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One of the most common recorded deaths is in children is often called "Teething". But most of these cases are now believed to be carbon monoxide poisoning, due to the coal fires. Most chimneys allowed this to come into the room where children slept. I suspect the "visitation of God" was used when there was no apparent cause of death.

9ķ . I see there have been several threads here and on the Sheffield Forum re the Bennett College, a subject I know a little about. Referring back, RichardB's post in 2009 taken from a GLIAS post of some ten years earlier is a reasonably fair overall historical summary but with which I have two slight minor problems. The first aim was to show a student had reached a certain standard. I am not aware that the College ever suggested the use of letters after the name as a result of receiving a diploma. The second aim was always to prepare students to take exams set by professional bodies who are exacting in their standards. A hard way either way just to get a few letters. The squadron leader's comments are odd considering the armed services have been encouraging the gaining of qualifications at all levels for years before that. Mr. J.H. Bennett (properly "The Govenor" but always known to the staff as "The Old Man") was originally a book salesman who realised there was a need and a market for education resulting in him originally setting up business in Regent Street. Both my father and his younger brother went to work at the College when they left the old Central Secondary School in the 1920s . In fact their education wasn't over as they were both required to get professional qualifications in their own time to act as tutors. (Chartered Institute of Secretaries and a degree in Electrical Engineering respectively ). Certainly by 1930 the College had moved to Melbourne Avenue into what was always supposed to have been the vicarage of the local church, which I have always had doubts about, purely based on the enormous room sizes and that internally it didn't look domestic. Heating was by hot water radiators only , from a coal boiler in the cellar, no fires or chimneys about the place rather suggests office use. No doubt someone will know. The site www.gracesguide .co. uk/bennett college has adverts from 1916 to 1960. In particular the 1935 version is worth study as a concise account of the philosophy, a fair selection of courses and the method of working of the business. This site also shows that both the photos of J.H.B. and the front of the building and the slogan " Let me be your father" were only used rather irregularly pre WW2 and not for very long. The slogan however was discontinued post WW2 but took a long time dying so the ad men got it right. . The delightfully described "overbearing and pontifical old man" by RichardB must have been an early example as it does not appear. from 1916 on. The later head and shoulders photo was Mr. J.H. Bennett himself. Originally very Edwardian, in 1933 it became a more modern one . By WW2 the adverts were slimmed down to more a less a catalogue of courses and the prewar florid prose and his photo diappeared permanently, except for one revival marking 50 years in 1950. The 1936 advert is interesting in that for the first time the picture of his son N.C.J.Bennett also appears, with the slogan changed to "big brother," supposedly the inspiration for George Orwell. I personally don't remember that slogan being used again by the College although RichardB insists it was, right to the end. I would be delighted to find any examples of the " be your big brother" ad. with Norman Bennets photo which have so far eluded me. I have wondered if this impression of building size in the prewar advert was the cause of a recurring problem.. Several times a year a student, often from Africa, would arrive with his case under the belief that it was a residential college with teaching facilities. Father always said he felt sorry for them, having saved the fare, made the journey and then been disappointed. I asked how he dealt with it, the answer being the same as now; point them in the direction of what passed for social services in those days for the state to deal with. I suspect it was the result of not fully reading reading the adverts which are fairly clear in this respect. I see there is still a recent reference to "grandfather attending" BOX's 2009 aerial view post is correct. Looking closely at it, the drive up the side can be seen as can a narrow covered path continuing in a straight line up the grounds of the neighbouring house. The College bought this property on Westbourne Road after WW2 and the path up to it was.added. It was used mostly for paper storage, a staff room for use at lunch time and any other odd purpose. One of its main attractions was an enormous very old mulberry tree on the lower lawn. Berries as big as your thumb, heavy crop and perfect with a drop of cream. Never had any as good since. It had another unsuspected feature which the College would not capitalise on. To the left on the aerial view is what would now be a garage but was and maybe still is is a proper Edwardian "Motor House" as prescribed in period journals as being necessary to protect the owners new car. A set of tall doors into a white tiled building with a pit in the centre. This had a set of stairs down and was also tiled. There was a large stone slab bench against the house wall. There was a full glass roof which fortunately had survived the blitz and gave maximum light. Exactly as the book said. Peel Street garage knew of its existence and for many months pestered the College to rent it to them as extra work space. The answer was always a firm refusal. It was very useful though. The family car spent enough time over the pit. There was one problem however. The drive sloped down from Westbourne Road and there was no drain in the pit. After a sharp shower wading about in several inches of water and working overhead lost it's appeal. The main College building had three floors and three areas.; the tutors were on the front halves of the two floors, the female clerical staff at the back away from the windows and the typing school up in the attic. This fascinated me. I learned my typing on the grandmother of all machines. Most of the College work was copy typed with some dictation and typists were not to be had, hence their own school in the roof.. Something like twelve or fifteen desks and typewriters with blank keys. Instead, hanging down from the roof in front was a cloth keyboard diagram about eight feet by six in old money 0 so the girls had to look up to it. It was there for the first week, and was then rolled up for the second final week. I said I thought that was a bit much. Father's response was that they soon learned. The other thing which struck you was that everywhere you looked there were filing cabinets. There was a formal front entrance, strictly limited to Himself. Everyone else used the side door up the drive. There was a carpeted staircase behind the right hand office, also strictly limited to Himself for going to and from his carpeted office on the first floor front. Everyone else used the uncarpeted wooden floors and central staircase at the side of which was a hand operated lift, goods only. Fraternising was discouraged. I have thought how to describe the regime. Now long gone, I think Dickensian is appropriate. Timekeeping was strictly enforced, 9 hour day, five and a half day week, 8 a.m to midday Saturday. Father with some twenty years service could contemplate a two week French holiday for three in 1940 on his £5 weekly salary. (Actually it took another fourteen years to realise) Paid holidays were allowed, except that J.H.B. said a week was seven days only. Consequently stopping on a Friday afternoon would have required a return to work on the morning of the following Saturday week. Not doing so would have counted as being off for eight days. To travel on two Saturdays meant working till midday on the first of them. Properly dressed at all times. On one occasion he passed by as a typist was halfway up the staff stairs. Catching a glimpse of underskirt she was fired on the spot. By WW2 commonsense had prevailed. The College produced it's own text books with the assistance of Pawson and Brailsford on Norfolk Street who got a very desirable monthly order for paper and office supplies which continued to the end. The tutors were organised in sections under a senior and were in general responsible for writing the appropriate textbooks and courses including updating them, quite often without being credited. My uncle produced the electrical ones; father did the fire, law and the bookkeeping and accountancy subjects plus my favourite light reading, "Police Duties". which got him into trouble with the Chief Constable of Northamptonshire over copyright. If necessary, any qualified person could be paid to write a specialist course to order. One I remember doing so was the Professor of Spanish at Western Bank. Later I acted as go-between for the college in Berkshire and a lady in Bardney, just outside Lincoln. Certainly post WW2 there was also an invisible network of "Outside Tutors" who collected homework, marked and commented