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Hi all, so glad I found this site, so much history in one place. I was born at walkley in 65, moved to Bubwith rd Brightside where my mum was born and grandparents lived. From there we lived in a cottage in Roe Woods, my dad became one of the first 6 park patrollers, on motorbikes, in Sheffield while at Roe Wood. From there we moved to Shiregreen where mum still lives. Dad was born at the bottom end of Bellhouse rd. Have lived in a few places in Sheffield and now 20 years in Chesterfield. Looking forward to reading lots more and to dig up some of my own memories and photos to share with everyone. :-))

Last year's thread and I rediscovered this 35mm slide which seems to fit appropriately into this one.Taken in June 1963 when rear loaders were favourite and steam locos much in evidence at Midland Station.

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For your information the letters on the bridge BB & JH refer to Benjamin Blonk and John Huntsman. Blonk Street was so called because when it was made the "tilt" shown on the map on the river side of Blonk St.was "The Wicker ***" belonging to the Blonk Family. On the other side of Blonk St. was "The Wicker Wheel" also belonging to the Blonk Family. You will also see a third grinding shop belonging to the Blonks at the end of the dam to the right of "Blonk Island". Later on John Huntsman had a Huntsman Melting Furnace at the end of the Wicker Tilt building. If you look through the large window nearest to Blonk Bridge you will see the chimney of the Huntsman furnace preserved as a monument. Remember the old Sheffield saying "Down T'Wicker were t'water goes o'er t'weir" the weir on the upstream side of Ladys Bridge diverted water to the Wicker Tilt and Wicker Wheel. I learnt all about this by carrying out research for descendants of this branch of the Blonk family who live in Australia. My Blonk family come from a later branch of the Blonk family

I've read somewhere that the flats that face Lady's bridge and Nursery Street were originally called Castle House, the windows just above the river was where the dogs were kept when it was a Dogs Home when it re-located there from the Pond Street area in c1900 I think , it wasn't used for long as it was always damp because of the river often flooding the place. The ornamental front door was the entrance and you can still make out the name. At the end of the walk on Blonk Street bridge you can see the initials of one of the men who ran the stables there plus possibly the vets initials too, the chap that owned and ran the stables also had stabling and shoeing available at 30-36 Burton Road now known as the Yellow Arch Recording Studios but the Horseshoe above the arch tells just what it was .

As recently promised I have extracted the information relevant to Sheffield City Police contained in copies of some early Police Almanacs that I recently had passed to me. The early editions of the Almanac gave very little information in relation to the city and borough forces in a lot of cases, and sadly Sheffield was no exception in this respect. Where there was no change in the information from the previous year I have not repeated it. Note that until 1869, the chief officer was known as the Head Constable, a common feature of early borough/city police forces at that period. 1858: Force strength was 132 to serve a population of 135,310. 1859: The Head Constable was Thomas Raynor, up to January 1859 when John Jackson took up the post. The force strength had increased to 191. 1862: Head Constable - John Jackson. Population - 185,157. Force strengh - 191. 1863: Force strength - 215 1864: Force strength - 230 1865: Force strength - 240 1866: Force strength - 245 1867: Head Constable - John Jackson. Chief Clerk - M.T. England. Force strength - 250 1868: Force strength - 260 1869: Chief Constable - John Jackson. Chief Clerk - J. England. Inspectors - J. Rodgers; J. Wilson; F. Otter. Force strength - 280 1901: Population - 324,243 Force strength - 465. Chief Constable - Commander Charles T. Scott. Deputy Chief Constable - George Mackley, Esq. Town Clerk - Henry Sayer, Esq. Magistrates Clerk - C.E. Vickers, Esq. Inspector Weights & Measures - G.W. Catchpole. Coroner - D. Wightman, Esq. Warrant Officer - Superintendent J. Gilley. Chief Clerk - Superintendent G.H. Barker. Fire Brigade - Superintendent W. Frost. Superintendent Detective Department - J.M. Moody. Central Division - Inspector M. Bridgeman. Attercliffe Division - Inspector G. Moore. Brightside Division - Detective Inspector W. Smith. Broomhill Division - Detective Inspector C. Thompson. Ecceshall Division - Detective Inspector W. Jackson. Walkley Division - Detective Inspector J. Goodwin The first Head Constable, Thomas Raynor was appointed in 1844, on the formation of the Sheffield Borough Police, as it was known as at that time. John Jackson, appointed as Head Constable on 1st January 1859, was to serve until 1898. Commander Charles T. Scott was appointed as Chief Constable in December 1898, and served in this role until 1912.

