area.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest transit

A couple of pictures taken in December 1974 when the magic roundabout had been completed and the Sheaf Market was in full swing. One picture shows the market hall from the roundabout which was enclosed and built onto the back of Woolworths building, the other shows the open market. I am not exactly sure of the exact location of this, it may have been on the site of the old rag and tag to the left of the Sheaf market, but I think this may have been just a car park at the time. Alternatively and more likely it was to the right of the Sheaf market behind the Castle market on the site of the later Setts market, although it is difficult to see how they would have room for a market of this size in this area.

....more or less a " panarama" shot! - the open market was to the right of pic 1- on the left of Exchange St - just like you have positioned the photos! The first pic shows the lettering "MARKET" but actually said "MARKETS" - the last section (albeit without the letter "S") can just be seen on the left of pic2 . I would think both photos were taken from the same spot. :unsure:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest transit

....more or less a " panarama" shot! - the open market was to the right of pic 1- on the left of Exchange St - just like you have positioned the photos! The first pic shows the lettering "MARKET" but actually said "MARKETS" - the last section (albeit without the letter "S") can just be seen on the left of pic2 . I would think both photos were taken from the same spot. :unsure:

....just noticed the interesting vehicles ..

pic1 - SUT (Sheffield United Tours) Panoramic Coach , based at the bottom end of Pond St Bus Station.

pic2 - L to R -1 Daimler Limousine . 2- Reliant Regal Supervan3 , as later made "popular?" by Delboy!. 3- Mini Clubman Estate. 4- Morris Marina ;-)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

....more or less a " panarama" shot! - the open market was to the right of pic 1- on the left of Exchange St - just like you have positioned the photos! The first pic shows the lettering "MARKET" but actually said "MARKETS" - the last section (albeit without the letter "S") can just be seen on the left of pic2 . I would think both photos were taken from the same spot. :unsure:

Yes I thought it was that way round, it just seems such a small space for such a big market. I remember in the mid 1990's being disappointed with the small "Setts Market" on this size as it amounted to nore more than a handful of stalls.

Glad you liked the vehicles which got included in the shot transit, one advantage of my old Sheffield pictures is that if they include vehicles by accident they are bound to be old vehicles. i used to have a 1975 Reliant Robin van which I believe is the model which replaced the Regal supervan 3. Great fun to drive and even though it was the wrong model I frequently got referred to as "Delboy" in the early 1980's

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi

Does anyone know when they started building the Sheaf market as I have got some old black and

white photographs which my brother took , just as they were doing the foundations.

Unfortunately he never dated them.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi

Does anyone know when they started building the Sheaf market as I have got some old black and

white photographs which my brother took , just as they were doing the foundations.

Unfortunately he never dated them.

My 2 photographs above were taken in 1974 towards the end of the year. As far as I know the old rag and tag vlosed in 1972, Sheaf Market opened in 1973 and the roundabout at the end of Sheaf Street (the magic roundabout) was done in the summer of 1974 but I can't be sure of the exact dates. Must have been in the early 1970's.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

All the books and pictures i have ever read show the Rag and Tag to be at the bottom of Commercial St, on the left as you go down. The site that stood as a car park for years and years. Like it shows in this picture.

Not where the old setts market was, as this was further round at the bottom of Exchange Street.

Have i got the wrong end of the stick with what people are saying in this thread, as it seems people are saying the Rag and Tag was at the bottom of Exchange street?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

All the books and pictures i have ever read show the Rag and Tag to be at the bottom of Commercial St, on the left as you go down. The site that stood as a car park for years and years. Like it shows in this picture.

Not where the old setts market was, as this was further round at the bottom of Exchange Street.

Have i got the wrong end of the stick with what people are saying in this thread, as it seems people are saying the Rag and Tag was at the bottom of Exchange street?

As you say the "Rag & Tag" was on the site of what was a car park for many years at the bottom of Commercial St. This was the original Sheaf Market.

The new Sheaf Market built 1972/73 was built on the site of the old Castlefolds Market which was on the right as you went down Exchange St. The Setts Market was a small area on the outside of the "New Sheaf Market".

This thread has some good photo's the show the relative position of each market, I don't think it is inferred the the "Rag & Tag" was on Exchange St.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ahhh, right.

I know where all the markets were, i just thought some people might have been getting things muddled thats all.

Thanks for clearing that up

Dan

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ahhh, right.

I know where all the markets were, i just thought some people might have been getting things muddled thats all.

Thanks for clearing that up

Dan

My 2 photographs in post #10 and transits comments about them in post #11 show the Sheaf Markets, bearing the large lettering "MARKET (S)" with the Setts market to their right. The Sheaf was behind Woolworths and Setts behind Castle Market. The rag and tag, not in the pictures because it had closed by 1974, was to the left of the Sheaf Market on the other side of Dixon Lane.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't know if I've ever posted these pictures before , I can't seem to find them

but if I have then here's a second look.

It's the building of the Sheaf Market.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

In the 1911 census, my grandfather, William Henry Parker, is listed as a 'drayman' and living with the Milner family. Wondering if any photos are out there of this time period of the market or the addresses they have listed below please? Or if by chance there is a photo of this store the family ran, which seems would have been a bakery? After the Great War my grandpa immigrated to Canada and trying to piece his life over there before coming here. Thanks. 
Milner, Samuel (, Confectioner).
     Address: 50 Duke Street, 11 Sheaf Market & 38 & 40 Olivet Road, Woodseats, in 1905 and 1911. Also at Sheaf Market in 1925 business directory.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, 30mmavenger said:

In the 1911 census, my grandfather, William Henry Parker, is listed as a 'drayman' and living with the Milner family. Wondering if any photos are out there of this time period of the market or the addresses they have listed below please? Or if by chance there is a photo of this store the family ran, which seems would have been a bakery? After the Great War my grandpa immigrated to Canada and trying to piece his life over there before coming here. Thanks. 
Milner, Samuel (, Confectioner).
     Address: 50 Duke Street, 11 Sheaf Market & 38 & 40 Olivet Road, Woodseats, in 1905 and 1911. Also at Sheaf Market in 1925 business directory.

Not the period but here is 50 Duke Street in 1957, 2 doors above Anson Street. Full picture at Picture Sheffield here   -------

http://picturesheffield.com/frontend.php?keywords=Ref_No_increment;EQUALS;s14978&pos=42&action=zoom&id=17771

50_duke_street.jpg

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, 30mmavenger said:

Milner, Samuel (, Confectioner).
     Address: 50 Duke Street, 11 Sheaf Market & 38 & 40 Olivet Road, Woodseats, in 1905 and 1911. Also at Sheaf Market in 1925 business directory.

The current 38 and 40 Olivet Road are unusual looking older buildings, I wonder if they are the same ones ?

38_and_40_olivet_road.png

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thank you boginspro!! Those buildings on Olivet sure do look older. My grandpa was on the training ship called The Southampton in about 1905 and from there I don't know if he went with this family or ended up here after, but that is what I am trying to piece together. His life from 1905 until he enlisted in WWI, and then came to Canada in 1920. Is there a way to find out how long this Milner family may have stayed at these places or the market?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...