on it, brought it back for any typing and then posting. My favourite was the Rev. Halliday, Vicar of St Mathias Church somewhere in the Pomona Street area. Being in his words able to do his parish duties, cycle round the handful of parishioners and compose his sermon in one long day, for the rest of the week he retired to his fully equipped workshop practicing his trade by making foundry patterns for the local steelworks and the odd bit of beautiful cabinet making, plus marking any wood subject homework for the College. Anybody suitable could be pressed into service. A folder dropped in my lap one teatime. "Query for you. Man wants to know about the Great Western's only Pacific." (Railway Engineering student) With an interest in railways it was no problem. "Do it now" was implicit. Family didn't get paid though. The system was essentially simple; once started the student received the necessary text books,and the first lesson for study, entirely at his own pace. In the fullness of time the completed answer paper would come back, be marked and recorded, any corrections or comments made and returned with the next lesson. Every effort was made to return marked papers and the next lessons as soon as possible though there was no guaranteed turn round time but three days was an unofficial aim where possible. In the end if the student had made the grade he would be told so and sent a large certificate with the subject on it. No question of copying at a distance; the secret is a set of questions based on what has gone before, not the same as. Whether the student then sat any other qualifying exams for his occupation was up to him. The adverts make the point of preparing a student for that eventuality which may answer simonr's point re recognition. For many years regular business came from the police courses and the promotion exams; constable to sergeant and sergeant to inspector. The College ultimately set the exams (actually father again) if a force did not have it's own system. These were to demonstrate a knowledge of current statute law. For no obvious reason they got marked and assessed on our dining room table and the results sent to the police as evidence. Actual promotions when and if were up to them. Advertising was in the hands of an agency somewhere and must have cost a small fortune. Periodicals of all kinds seemed to be the usual thing, worldwide but particularly in the U.K. A copy of every one came to prove publication, briefly checked and then spread about. For years I read every issue of The Aeromodeller and Model Engineer plus irregular copies of various Indian magazines. (One article I remember was the uses of dried cow dung, information I somehow never needed ).The use of a "Dept.No....." in the address was the old dodge Every advert and periodical had a number so sorting by the mythical department showed which placements were most effective. Later I did discuss the need for the College and whether it served any purpose. My father's comments after many years in the job were that hereabouts we were used to qualifications as having or not having H.S.C., H.N.D., City and Guilds, B.A., B.Sc. and so on. Out East particularly there were accepted intermediate grades such as Failed B.A., simply because at that time there were so few who got there that anyone who had sat and not passed also had a value.. As course enrolments kept coming in a lot of people were obviously prepared to put themselves out in their own time to gain knowledge and the College was there for the purpose. One post has suggested that the rise of the Technical College caused the early decline in correspondence colleges. Not strictly true; the majority of the Bennett College business was from overseas where there were no facilities, which were in truth only gradually being provided. The College needed it's own dedicated large mail van delivering and collecting each day and my stamp collection grew quite nicely. Before anyone asks I have no idea of weekly, annual and overall totals, I have to say that before WW2 Mr. J.H.Bennett as owner was the driving force and very much present and in command. Little pigs had big ears and father didn't mince his words after hours. As to the Bennett family, his daughter was in London having married Douglas Birkinshaw who is now forgotten but did appear regularly in distant BBC documentaries among the small group of engineers setting up prewar trial television services. Son N.C.J.B. (Norman) had been in the business since about 1921, " helping Dad" per 1936 advert but I cannot be sure what he did. Whatever the situation J.H.B. was in charge. As a firm it was a private limited company with the family as directors. One post seems to find this somehow unusual. May I suggest a study of the Companies Act and the limitation of liability in case of failure. Comes the war and Mr. and Mrs Bennett disappear out of trouble into the Old Hall Hotel at Buxton for the duration along with the company somewhat elderly sit up and beg Rolls Royce. I believe that Mr. Bennett did occasionally put in a brief appearance on Melbourne Avenue. Norman Bennett went into the R.A.F. as did my father. My uncle left for pastures new at Scunthorpe Technical College in 1942. For the duration it was a case of ticking over with the senior men and whoever they could get, which was to cause problems after the war. Father had become a senior after some twenty years service and found his post filled by an Eastern European refugee who declined to give way, in spite of government regulations requiring returning servicemen to be given the same or better jobs as they had had previously. For some months things were strained and according to my father people had other priorities. Life was a bit uncertain for us for a while but things gradually improved. I never met Mr J.H.Bennett , in fact my only distant contact was when I rose very early to drive Father to his funeral at Buxton early in 1946.. In attendance were his wife, his son Norman and wife from Sheffield , his daughter Mrs Florence Birkiinshaw and her husband up from London, I think Miss Marguerete Nolan, head of female staff and my father, head of the tutors, (and repairs, lift, boilers, fire extiguishers and anything Miss Nolan didn't do.) Norman Bennett who I knew moderatly well then became officially The Governor and I now have to choose my words carefully. Tactfully put he was not like his father, not much get up and go so to speak, rather more your carry on as before sort of type. Nice enough personally though I found. Mrs Bennett seems not to have been a director and spent the rest of her days at Buxton. To have someone on hand to sign cheques and so on Miss Nolan was elevated to the Board. The firm's accountant Councillor Oliver Holmes, sometime Lord Mayor was also invited on the Board. Life carried on and then my father was also offered a seat on the Board. My impression was that Norman Bennett then became something of a figurehead. No photos or slogans in the adverts that I have seen.......For the record Norman only reigned till his death in mid 1955. In effect then the three locals took over right to the end with Oliver Holmes in the chair and I believe Mrs Birkinshaw was still connected at a distance. Someone has suggested some sort of tie up with The International Correspondence School Certainly the I.C.S was watched to see what they were doing and that was all. So far as the College went they were independent and stood on their own. Mentioning I.C.S. or putting an 's' after Bennett would incur extreme displeasure. Somewhere in the early 1950s it was decided that there should be one or two overseas sales promotional tours to look into local needs and educational conditions and maybe drum up trade. This brought to light somthing I had never heard of, the existence of representatives of the College in the central African countries, (and maybe elsewhere.) To this end Oliver Holmes and father would go and in time cross the full width from Kenya to Nigeria as they still were. This was at a time when talk of independence was just beginning. Unknown local reps. would run a publicity campaign in the month or so before their arrival, organise gatherings arrange car hire and all else. Photographs would be needed to be sent out for the posters. A photographer was engaged to take father at his desk and came with a bag of spectacles, hats , caps, false beards and the Lord knows what else. Father was allowed to hold his own pipe, point with it, suck it and do ùwhatever. Ultimately several poses were chosen, the final one being him seated, full face as Director of Studies, looking over the top of a pair of half glasses. So get on with the organising. All went well till someone pointed out the Africans would be looking for a man with half glasses coming off the aircraft, as per photograph, except that he didn't wear glasses. Panic. Mother and I knew he had difficulty reading, a family failing but he wouldn't admit it. A quick word to the family optician, Wraggs at Rustlings Road end who when father went in a rush for glasses with plain lenses, contrived to test his eyes, get lenses made and fitted him out as per advertising photos.We had tried for years to do just that. . In summer the two of them went on the