This morning I went under Bramall Lane Bridge and investigated further. The far end of the bridge's route (now under the Decathlon car park) is 100 metres from the Staples car park end already shown on this thread (the measurements are marked along the way to aid workmen). I post pictures of the other end of the bridge and an outflow inside the culvert that I think was originally from the Vulcan works dam and water power site. Although I'm happy to be wrong again

Hi Syrup Thank you for the news article clipping. It's very tantalising close apart from one minor detail the name in the article states G Lyon not J Lyon. However, the date and stables are spot on which leads me to believe Joseph Lyon worked at Sheffield Tramway Company. Joseph (27) married Emma(22) in 1869, the two witnesses are George (53) & Ann Lyon (55). His father is named Thomas so judging by the age gap George is probably Joseph's uncle. They come from a farming background in Lincolnshire so working together with horses makes sense. In 1883 George would have been aged 67 hence the article (oldest servant) makes it more probable that it was presented to George rather than Joseph, who was only 41 at that time. Joseph died (unknown) not long after aged just 44 and was buried at Heeley Christ Church on 2nd Jan 1887. So another connection to the article (he is now going to Heeley). I can only assume that the inscriber perhaps made an unlikely error with the initial on the trophy? I can't find a record of George & Ann having children hence the trophy must have been passed down to one of Joseph's two sons. I did find a very interesting post on this site on the STC and will make contact to see if any employee records still survive and hopefully will provide the proof that George & Joseph did work together. https://www.sheffieldhistory.co.uk/forums/topic/154-sheffield-trams/ Again thanks for the clipping. John O.

If my memory serves me well, it doesn't usually, I seem to remember that it was used as a stand for milk churns awaiting collection. I may possibly remember a fellow miscreant trying to get one of the lids off to quench a thirst but if pressed I would plead the UK version of the fifth amendment

It really frustrates me that not enough is known about Sheffield Castle. We don't really seem to have any information at all on this place considering what an important Sheffield structure it was. Sheffield Castle is still an enigma. Why is that?

modern 'journalism' at its finest. Hide behind youtube and stir some s***. It brought the city together, made us very proud to be sheffielders and remembered the lads who paid the ultimate sacrifice. who plants the bedding plants and sweeps up from time to time is of little or no consequence. I dont see what youre trying to achieve by posting it to be honest.

Anyone living in any of these houses may be interested in this postcard on Ebay. ------------------- https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/173604248815?ul_noapp=true Google Street View -------https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@53.3837307,-1.4973794,3a,75y,81.23h,90.51t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s24w0G3NbxJMMlYOd7eyZgw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656?hl=en

Probably of no interest to anyone else, but one of the photos here shows the location of my Dad’s bench, sited and dedicated to his memory for almost twenty years now...

Now and then.

Was down at Crich last week. 510 was being moved late in the afternoon and is looking very smart.

This is a recommendation for a book available from Amazon (£8 well spent) - an edited and updated version (with corrections and new information and pictures) of James Hayton Stainton's "Past Chapters in Sheffield History". It was originally published in 1918 for the benefit of prisoners of war. It's very good on old street layouts and especially the background to the High Street widening. There is a "Look Inside" feature on the Amazon site that allows skinflints to read some of its pages: Past Chapters in Sheffield History - Amazon Link

