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Tyler Street Huts, Brightside


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TYLER STREET HUTS, BRIGHTSIDE, SHEFFIELD

The 'HUTS' as they were termed consisted of blocks (6 dwellings per Block) of wooden buildings erected during the 1914 war to house Belgium refugees who came to work in the local munitions factories.

Two other settlements were established, one at Tinsley and the other at Petre Street.

Each dwelling comprised 3 bedrooms, 1 living room and 1 kitchen. An outside block provided a toilet and a coal store. The heating was provided by a coal burning stove in the living room with an oven and grate and heating surface for boiling etc. A bath in the kitchen was served with a cold water tap plus a gas heated boiler for washing purposes (clothes etc) and providing the hot water for baths. The walls and ceilings of the buildings were lined with asbestos panels and were not soundproof. The Chimney from the stove provided a certain amount of surround heat before passing out through the roof. Lighting was supplied by gas mantles in the living room and bat wing burners in the bedrooms.

A very strong community spirit was enjoyed by all the residents, who looked after each other and their homes. No need to worry about intruders, for no one had many treasured possessions around that period of time.

A Provisions store named the 'A1 Stores' occupied the first block on Tyler Street and was run by a Mr Saunders and later enlarged when Mr Dan Rodgers bought the store. Mr Rodgers was the former manager of a store in Brightside named Gallons. He had a wife and family, a daughter Joan and a son Harry, who later took over the business and opened a further store on the Tinsley Huts complex. The rent office occupied the remainder of the Tyler Street block at No 1.

All the roads off Tyler Street were numbered 1 to 8. Many of the tenants on the Tyler Street site opened up the living room to sell provisions in addition to the Rodgers A1 Store.

I remember :

Wilcocks (frank & Amy) Tyler Street

Mitchells

Wolfs

Ludlows 5th Road

Worleys (George)

Finch (wee pipe) 6t h Road

Smiths 4th Road

Captain Darley Estate Manager

Mr Hepworth Clerk

Syd Johnson Rent Collector

Joe Fearnley Plumber

Steve Smallcombe Cobbler

The local Fire Brigade Volunteers headed by Steve Smallcombe and Mr McKay regularly practised and dealt with the occasional chimney fire.

A large wooden hall was erected on Tyler Street to cater for dancing, concerts and recreation. Part of the building was sectioned off to provide the billiards area with two full sized tables. In charge of the section were two brothers, Tom and Stan Phipps with their wives working the unit on a weekly rota. Among others providing the musical entertainment were : -

Percy White Pianist

Bert Round Violin

Harry Brooks Trumpet

A young soprano on these concerts was a local girl called Maud Haywood who had a lovely voice. One song I well recall was 'Among My souvenirs', no microphones in those days !

A wooden hut on the Roman Ridge road served as a Fish and Chip shop, ran by a Mr Barsbey. I well remember their son Ron, who was in the same class as me at school in Brightside as you could smell the cooking fat on his clothes, which at that time was dripping fat, but what a treat when you had money for a Fish & Chip supper.

The approach of summer was always heralded by Anna who made ice cream in her churns and sold cornets from her barrow. What a treat, well before Walls 'Stop me and Buy one'. Another familiar sight was the Bread Vans selling from their vans, in particular the bakers from Carbrook Street with their decorated vans 'Daily Bread' Ensign. 2lb loaves 1&1/2 pence sold only from the bakery and from their vans, which had a huge triphone horn mounted over the cab that you could hear well before they arrived.

The nearest form of public transport was a twenty minute walk to Brightside tram terminus or the railway station at Brightside. Later on a bus service was introduced running along Tyler Street to Wincobank. Mr Woods, who lived on 3rd Road, was the local Coal Merchant who delivered by Horse and Cart and later obtained an old lorry to do the round, but many a time the horse power came to his rescue when he could not start the lorry engine. A later venture by Mr Woods was to obtain a very old Fiat Charabanc and after weeks of tinkering managed to get the engine running. He became very confident with his skill over the engine problems and advertised on a slate that he was to operate an evening trip to Roach Abbey, fare one shilling, the departure time was 5pm. On that evening everyone turned out to see the rich people board the charabanc via the running boards, steps and into the long seating areas. Being summer time the canvas hood was rolled back and strapped down. To loud cheers they departed on time 5.00pm. As 10pm approached people were gathering along 3rd road to welcome home the Trippers. By 11.00pm no one had arrived and then along came a few weary people bearing the news that the old charabanc had broken down on the outward journey at Tinsley, a distance of around 4 miles, so they all went along to the Plumpers Hotel at Tinsley and stayed there until the landlord told them to leave at closing time, leaving the charabanc to be towed away later. Mr Woods returned their money and said he would let them know when he was up and running.