first trip, two weeks as were all the others. For practical reasons I had a 'VW Beetle which father disliked and thoroughly disapproved of. To his horror one was waiting for him to drive round Africa. It performed well for them but still only got grudging acceptance. No problems weatherwise. On his return he had obviously looked into future developments particularly after the probable independence and was not very optimistic.. Later in November the pair of them went to the West Indies and then the Bahamas. That apparently went reasonably well but a crafty stopover in New York had been arranged. Disaster.. Arriving in light suits for warm places, they landed in a blizzard. I enquired what had they done then. Got a taxi to the nearest store, bought a heavy coat each and booked the next flight home. It was perhaps tactless of me to suggest that perhaps they should have looked up November weather in New York on one of their courses before they started. Not well received. Father later did two more solo trips to Africa with no more positive results. On one trip he tacked his holiday on the end so he and my mother could have a week in Rome in the hottest month of the year. Not a good idea and again nothing very promising from Africa either. On a visit back home about 1959 father casually dropped it out that the business was being sold to the Cleaver Hume Press, technical book sellers. Jobs had been offered to many of them, including the female staff, who might wish to go. Most didn't . That part of Berkshire was notoriously expensive even before the advent of the M4. When that was built by Newbury it it got worse. Technically from here on it is a bit of non-Sheffield history but there isn't much of it. One post uses the expression of it fading away which is a slight over-simplification. It left the city The new location was Aldermaston Court, a major country estate which had however sold off a large part of it's land to The Atomic Weapons Research Establishment ; C.N.D. marches to and from and all that. Fortunately that was well away and the College staff still had some glorious views over the front grounds. Ultimately father decided to go to do the same job as did his secretary. Not a nice time as the old college had to be kept going while van loads of office equipment and numerous filing cabinets were shipped out. Concurrently the new college was set up, local staff were sought ( not easy; all the locals worked for A.W.R.E.) and the business was transferred gradually down south. Ultimately it was up and running. Father and his secretary ran the whole thing much as usual. Not surprisingly the other two directors didn't move and all Bennett family connection ended but the name carried on. One change which I know happened was that the Cleaver Hume advertising agency took on the College account. I met the new man but the name meant nothing. In passing l mentioned that I found the then current slogan "Drinka Pinta Milka Day" irritating. Not well received . "That's one of mine" so obviously they were using a major agency but whether that made any difference to the College business never became obvious to me. The moving spirit now was Joe Cleaver, who lived in the New Forest and spent much time in his empire which he was then expanding. Gentlemen in those days wore big belted coats and trilby hats. Once a month he would pickup father from Aldermaston and head for the London office in the Porsche, foot to the floor fast lane driving. And back again in the afternoon. Speed on four or two wheels was not father's thing. I asked him what he thought of the journey. Apparently he pulled his belt up, pulled his hat down, slumped down and shut his his eyes till they reached London. That sounded about right. .Unexpectedly after about three years Macmillan made overtures to Cleaver Hume and took them over. A company Macmillan-Cleaver was proposed but never materialised and the various parts srill carried on as before. By now father had reached sixty five and there was some pushing at at a higher level for him to go. He had a trick up his sleeve; there had been machinations back in Sheffield regarding his pension as a director which he had borrowed on for the move south so he owed them money ( Damn silly thing to do and he should have known better) He had a contract which kept him in work till seventy to repay it. Counsel's opinion was sought but there was no way round so he stayed on. I asked who had drawn up the contract. "I did" I might have guessed. So finally at Christmas 1971 at six months short he got the tea service, six months pay, told he could have six months holiday and then don't bother to come back. The College continued on and it gets a bit vague. Clever- Hume Press website is there but has nothing on it. Father settled down for eighteen months, went shopping one evening, sat in his chair and quietly died. The last time I met Joe Cleaver and his wife was at Reading Crematorium for the funeral, still full of life. Ten years later the College was closed, for one or possibly two reasons. I do believe that learning by post was a dying business by the 1970's. The other may have had an effect. In 1982 Joe Cleaver fired his handyman and his wife for generally bad behaviour. This resulted in the man's return with two others and the murder of Joe and the other four in the house and the torching of the property . In court three life sentences were handed down. To any one thinking about looking it up, don't bother. It's grim reading. It may be a curious coincidence but this and the closure of Cleaver Hume and the Bennett College all occurred not long apart. I was glad father didn't see it. Ending on a brighter note, still in Sheffield, atitudes post-war changed. The directors had carpeted floors but the prohibition on the use of the front door and carpeted stairs still stood. Other than that things were easier although the typing school was still needed. No clocking in, timekeeping always was the province of the section heads to enforce. Hours had been shortened to a civilsed 9 a.m. start. On occasion my father decided things were getting a bit lax, so turned up early and told each individual they were late. The last girl came up the drive about twenty minutes late. " You're late" " Yes aren't I" , walking straight past him Father decided there was no answer to that. I pondered what The Old Man would have done. The odd thing which struck me over the years was that there never was an official oddjob man. Somehow father seemed to have time to step in. Fire extinguishers require regular checks; that being in one his courses in his early career, father kept it to the end. Actually this was vitally important in an old building with wood floors and furniture plus several tons of paper about the place. The College had a no smoking rule for obvious reasons years before the recent government orders.The day an extinguisher malfunctioned and he came home with white foam all over a dark suit took us some time to forget. As the registered keyholder, father was always on call. Late one evening we were roused by a young policeman who had seen a light on and would he come. Getting dressed father sent the bobby back on his bicycle to watch while he got the car out out. Ultimately they met up in Melbourne Avenue and the bobby pointed out the light. Father we understood took pleasure in pointing out that the light was actually on in the building next door. Many years later they might have found the Yorkshire Ripper instead. One thing which happened in the early post-war years was a tramp ringing the bell asking for a hand out. Naturally father was called in in the best Pass-it-up-the -line tradition and a small sum changed hands. After this had been repeated a few times he said so to the next one to come out of curiosity. He was told that the gatepost had the tramps symbol for being a good touch and had it pointed out to him. By the end of the day it was gone and the visits stopped. (Google tramps gate signs and see) Coal for the boiler came in sacks by the lorryload and on one occasion a lorry was spotted going down the drive with some still on and Father in undignified hot pursuit. And I didn't see it After that he personally stood in the road and counted them off. The coal merchant shall remain nameless. To me this was wrong but as I expected it had always been like that, so what?.There was an efficient educational system but all the day to day running details were left to somebody, but who. As one who lived on the edge of correspondence education, I think the peak was between the wars with a gradual decline from about the mid 1950's.but the demise took longer than is generally thought. Pity there is so little archive material about. I never came across any formal statistics and when the business shifted down to Berkshire there was a fair clearout of older material. For those who would like to know more I can only say "So would I". Overall I think the Bennett College served it's purpose for as long as it was needed and now has passed into history, as has my late father's response to an expression not now in use. When arranging a meetimg, anyone saying " I will meet you at your convenience " got his stock answer. "No no. I use my office, there's more room". .