There was a pub called the Rising Sun on Hunshelf Road at Stocksbridge directly across the road from the billet mill. In the billet mill large ingots were rolled at yellow heat down into blooms of say up to 4" plus square, and then cut up on a hot saw into lengths to suit the customers. In an early application of technology the blooms were measured for length and a very early computer made by Elliot Automation determined the best cuts to make out of a given length to suit the various customers. The computer use first generation germanium transistors and had a 1K magnetic core store for it's memory. The pub was obviously very (too) convenient for the parched workforce and I was told the Fox's had bought out the licence and closed and demolished the pub in 1967. My connection with this came in the early nineteen seventies when I parked my A35 van (Wallace & Gromit Mobile) on the cleared ground of the pub in order to carry out the " Redex Treatment". This consisted of running around until the engine was hot, parking up, removing the air filter; and pouring a can full of Redex engine detergent/cleaner into the top of the carb. This was supposed to clear the valve stems and piston rings and restore performance. It also produced huge quantities of black smoke. When I started this procedure I had failed to notice the large billet mill high voltage substation downwind just a few yards away. I'd also forgotten that large substations often used photo-electric ray fire detection in case of fire in the oil-filled switchgear. I'd just got about half the can of Redex in the engine and couldn't see a hand in front of my face when there was a loud bang from the substation and the loud whine from the billet mill opposite wound down to a worrying silence. The penny dropped ! I flung the air filter inside the car, shut down the bonnet and was speeding back down the hill in the opposite direction to where I knew the high voltage gang would be approaching within about ten seconds. My stealthy departure was not helped by a smoke trail that the Red Arrows would have been proud of. I think I got away with it 'so don't tell anyone. hilldweller.

The City Hall in earlier days

The demolition of Sheffield in the 1960's, 1970's & 1980's a blaze was the sky with fires from the demolition sites there were only a few known Sheffield Companies at the time A.D.H Demolition Limited (contracted to Sheffield Council) A. Whites Demoliiton Ltd Childs Demolition Ltd Demex Ltd J. Whites Ltd and later T.D.E (Rotherham) (ancestors of A. Whites demolition) i remember as an only child going with my parents to the demolition sites, i remember the black sooty days crooks moor was ablaze with fires and being situated on a hill you could look across Sheffield and see other contractors lighting the sky. The forgotten demolition men and woman contractors that made Adolf Hitler assault on sheffield oblivious. The Sheffield Council pillaged property with compulsory purchase took peoples homes and business for pittance of monies, i remember sometimes wed pull houses down leaving the odd one still standing whilst the owners or tenants were fighting for their legal rights to stay or be given a better deal. Sheffield Council insisted on the demolition of what we would see today as historical buildings but to the council they was drab, nuisance and needed to be pulled down our sheffield architecture of centuries past were stone masons are not of what is today ended up a pile of rubble and down the tip it went. Odd pieces will have survived and relocated without knowing and the next generation losing site. I know the red set that lay on the floor in kelham island were taken from the Sheffield Abattoir and re laid in the museum yet a piece of history is lost again and no mention of where they arrived from they just part of the decor of the museum yet in truth is part of a bigger history. i attach a stone fireplace my parents built in a property still in the sheffield area, the new owners of that property will never know the history of that house or where that huge fireplace with its ornate archway came from. The archway formed the door way to the GAS HOUSE on commercial Street its were you paid your account (its historic significance to Sheffield is when sheffield turned from Candle Light to Gas. i attach another photo of a font that was part of the St josephs convent, common side htpp://www.yorkshirefilmarchive.com/film/environmental-health-part-park-hill-slums-1-5 I'm hoping a log can be made on this site for anyone to upload demolition photographs and maybe if theres any demolition men left that worked on these site can contribute before history is lost. I was a fortunate person i know much of sheffield i lived the era and a breathed it with my family. Im trying to see if we can make a single page where all the data of the lost (demolished) can be found, before it is too late. I want to see what the public holds before i update this site again with All the 1000 pictures and documents i hold of Sheffield

171 on corner of Alfred Street and Dane Street https://www.old-maps.co.uk/#/Map/437500/389500/13/101329

I remember as a child in the '70s being so proud of that fountain because my Dad had told me that it had been made (partially at least) at Bramahs, which he worked at as a fabricator for some years Cant honestly remember if Dad had actually had anything to do with its construction, but in my head 'My Dad made that!', and I told anyone that would listen !

Picture Sheffield gives date as 22 July 1961 ( spot on boginspro!) which was a Saturday. The AEC Regent III - VWJ 541 was one of nine Roe bodied vehicles out of 85 AEC's delivered in 1956/57 for tram replacement services, seen here on Route 24 to Tinsley. Used to love the smell of Ground coffee which drifted out of Davy's.