A Mr Wren Clark was the local bookmaker's runner, often being chased by the police, sometimes in plain clothes, to catch him with betting slips on him and arrest him. It was not uncommon for Wren Clark to belt through your home via the front door and out through the back door to escape the police with instructions to lock the doors after he had made his escape.

Families I remember well include :-

Haycock, Hobson, Scott, Peacock, Johnson, Wright, Onion, Ludlow, Spire, Simonite, Tompkinson, Giles, Webb, Hallstone, Rowden, Mitchell, Unwin, Sharp, Crow, Crier, Kearn, McKay, Harper, Enoch, Telford, Taylor, Tomey or Tomney, Buckley, Worley, Hale, Carter, Critchley, Prestidge, Speakman, Barsbey, Wilcock and Bennett.

Brightside school provided the place of learning and did a very good job with strict disciplinary instruction under the head of boys dept Mr Barnard (Ex Submarine Captain) and the girls dept was lead by Mrs Sally Banister.

There were many pubs around the area including, The Rising Sun, Jenkin Road, The Railway Inn, Dearn Street, The White Swan, Jenkin Road, Hole In The Wall, The Bridge Inn, Fox & Grapes, The Crown Inn, The Foundry Arms and The Engineers.

As with most districts a Co-Op store was a must and our local one was in Eben Square, Brightside. Other shops in the area were Gibsons, Butcher, Jenkin Road, Kershaws, Fruit and Veg and Youngs, Sweets. One other trader of that period was wee pipe Priestley, the Pawnbroker who helped many families with cash loans against their deposit of goods to be redeemed when required.

Very poor times but never the less happy days with little or no crime compared to the modern times of today.

The HUTS were pulled down and fired in 1939 on the outbreak of war and the residents were re-housed by Sheffield Corporation on Parsons Cross and Southet Estates.

THE ABOVE DESCRIPTION AND HISTORY OF THE HUTS WAS PRESENTED TO MY FATHER IN LAW, NORMAN JOHNSON, IN JUNE 2008 ON THE OCCASION OF HIS 90TH BIRTHDAY BY MR ALF SHIVLOCK, WHO IS ALSO 90 THIS YEAR AND LIVED AT NO 40 FIFTH ROAD, TYLER STREET, BRIGHTSIDE. NORMAN ALSO LIVED IN THE HUTS AS A YOUNG MAN.

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A Mr Wren Clark was the local bookmaker's runner, often being chased by the police, sometimes in plain clothes, to catch him with betting slips on him and arrest him. It was not uncommon for Wren Clark to belt through your home via the front door and out through the back door to escape the police with instructions to lock the doors after he had made his escape.

--------------------------------------------------------------------

He sounds like a fun character !

Thanks for posting, a few more Sheffield memories saved for all.

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My mum lived in them in the late 1920s I think it was and coming from a back to back on Newhall Road she said they were lovely. Betty Dickinson wrote a book about them - Shanty Town - should be available in Sheffield library

Lyn

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My mum lived in them in the late 1920s I think it was and coming from a back to back on Newhall Road she said they were lovely. Betty Dickinson wrote a book about them - Shanty Town - should be available in Sheffield library

Lyn

I Wonder if these or the ones on Petre Street are the ones my mums friend was telling her about as raised in one of my previous posts, I know they are not Neepsend but the mind of a 92 year old could be mixing up the locations, but her discription was as though she still lived in the huts?

"Hi

My mum was talking to someone who lived in Neepsend Huts, does anyone have any information nabout these huts, life there and there location? "

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Grand stuff Toner

Have you seen these photographs ? The first two are of the Brightside Huts and the second two are the ones over near Petre Street, Grimesthorpe.

http://www.picturesheffield.co.uk/cgi-bin/...jpgh/s00748.jpg

http://www.picturesheffield.co.uk/cgi-bin/...jpgh/s00750.jpg

http://www.picturesheffield.co.uk/cgi-bin/...jpgh/s12659.jpg

http://www.picturesheffield.com/cgi-bin/pi...ff.refno=y01133

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TYLER STREET HUTS, BRIGHTSIDE, SHEFFIELD

The “HUTS” as they were termed consisted of blocks (6 dwellings per Block) of wooden buildings erected during the 1914 war to house Belgium refugees who came to work in the local munitions factories.

Two other settlements were established, one at Tinsley and the other at Petre Street.

Each dwelling comprised 3 bedrooms, 1 living room and 1 kitchen. An outside block provided a toilet and a coal store. The heating was provided by a coal burning stove in the living room with an oven and grate and heating surface for boiling etc. A bath in the kitchen was served with a cold water tap plus a gas heated boiler for washing purposes (clothes etc) and providing the hot water for baths. The walls and ceilings of the buildings were lined with asbestos panels and were not soundproof. The Chimney from the stove provided a certain amount of surround heat before passing out through the roof. Lighting was supplied by gas mantles in the living room and bat wing burners in the bedrooms.