The only reference to a No 27 is in 1833, below, after that No 27 seems to cease to exist as does Battys Yard and court 27. I cannot find any Henry Upton that lived in or near Furnace Hill. 1833 Batty's yards, 27, Furnace hill; and 11, Castle folds Hall Thos. brass &: white metal founder, screwmaker. &: hardware dealer. court 27, Furnace hill, and 35, South street ------------------------------- 1856 Furnace Hill. 15 Longden & Co. founders. 25 Porter Wm. Henry 18 Staniforth George 24 Winter Mary, mfr 26 Allender T. beerhs Epworth G. beerhouse Marsden Robert Wells Jpb. fender mfr Nor ton, Simmons, and Ward 32 Wright Wm. shopkeeper 38 Charlesworth John 40 Webster John, mfr 42 Cooper Ann, shopkeeper 45 Dean Henry, vict 58 Atkin John, manfr 62 Nicholson J. shoemaker 72 Ratherham J. vict ------------------------------------- 1862 Furnace Hill. 15 Longden and Co., Phoenix foundry 31 Simpson Saml.,scale presser 33 Epworth George, shopkeeper Ibbotson J.D.& R.,ivory cutters Winter Mary. A., spring.knife.manufacturer Norton., Simmons, and Co., Union Foundry Thomas C. H., scissor forger Wells Joseph, fender maker Ellis James, scissor maker 12 Micklethwaite Vincent, chapel keeper Staniforth George, foreman 22 Staniforth W. C., shopkeeper 24 Stubbing George, tailor 26 Bower Nathaniel, beerhouse Crowther W., tallow chandler 30 Greaves Wm., iron broker 36 White Joseph, greengrocer Simpson Saml., haft presser ( same Samuel listed at No 31) 40 Webster John,scissor manufacturer 42 Cooper Ann, shopkeeper Pryor George, shield maker ? 47 Allender Thos.,vict.,The Ball 58 Atkin John, clock maker Jarvis J ames, spring knife.manufacturer 62 Nicholson John,bootmaker 74 Ratherham John, vict.,Grapes ------------------------------------------------- 1879 Longden &Co. stove grate etc. manufacturers 23 Mallender James, shopkeeper Court 1 and Copper street 33 Beatson Charles, shopkeeper Pitts R & Sons, scissors manufacturers Pearson F.G.& Co.edge tool etc .manufacturers 67 Bowling Charles, timekeeper Thomas Charles H. scissors forger Court 3-1 Brook Ellis, coal dealer 14 Webster James, warehouseman Courts 2 and 4: 26 Foster Mrs Ann, beerhouse, &c Court 6 30 Greaves Wm. scrap dealer 32 Foster J ames and Co. tallow chandlers, etc 36 McLoughlin John, firewood dealer Court 8 - Horton Edward, farrier 38 Chapman George, shopkeeper 40 Webster Mrs Charlotte, scissors. manufacturer 42 Cooper Mrs Mary, shopkeeper Court 10 - Eaton Samuel, shear manufacturer 44 Pope Benjamin C.Victualler Courts 12 and 14 56 Wildblood Henry, stag horn cutter 58 Chapman John, shopkeeper Court 16 60 Jarvis Mrs Sarah, cast handle manufacturer 62 Nicholson John (junior) shoemaker 66 Brookfield George, coal dealer 68 Chatterton J ames, shopkeeper Court 18 74 Bingham George, victualler' ------------------------------------------ 1893 NORTH SIDE Longdon & Co Iron Founders (Phoenix Foundry) 19 Granelli Peter Ice Cream manufacturer 33 Beatson Charles beer retailer & shopkeeper pearson F.G. & Co edge & joiners tools manufacturers Thomas Charles scissor forger Dyson William scissor manufacturer Smith George cabinet maker SOUTH SIDE Short John coal dealer 26 Atkinson William beer retailer 30 Rhodes James Goodworth shopkeeper 32 Cardwell Richard tallow melter & refiner 38 Chapman George shopkeeper 42 Cooper Mrs Mary shopkeeper Newton Mary & Sons scissor manufacturers Court 10 46 Ball public house William Picken 62 Smith Thomas shopkeeper 64 Brookfield George coal dealer 72 & 74 Grapes public house James Ramsey Petrie ----------------------------------------------------------------- 1901 Longden & Co. stove grate mfrs TRINITY STREET COURT 1 COPPER STREET 33 Jeffries Samuel shopkeeper Pearson F.G. & Co manufacturers of steel HERES GIBRALTAR STREET LITTLEWOOD MEMORIAL HALL 12 Harrison Mrs.Hannah,chapel keeper 14 Hibberd Jabez, timekeeper COURT 2 22 Scott George, shopkeeper COURT 4 26 Collett Mrs.Rose Ann, lodging house COURT 6 32 Card well Richard, oil & tallow refiner COURT 8 40 Collett William cutlery caster 42 Newton George Henry grocer COURT 10 Newton M. & Sons scissors manufacturers Smith Tom, steel scissors forger Wilkinson Jn. steel scissors forger Needham Robert, steel scissors forger 46 Haley John, vict Courts 12 14 &: 16 Court 18 64 Shipston Henry coal dealer Courts 20 &: 22 ' 74 Flower Mrs Eliza vict HERES WEST BAR ----------------------------------------------- 1905 Longden & Co. ironfounders HERES TRINITY STREET COURT 1 COPPER STREET 33 Warner William, shopkeeper Pearson .F. G. & Co. edge tool manufacturers Smith George, cabinet maker HERES. GIBRALTER STREET LTTTLEWOOD MK\rDRIAL HALL 12 Harrison Mrs.Hannah,chapel keeper 14 Hibberd Jabez, timekeeper COURT 2 22 Scott George, shopkeeper COURT 4 COURT 6 32 Cardwell Richard, oil & tallow refiner COURT 8 40 Collett William, cutlery caster builders 42 Newton Goorge Henry, grocer COURT 10 Newton M & Sons scissors manufacturers Wilkinson John. steel scissrors forger 46 Daprato John, vict COURTS 12, 14 & 16 COURT 18 64 Shipston Henry, coal dealer 66 Shipston William henry. shopkeeper COURTS 20 & 22 74 Chapman Samuel, vict 2 HERES WEST BAR ------------------------------------------- 1911 HERES SCOTLAND STREET Carron Company (late Longden & Co) fire grate manufacturers (Pheonix foundry) HERES TRINITY STREET COURT 1 COPPER STREET 33 Nelson Mrs Maria, shopkeeper Pearson F. G. & Co. edge tool manufacturers (Hope works) Wall James & Co. edge tool manufacturers (Hope works) Sayer Henry S. cabinet maker Smith George, cabinet maker HERES GIBRALTAR STREET LiTTLEWOOD MEMORIALHALL 12 Harrison Mrs.Hannah,chapel keeper 14 Hibberd Jabez. timekeeper COURT 2 COURT 4