A stunning bit of film. Anyone seen this before?http://www.yorkshirefilmarchive.com/film/environmental-health-part-park-hill-slums-1-5

Not sure if we already have a drinking fountain thread, but this image posted by Aiden Stones on his Twitter account is fantastic. It shows the drinking fountain that was at the junction of Gibraltar St, Allen St and Bowling Green Street, and todays view from Moorfileds facing towards Penistone Rd.. https://twitter.com/OldSheffield

One of my husband's hobbies is collecting transport tickets, and occasionally in the bits of paper he buys something interesting turns up, such as this one. It is a ticket for the City Clopper, a horse bus which operated in the city in the early 1980s: I remember reading about the horse bus but I wasn't living in Sheffield at the time and I don't think I ever saw it operating. A short film about the service:

If you follow the supertram which is blurred above to the road, is where the church would have been. Possibly where the big tree is now. Also I note that Midland Station has now lost it's first foot bridge.

I think there was just a crossover for the trams to change tracks for the return journey, but then that's all a tram needs. I worked buses to Vulcan Road in later days but we went round the loop. I think there was a row of basic tin topped shelters on the return track side. Quite a number of trams and later buses were needed there when shifts changed in the steel works, some of them being workers special routes. I have recently seen a picture of a crowd round one of the last trams on Vulcan Road but can't remember where I saw it. EDIT Not the picture I was thinking of but here is one of trams on Vulcan Road, possibly the last day,

Hi Folks, I wrote a new blog about seeing I'm So Hollow at Romeo's & Juliet's in February 1981. Link - http://www.mylifeinthemoshofghosts.com/2017/08/26/im-so-hollow-atmosphere-at-romeos-juliets-bank-street-sheffield-wednesday-11th-february-1981/ Enjoy. Dodger

Circa 1890 map. https://www.old-maps.co.uk/index.html#/Map/435973/387740/13/100453

This country used to equip the railways of the world. My first machine commissioning job in Asia was in South Korea. One of the British men stopping in my hotel was overseeing the assembly of 200 underground trains exported from GEC Manchester. The new trains were to improve the Seoul underground ready for the Seoul Olympics. Having thrown our industry away we have to import trains now.

We called them "Rotherham Tankers". W/E.

There was a belief that the Beech Nut chewing gum machines gave a free packet every 5 goes - I never scientifically evaluated this claim due to lack of funds....

I saw it today, it is so sad, it used to be my highlight of my visit to Sheffield when I was younger.

Kelly’s Directory 1970. apart from Paulden’s (Debenhams) and Atkinson’s department stores, I don’t recognise any other business that’s still there today?! Hopefully, you’ll be able to zoom into the detail, as I’ve enlarged it as much as possible.....