A very strong community spirit was enjoyed by all the residents, who looked after each other and their homes. No need to worry about intruders, for no one had many treasured possessions around that period of time.

A Provisions store named the “A1 Stores” occupied the first block on Tyler Street and was run by a Mr Saunders and later enlarged when Mr Dan Rodgers bought the store. Mr Rodgers was the former manager of a store in Brightside named Gallons. He had a wife and family, a daughter Joan and a son Harry, who later took over the business and opened a further store on the Tinsley Huts complex. The rent office occupied the remainder of the Tyler Street block at No 1.

All the roads off Tyler Street were numbered 1 to 8. Many of the tenants on the Tyler Street site opened up the living room to sell provisions in addition to the Rodgers “A1 Store”.

I remember :

Wilcocks (frank & Amy) Tyler Street

Mitchells “

Wolfs “

Ludlows 5th Road

Worleys (George) “

Finch (wee pipe) 6t h Road

Smiths 4th Road

Captain Darley Estate Manager

Mr Hepworth Clerk

Syd Johnson Rent Collector

Joe Fearnley Plumber

Steve Smallcombe Cobbler

The local Fire Brigade Volunteers headed by Steve Smallcombe and Mr McKay regularly practised and dealt with the occasional chimney fire.

A large wooden hall was erected on Tyler Street to cater for dancing, concerts and recreation. Part of the building was sectioned off to provide the billiards area with two full sized tables. In charge of the section were two brothers, Tom and Stan Phipps with their wives working the unit on a weekly rota. Among others providing the musical entertainment were : -

Percy White Pianist

Bert Round Violin

Harry Brooks Trumpet

A young soprano on these concerts was a local girl called Maud Haywood who had a lovely voice. One song I well recall was “Among My souvenirs”, no microphones in those days !

A wooden hut on the Roman Ridge road served as a Fish and Chip shop, ran by a Mr Barsbey. I well remember their son Ron, who was in the same class as me at school in Brightside as you could smell the cooking fat on his clothes, which at that time was dripping fat, but what a treat when you had money for a Fish & Chip supper.

The approach of summer was always heralded by “Anna” who made ice cream in her churns and sold cornets from her barrow. What a treat, well before Walls “Stop me and Buy one”. Another familiar sight was the Bread Vans selling from their vans, in particular the bakers from Carbrook Street with their decorated vans “Daily Bread” Ensign. 2lb loaves 1&1/2 pence sold only from the bakery and from their vans, which had a huge triphone horn mounted over the cab that you could hear well before they arrived.

The nearest form of public transport was a twenty minute walk to Brightside tram terminus or the railway station at Brightside. Later on a bus service was introduced running along Tyler Street to Wincobank. Mr Woods, who lived on 3rd Road, was the local Coal Merchant who delivered by Horse and Cart and later obtained an old lorry to do the round, but many a time the horse power came to his rescue when he could not start the lorry engine. A later venture by Mr Woods was to obtain a very old Fiat Charabanc and after weeks of tinkering managed to get the engine running. He became very confident with his skill over the engine problems and advertised on a slate that he was to operate an evening trip to Roach Abbey, fare one shilling, the departure time was 5pm. On that evening everyone turned out to see the rich people board the charabanc via the running boards, steps and into the long seating areas. Being summer time the canvas hood was rolled back and strapped down. To loud cheers they departed on time 5.00pm. As 10pm approached people were gathering along 3rd road to welcome home the “Trippers”. By 11.00pm no one had arrived and then along came a few weary people bearing the news that the old charabanc had broken down on the outward journey at Tinsley, a distance of around 4 miles, so they all went along to the Plumpers Hotel at Tinsley and stayed there until the landlord told them to leave at closing time, leaving the charabanc to be towed away later. Mr Woods returned their money and said he would let them know when he was up and running.

A Mr Wren Clark was the local bookmaker’s runner, often being chased by the police, sometimes in plain clothes, to catch him with betting slips on him and arrest him. It was not uncommon for Wren Clark to belt through your home via the front door and out through the back door to escape the police with instructions to lock the doors after he had made his escape.

Families I remember well include :-

Haycock, Hobson, Scott, Peacock, Johnson, Wright, Onion, Ludlow, Spire, Simonite, Tompkinson, Giles, Webb, Hallstone, Rowden, Mitchell, Unwin, Sharp, Crow, Crier, Kearn, McKay, Harper, Enoch, Telford, Taylor, Tomey or Tomney, Buckley, Worley, Hale, Carter, Critchley, Prestidge, Speakman, Barsbey, Wilcock and Bennett.

Brightside school provided the place of learning and did a very good job with strict disciplinary instruction under the head of boys dept Mr Barnard (Ex Submarine Captain) and the girls dept was lead by Mrs Sally Banister.