I have come across a copy of a report by the Northern Archaeological Associates produced in 2001 re Buck Wood. It is part of a study titled ' Fuelling the Revolution ' The Woods that Founded the Steel Country. Contained within is a map of the wood showing the location together with 34 ten figure grid references of historical positions, none of which it is commented could be securely dated, but the majority thought to be post medieval. 34 is a surprise to me, not realising the wood contained so much of interest. A 1996 assessment of the woods archaeology recorded the existence of a medieval bank and ditch, a fact known to the many amateur historians with an interest in the wood. Sites identified include 2 boundary banks ( possible spoil remains ) and a boundary wall, a track, various pits ( charcoal, white coal, quarry and coal prospecting ) What are described as 3 terraces ( processing areas ) platforms ( possible charcoal burning ) a gulley ( possible drainage from the housing estate ) and a hollow. Periods attributed to the locations are Medieval, Post Medieval and Modern. One of the banks in the north west of the wood is thought to be the remains of the boundary of the Sheffield Deer Park., this bank further in the wood has been disturbed by the construction of the adjacent housing development. Comment is made about the presence of litter, tipping and scattered rubbish from the adjacent estate. All the sites are classified as of lesser archaeological importance with the exception of the Deer Park Boundary. Damage by tipping and erosion due well worn footpaths has been a long term problem. I will add that my Grandfather in the 1920's dug for coal as did many Heeley residents during times of hardship.