I rather think that Mary Walton was a bit biased. Possibly maybe even a Catholic in views. Like many historians before she went on the latest thinking and did not have access to all the information. It is very clear that George Talbot wanted the task of looking after Mary Stuart and went over the top in treating her as a Queen. Mary Stuart also requested the treatment to keep her safe, then changed her mind afterwards. Oddly if she needed to she would have ceased being a Catholic if it suited her needs. She had already married the Protestant Bothwell, even though he was already married, much to the annoyance of the Pope in Rome! She was prepared also to marry the Duke of Norfolk who said to her that he was a Protestant, to which she replied that she would change her religion. George Talbot's relationship with Bess broke down during the custody of Mary. However it is very clear that it was just a cooling of their relationship which was a love match, as well as property match. One of the reasons he got the task of looking after the "Scots Queen". The reason this being important due to the fact that the first member of the court to see Mary sent back information to Elizabeth about how Mary was all over any man. She was the type of woman who would be right up in the face of any man, probably with lots of touching in a flirty way. This is further backed up by the fact as soon as she had landed in England, she had proposed marriage to the local Lord's son! She was also advised by her officials to go to France - not England, but ignored them. Anyway it was clear to Elizabeth that only a married man, which was a love match, not the arranged property deals marriages of most of the court, could look after Mary. Mary had a generous amount of money from her own sources. But she gave George nothing of it. Instead she used it it to stir up trouble in England. He was forced to pay for her. Such as bathing in wine! All she did was complain to the Queen about everything. Once she even complained about the midwife coming into her room in the castle by mistake! George didn't have an affair with Mary, though it's likely she did spread rumours about it, then of course was outraged by them! However George's relationship with his wife did break down. I think it was because he had taken up with the servant (cook) at Handsworth Hall. For he left her something in his will! Mary wrote a nasty letter to Elizabeth, which is probably twisted tales of the truth. It is highly critical of Bess, so Mary had fallen out with her too. I don't know if Elizabeth ever saw the letter. Had Mary escaped she would have been killed probably by a Scottish person and the blame would have fallen on the English. In the end after Elizabeth was shot at during the Babbington plot. She had her arrested and tried - which by the way was a "fair" trial. So when Mary admitted that she had plotted to take the Queen's life. They would find her guilty. Even then Elizabeth would not sign her death warranty. When she finally did, Elizabeth's thought that would put an end to any plots on her life, because she would send the warranty off and execute her. She did NOT intend to execute her straight away. Only if someone tried again to kill Elizabeth or hatch another plot with Mary. However one official at her court attached the great seal to the warrant without permission from the Queen. So she played hell with him. He then took the warrant to Cecil, with his knowledge of the law he got to the privy Council together and explained to them that they could send off the warrant under the law and there was nothing the Queen could do against them. So they did. And Cecil was right. She could do nothing against them. But Cecil lost all his favour with the Queen. Walsingham the spy-master also went to his grave penniless. Mary went to her execution a martyr to the Catholic cause. But actually was in a panic and shook uncontrollably like hell and shook so much they had to hold her down. Even then the executioner didn't hit the right place, so chopped several times to take the head off. He lifted the head up and because she was in a panic the lips were still moving. The head fell to the floor as the wig detached from it. The scene was that horrific that several of the people watching were sick or in shock from it.

Doesn’t look like there was anything on them??? Newly built and unadorned! http://www.picturesheffield.com/frontend.php?keywords=Ref_No_increment;EQUALS;s05175&action=zoom&pos=53&id=8603&continueUrl=

Yes. Here's a picture of how it once looked (I took some photos of the underpass but it won't let me upload, says 'queued' but never does anything). The wall is a good reference point, I wonder if it's the same one? You can see the remains of the kerb running with it on your picture. The building seems to cover the entrance to the subway, I don't know the year but I don't think it was there in the station's later life. I'm sure I can remember the white fence being there though before they demolished the remains and put up the metal fence.

I went a few times too, I was far more impressed by the Hi-Fi than the hotel itself, it looked very cheap and nasty inside.

Haymarket Sheffield City Centre Was Haymarket really this busy back in the day? It looks packed! Is this normal shopping day or do you think it was a special occasion?

Might it have been the Lyceum Hotel? Photos on Picture Sheffield, showing it being surrounded by the old buildings and then the girder framework of the new GPO building... http://www.picturesheffield.com/frontend.php?keywords=Ref_No_increment;EQUALS;s21620&pos=68&action=zoom&id=24104 http://www.picturesheffield.com/frontend.php?keywords=Ref_No_increment;EQUALS;s21621&pos=69&action=zoom&id=24105 A Tennants house and in the right location?

I have just watched the film , what brilliant memories it has brought back of a mucky owd City who's citizens loved the more simple pleasures available at that time, cheers .

Join David Templeman for a fascinating look into the origins of central Sheffield street names through images, maps and text. Hear how the town’s rural roots are still remembered and journey back through Tudor, Medieval times and beyond to discover where the street names originated. Mon 9 October 2017 - 10:30 – 11:30 Carpenter Room Sheffield Central Library Surrey Street Sheffield S1 1XZ Tickets - https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/a-history-of-sheffield-street-names-tickets-36895704044

I'm sure some of our members will be able to put some flesh on the bones of some of those photos.

Dam Lane was next to Summer Street on the enumerators walk. Summer Street still exists. Put it into Google and it'll bring up a map. I suspect that Dam Lane was lost when they built Winter Street Hospital, but I could be wrong. However, Dam Lane was certainly in the Winter Street and Summer Street area.