There were many pubs around the area including, The Rising Sun, Jenkin Road, The Railway Inn, Dearn Street, The White Swan, Jenkin Road, Hole In The Wall, The Bridge Inn, Fox & Grapes, The Crown Inn, The Foundry Arms and The Engineers.

As with most districts a Co-Op store was a must and our local one was in Eben Square, Brightside. Other shops in the area were Gibsons, Butcher, Jenkin Road, Kershaws, Fruit and Veg and Youngs, Sweets. One other trader of that period was wee pipe Priestley, the Pawnbroker who helped many families with cash loans against their deposit of goods to be redeemed when required.

Very poor times but never the less happy days with little or no crime compared to the modern times of today.

The “HUTS” were pulled down and fired in 1939 on the outbreak of war and the residents were re-housed by Sheffield Corporation on Parsons Cross and Southet Estates.

THE ABOVE DESCRIPTION AND HISTORY OF THE “HUTS” WAS PRESENTED TO MY FATHER IN LAW, NORMAN JOHNSON, IN JUNE 2008 ON THE OCCASION OF HIS 90TH BIRTHDAY BY MR ALF SHIVLOCK, WHO IS ALSO 90 THIS YEAR AND LIVED AT NO 40 FIFTH ROAD, TYLER STREET, BRIGHTSIDE. NORMAN ALSO LIVED IN THE “HUTS” AS A YOUNG MAN.

Hi Toner I have only just joined I have been to the library today and taken a book out called "SHANTY TOWN" Childhood memories of poverty and happiness in Tyler Street Munition Huts by Betty Dickinson which is very interesting but doesn't have any good photo's of the huts themselves only an arial view from wincobank hill do you know where I could try that may have some, my mum grew up there before she moved to the Manor and finally Shiregreen her name was Palmer.

hope you have an idea

-----------------------------

Edited: - I've moved your reply out of the quote box atir53.

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This account appeared on page 53 of the 1917 Sheffield Yearbook under the heading TOWNS OF HUTS. It concentrates on Petre Street rather than Tyler Street, but includes some general points..

“The housing of large numbers of munitions workers has been solved jointly by the Government and the City Council. New towns of huts and hostels have been erected at Wincobank, Tinsley and off Petre Street, near the works and yet on high ground above them. . . . . At Petre Street there are huts for 1,000 workers. They give shelter to 130 families, and the balance is made up of hostels for the single men.

The family man has a five-roomed house at his disposal for 6s. 6d. [£0.33]. The boarding is thin, and when there are children in clogs next door the quietness is broken. But there are solid advantages, such as the bath and heater fitted in the scullery, where cold water is laid on, and an economical stove with oven in the front room. There are three bedrooms, and gas fittings are included in the rent. The women who occupy the huts are not insensible to the charm of living on the ground floor with no stairs to climb.

The four blocks of hostels vary slightly in type, but in each the principle is the same. There is a cubicle for the lodger, and a common dining room is outside the block, and run by a local co-operative society at prices which defy competition. The lodger may either pay an inclusive 18s. 6d. [£0.93], which gives him his tiny bedroom (with its fittings) and full board, or else pay 3s. 9d. [£0.19] for the cubicle and buy his own food. . . . .

One of the most interesting features of the scheme is a large recreation room to seat 400 people, with billiard tables and a stage. It is managed by a committee, including Church of England, Free Church, and Roman Catholic members. The Church is represented by the Bishop and Vicar of Sheffield, Nonconformity by Councillor Oliver Wilson, and Roman Catholicism by the local priest. Each will have the use of the hall every third Sunday.

The three colonies provide accommodation altogether for about 4,600 munition workers, with a total new population of nearly 7,000 persons."

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my dad harold bramhall also lived in these huts and they were re housed on parson cross my dad was born in 1932 in mansfield so they probably lived there at the time they were pulled down.

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On 12/01/2009 at 08:25, dunsbyowl1867 said:

Grand stuff Toner

 

Have you seen these photographs ? The first two are of the Brightside Huts and the second two are the ones over near Petre Street, Grimesthorpe.

 

http://www.picturesheffield.co.uk/cgi-bin/...jpgh/s00748.jpg

http://www.picturesheffield.co.uk/cgi-bin/...jpgh/s00750.jpg

 

http://www.picturesheffield.co.uk/cgi-bin/...jpgh/s12659.jpg

http://www.picturesheffield.com/cgi-bin/pi...ff.refno=y01133

Thanks again Dunsbyowl (madfan)

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My father always told me the huts became insanitary, being over run with rats and the whole lot were deliberately burnt down by the Corporation.

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My late mother was born on 7th Road, Tyler Street in 1934. Does anyone know where 7th Street was on this map? The map is from 1937. Many thanks to you all.

Tyler Street.png

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I have a distant memory of an old lady coming into brightside infant school to tell us about what it was like living in these huts.

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