Any photos of the coal depot& tramway that led the nunnery colliery.

I see two women, in the middle of the road, dodging the low-flying reindeer. More numerous than seagulls on Bridlington sea-front they were. In those days, you used to get whole flocks of them, (women shoppers and reindeer), around Sheffield City Centre at that time of year. You don't tend to see so many of either these days. Jute coal-sacks - blooming awful things to carry when soaking wet, even more so when you had a lot of slack in the coal.

I remember it well, it was twentyfive to three on a wet January day! I'd just parked my mk10 jaguar at the top of King Street. The Christmas lights are still up. The bus shelter must be leaking cos the woman at the front of the queue still has her brolly up. Either that or the wind's whipping up Angel Street and blowing into the shelter and spoiling her hairdo! The coal man with the Thames Trader has finished for the day. Walsh's is still Walsh's. :-)

My great-great grandfather William Lennard M.D. (1803-1866) was born at the New Inn, Wroxton Heath, but after the death of his father in 1803 he moved with his mother and brother to Melbourne in Derbyshire where he went to school. Seeking to be a doctor, he became apprenticed to a doctor in Melbourne and then obtained support to take a medical degree at Edinburgh (Distinction 1828), and moved to practice in Sheffield, where he met Sarah Rodwell, married in 1839, and raised a family (see below). He was a well-known and successful doctor, and evidently a character, described after his death (from Diphtheria) in the Sheffield Telegraph with affection as ‘a very strange but very worthy man’. Sarah Rodwell (1821-1902) was born at Fence Farm, Aston-cum-Aughton on 25 January 1821 shortly after the death of her father Robert Rodwell; her mother remained at Fence Farm even after her re-marriage to James Holland, but moved to Sheffield in c.1829. At the age of 17 Sarah she eloped to Scotland with Dr. William Lennard and was married in Edinburgh in June 1839 (there being some uncertainty they married again in England in December 1839 when he returned to his medical practice in Sheffield). She had three children Nora (1840), William (1843) and Vivian (1847). They lived at various addresses in Sheffield and she was sometimes in Fence Cottage (where Vivian was born); in 1855 William built a house high on the moors outside Sheffield at Crawshaw, to where they moved. Henry Bradley (later editor of the OED) lived with them for a couple of years in the late 1850s and acted as Vivian's tutor. Dr. Lennard died suddenly in 1866, and she stayed in Crawshaw for two years before moving to Fence House and then back to Sheffield with her half-sister Mrs Morton (née Holland), where she was in the 1871 Census (described as ‘lodger’ and a ‘Land Coal Dealer’). The royalties from the mine underneath her father’s farm produced a substantial income still in 1902. More info and references if required! JM - Oxford