We used to call in sometimes when it was on a pub crawl route. This would be in the early seventies, very basic inside with nothing to shout about. Certainly not the glamour pub but a working mans hangout. I remember being a patient in the Royal hospital opposite in 1977 and the ward overlooked the pub. I used to look out and think, I wonder if I could sneak out and have a quick pint. I bet it had been done before.

Not certain but I seem to remember being told it was built by a cutlery manufacturer.

Osbert was my great great uncle, though I never met him, but passed the shop on hundreds of occasions without knowing he was a relative. Osbert Skinner was born on 19th August 1885, and baptised 7th October at Highfield, the 5th and youngest son of Charles Skinner. In 1891 Osbert was living with his parents at 24 South Street Moor. He was a watchmaker by 1901, at South Street working for Charles. His older brother Arthur was a keen cyclist (he was financial secretary of the Upperthorpe Cycling Club in 1892) and passed on his enthusiasm to Osbert. In July 1893 the Independent published an advert selling a cycle: "Referee, Clincher pneumatic, splendid condition, balls throughout including head, very little used. Skinner, Jeweller, Sheffield moor" and in 1895: "Before buying machine call and see '95 pattern new patent detachable Brake: best value in Sheffield Skinner Jewellers, Sheffield moor". In 1907 Osbert rode an unpaced race from Sheffield to Bridlington gaining a gold medal in a time of 5h 16min. The book of 1908 says this was his first appearance in the medals. He also won a gold standard medal for 50 miles on the road in 2h 52min 12 secs. in 1907. In 1908 he set a district record of 189 3/4 miles for a 12 hour time trial, and a district record of 2h 35 for 50 miles. This would appear to make him the 1st winner of the "Sharrow 50". As well as these 2 gold medals he also won a gold watch for the best performance of the year and a gold chain for the 25 mile club handicap. The 25 mile handicap may still have been a track race at Bramhall Lane as mass start road racing was strictly taboo with the police at this time. In 1911 Osbert was an own account Watchmaker living at 54 St Marys Road with parents Charles and Ada. On Sunday 4th June 1911 Osbert lost control of his bicycle coming down Baslow Hill and stayed at the Wheat Sheaf Inn recovering for three days (see newspaper cutting. Whites Directory of 1911 shows him at 112 Ecclesall Road. Osbert married Antonie Ferdinandine Friedrichsen on 12th September 1912 at St Augustines. Antonie was born in German South America in 1888, the daughter of a widowed German Sausage Skin Dealer Ernst Friedrichsen, in 1911 living at 61 Ranby Road, Endcliffe, but at 20 Cowlishaw Road at the time of the marriage. Their son Ernest Osbert was born on 3rd February 1915, and he died aged 88 on 6th May 2003 at 23 Hoober Avenue (a jeweller). Osbert enlisted in the Royal Flying Corps on 9th February 1917. He was an Instrument Repairer and Wireless Mechanic with 101 Squadron, serving in France from January 1918. No 101 Squadron formed at Farnborough as part of the Royal Flying Corps on 12 July 1917 and was deployed to the Western Front in August as a night bombing unit equipped with F.E.2b aircraft. Its main task was to carry out night attacks on German railheads and airfields. The Squadron flew during the battles of 3rd Ypres in 1917, and throughout the 1918 German Spring offensives on the Somme before supporting the final allied attacks on the Hindenburg Line. Before his transfer to the R.A.F. from the R.F.C. his rank was A. Mech. 2, Trade:- Instr. Repairer, and once in the RAF Air Mechanic 3rd Class (Inst Repairer), His pay was 2s. 0d. Terms of Enlistment:- Duration of War . In March 1919 the squadron returned to the UK and it was disbanded on 31 December 1919. The last known entry in the telephone book for Osberts Watchmaking business was 1978 - he was aged 93. His wife Antonie died on 8th February 1978 and Osbert died 3 weeks later on 5th March 1978, leaving £55,463 to his son Ernest, who was living at 112 Ecclesall Road. Ernest was still running the business in 1982 where he was photographed by Sheffield Newspapers, possibly on his retirement.

and http://www.sheffieldrecordsonline.org.uk/ of course.