Spent most of my Christmas, and for that matter, my Easter and Summer holidays working at the British Steel Coking and Chemicals Plant, at Orgreave. That would have been 1976, 1977, 1978, and 1979. Of course, having family connections helped a good deal, but it provided a great financial help in funding my way through University. In fact, I would earn far, far more by this holiday work, than the total annual worth of my student grant. Generally, I was assigned to the 'yard staff', which of course, meant general labouring, but in reality, you were there for holiday and sickness relief, so I did get to work on the coal tipper grates, coal blending houses, coke ovens, in some of the chemical processing works, and from time to time, with the brickies, and in the Orcot Factory, the test oven facility and such. The pay was excellent, especially for a generally skint youth such as myself, and it was a fantastic insight into working life and for what was to come later. I even learned how to drive a dumper truck, fork lift truck, and tractor there. The on-site canteen served good, plain food, and their chips were a definite favourite. There where all sorts of premiums paid for working overtime, such as for a 'double-un', (sixteen hour shift), or even, a 'treble-un', (twenty-four hour shift). If you did either one of those, you got free-meal tickets. The work at times could be hard, as you would expect, and today, in hindsight, some of the jobs would be deemed very hazardous. However, when that age, you consider yourself invincible don't you? If you worked in the anthracine plant, and didn't wear barrier cream, then you got an exaggerated kind of sun-burn. If you worked on the coke-oven tops, and didn't keep moving about, the soles of your boots would stick to the deck - and they didn't last that long either. The heat could be tremendous and in order to keep you hydrated, you were given these white salt tablets, about the size of a two-pence piece, which you dissolved in dilute orange juice - but it still tasted vile. Most memorable moment - one dark, very wet Christmas night, about two o'clock in the morning, standing on top of the access platform above the gas pipes which carried the exhaust gases from number six coke oven battery to the condensers and scrubbers. About forty feet or so, up in the air, on a three feet wide walkway - four of us, bawling out Christmas carols very badly to the lads below, working on the 'guide bench'. Another memorable moment - working on the coke grate, where the coke car dropped the quenched coke into a long, sloping hopper with row of manually operated gates at the back, which you used to feed the coke onto the conveyors which carried it over to the coke screens, for grading and loading into railway wagons. Of course, you get a lot of sulphurous gases off of freshly quenched coke - if any of you have ever doused a coal, or a coke fire with water - you will know what I mean. So, in order to mitigate the taste on your throat, you smoked a lot, and you kept your cigarettes on a 'shelf' at the back of the walkway over the coke conveyor. One night, I was working with an old hand, and I noticed that my cigarettes were going down at a rapid rate. Being young, inexperienced, and a little in awe of this old hand, I thought that I would try and be politic. So, I said, 'keep an eye on my fags will you - someone keeps coming down and nicking them'. 'Better not let me catch the b******' he replied, 'there aren't enough for three of us'. By the time that the attached photograph was taken, 30/09/1990, number six battery, to the left-hand-side was already out of use, and the gas pipes, whose approximate route is denoted by the red lines, long dismantled. However, the 'guide bench', and coke hopper are still extant - denoted by yellow arrows.

May I add my thoughts to the thread. Once again I have to say I was there. The Blitz photos showed what it was like after the event exactly as I remember it. Father and I had just reached the grandparents by Barber Road off the Circular bus when the sirens went followed by an immediate attack. So back in the opposite direction to Hunters Bar for home. Only we two on board with the indicator showing Havelock Bridge which showed the crew's intention of making it to Leadmill Road. We hoped they did. Getting home was a game of chance with anti aircraft shells exploding overhead. One contributor remarked that the A.A guns did no good. Pieces of shrapnel as big as two fingers hissing down could do as much damage as bomb fragments, so it was into a passage till there was a pause and run again. After the raid the first impression was the silence which the book can't convey. Time for some tea. No water; there isn't any gas or electricity either. Good job we had a coal fire and a bucket of fresh water every night. Now listen for the man and nip out to the water cart with a bucket. Bit short of window glass as well. We were lucky; others didn't have a house to go back to.The book brings it all out. . Our concern was for friends and relatives. Nobody had a phone so we walked to Bramall Lane They had survived so a look at the Moor. Silence, rubble all over and the smell of all sorts of material burning. The book can't bring that out either. We walked back to Hunters Bar. No public transport. Drag the tram casualties out of the centre and it wasn't long before they were back running. When we got round to it we saw the centre just as the book shows it. Looking at the list of contributors. Eddie Ratcliffe, and the late Ken Atkin were at Hunters Bar School at the same time as I was. Best estimate is we were five, nine and ten years old In that order. Ken's experience was pretty much the same as mine. I am a bit reticent to correct the written word in the opening paragraph of Sharrow Vale at War regarding the school staff. Ladies they were not. The headmaster was MISTER Thomas Bingham ( "Thos" to us lads).a genial type. This sticks in my mind because father was in a similar line and spent time in discussion in Thos's office halfway up the stairs. Nobody could forget MISTER Laver if like me you were on the sharp end of a stroke with his walking stick, handed out to all and sundry at the drop of a hat. An elderly silver haired old gentleman whose looks belied his disposition and who had some weird ideas but you learned not to query them.The other staff names ring no bells but there was at least one lady teacher who did her best with local weather recording. Temperature readings varied wildly; nobody told us or her about Centigrade and Fahrenheit. Overall I cannot see how all the staff became female. Even at that date we could tell the difference. Slip of the keyboard perhaps. That said I have to say that this book covers the Blitz and the war as I remember it, a good introduction to the subject Can't say much about the "now" photos. Having lived away in the second biggest county for fifty odd years I don't like the look of a lot of them. Shame really. Final thought. To help out, school dinners became available, arriving from some mysterious source in big two handled insulated containers like oversize 5 gallon drums at about 11 a.m. This day the two dinner ladies brought them up into the hall as usual. Then there was a yell. We looked out. Released from it's container it was surprising how far and fast rice pudding could travel on a polished floor. For once Thos looked put out. We wern't happy either: only half a dinner and we'd paid for a full one.

My father narrowly missed being in the Marples on that fateful night. He was in the city centre when the air raid sirens sounded. he had the choice to leg it for the bus and jump on the platform while it was leaving at speed or go for a 'safe' lock in at the Marples. Luckily he and rest of the passengers made it out of Sheffield centre or my mum would have been wodowed with my older sister and my as yet unborn brother. I was the surprise that turned up 12 years later. This event at the Marples is mentioned in Catherine Davies novel 'Black diamonds' a good read if Wentworth Woodhouse and the coal industry appeal to anyone.

From Le Tall's Woodhouse. Thomas Dunn lived at Richmond Hill house. The family came from Boston and moved to Malin Bridge. William Dunn lost his house in the Flood, his son Thomas went to live at Richmond Hill. He married a woman from the Horncastle family. But they had no children and he died in 1871 in the house. Thomas was the manager of the Sheffield Coal Company and a Liberal. It is said that he had to jump over a wall to escape from rioting workmen and doing so injured his leg which he never recovered from. He left the Coal Company to the Gainsford family of Darnall. One of which was his nephew. And in 1875 William Dunn Gainsford was in charge of the S.C.C. and residing at Richmond Hill House. Thomas Robert Gainsford went on to live in Woodthorpe Hall.

During the period of time that we are talking about, those comments could equally apply to any other aspect of life. Whether it be railways, coal mining, quarrying, steel production, textile manufacturing, chemical processing, etc., etc., etc. It would be unfair to assume that the rail industry, at that time was in any way, worse than any other industry.

Presume you mean the coal drops to the gas works, they certainly did have a coking plant. https://britainfromabove.org.uk/en/image/EPW015486

Cleared out by J.V. Wilson Demolition late 70's, top level had coal offices bottom level full of rubbish.

If I remember rightly, these units used to house the various coal merchants offices to the adjoining railway goods yard. Am I right in thinking that these units were originally 'split level', with one side having an upper storey, as in the above image, whereas on the other side, only the upper floor was visible as they abutted the roadway, that ran up as a ramp into the former goods yard? I seem to remember them, as for some years, following closure, the goods yard served as a car park, and access was in and out by way of that ramp.

Up the ramp on the right of the picture was where my mother used to go and order and pay for her coal delivery in a little one roomed office ......

Hi Nathan, Another George Staniforth of Darnall for you, born 1831 s/o Joseph Staniforth and Jane Oates, family of coal miners. Joseph was the son of another George, who married Hannah Lant in 1796 and spent all his life in Dunkirk Square at Darnall. Can you fit them into your tree? Pat (Staniforth)

Cross Daggers pub in Coal Aston serve hash Friday night. It must be popular you should see the cars parked outside every Friday night.

Hi I used to have a Saturday job as a lad at the prince of wales pub I used to clean out the fires and get them ready for lighting again fill the coal bucket and do the bottling etc the landlady was called the Maureen suter

If you look to the left of the pub gates there was a small brick built coal house against which we used to have a pile of coke (the legal kind). As a child I used to climb up this coke heap and talk to the railway workers who would often give me wild flowers from the embankments. They were really nice guys and I presume customers. These pictures bring back fond memories.

It belongs to the underlying lower Pennine coal measures which consist of mudstones ,siltstones, sandstones and coal. Sheffield has one of the most diverse geologies of any UK cities.

That's interesting to note, I'm not actually sure what a sickle tedder would be, we're the same Staniforths from the Staniforth Works Sickleworks that was just around the corner so all of their occupations are related to sickles up until the coal mines opening in the 1900s, I never noticed 'Tedder' before you pointed it out.

Arthur Middleton was the son of Benjamin Middleton (born in Wellingborough) who was also in the coal haulage business but sold up and retired to Cleethorpes due to ill health. Arthur was at one time the Landlord of the George IV on Infirmary Road in Sheffield and his son Desmond Peter Middleton was a founder member of the 1st SAS serving under Colonal Paddy Mayne in WW2. His daughter Veda was Headmistress of Carbrook County Junior School. http://tabbs.magix.net/website/desmond_peter_middleton.28.html#Desmond Peter Middleton

As an aside,the adjoining Sitwell Estate was largely made possible by an income from timber (for charcoal) obtained by the "cunning" Sitwell's from branches obtained from trees intended for Royal Navy shipbuilding. Iron working in the area had been going on for centuries ...as indicated by some local place names...and Sitwell's supplied all manner of iron wares to a burgeoning trade with the West Indies...but it was the later exploitation of coal that really made their fortunes....including a nice little "earner" for every wagon the Midland Railway passed over their Renishaw lands.