Attercliffe Roller Rink

[Guest InSheffield]

Hi -

I'm writing a piece about roller skating in Sheffield. I've found lots of information on the early rinks, up to the 1910s, and of course there is Skate Central at the old Silver Blades ice rink. What I'm short of is much on the Attercliffe rink. I know that it was between Attercliffe Road and Zion Lane, near the cemetery, and I assume that the building is now gone. So far as I can make out, it operated from at least the early 50s (maybe pre-war?) until the late 60s, perhaps longer. Someone on Sheffield Forum also mentions that there might have also been a rink in an old Methodist church in Carbrook for a while. Does anyone have any more info or memories? Or, better yet, pictures?

In exchange, here's a story from the Manchester Guardian of 27th May 1930:

ROLLER-SKATING RECORD

By roller-skating for 25 hours 21½

minutes Mr. William Baldock of 21,

Blagden Street, Sheffield, established a

new record at the week-end, beating the

previous non-stop endurance record of

the world by one hour four and a half

minutes. The old record was created as

recently as last Tuesday. Mr. Baldock,

who finished his effort at a Sheffield

rink yesterday, covered more than 230

miles at a speed varying from twelve

to nine miles an hour.

[dunsbyowl1867]

Here's on previous thread

olympia

Hi -

I'm writing a piece about roller skating in Sheffield. I've found lots of information on the early rinks, up to the 1910s, and of course there is Skate Central at the old Silver Blades ice rink. What I'm short of is much on the Attercliffe rink. I know that it was between Attercliffe Road and Zion Lane, near the cemetery, and I assume that the building is now gone. So far as I can make out, it operated from at least the early 50s (maybe pre-war?) until the late 60s, perhaps longer. Someone on Sheffield Forum also mentions that there might have also been a rink in an old Methodist church in Carbrook for a while. Does anyone have any more info or memories? Or, better yet, pictures?

In exchange, here's a story from the Manchester Guardian of 27th May 1930:

ROLLER-SKATING RECORD

By roller-skating for 25 hours 21½

minutes Mr. William Baldock of 21,

Blagden Street, Sheffield, established a

new record at the week-end, beating the

previous non-stop endurance record of

the world by one hour four and a half

minutes. The old record was created as

recently as last Tuesday. Mr. Baldock,

who finished his effort at a Sheffield

rink yesterday, covered more than 230

miles at a speed varying from twelve

to nine miles an hour.

[dunsbyowl1867]

Couple of mentions on here :

Adelphi

[dunsbyowl1867]

Discussion on Rootsweb

http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/ENG-SHEFFIELD/2002-08/1030694582

[neddy]

Attercliffe Palais de Danse, roller skating rink, Zion Lane

From memory was at the far end of Zion Lane, on two levels, down a flight of stairs to the bottom rink, ouch.

[Guest InSheffield]

Attercliffe Palais de Danse, roller skating rink, Zion Lane

From memory was at the far end of Zion Lane, on two levels, down a flight of stairs to the bottom rink, ouch.

Thanks, that's very useful. Knowing it was called the "Palais de Danse" has led me to some posts elsewhere about its later incarnation as the "Central Ballroom" and possibly also the "Central Dance Hall". The memories sound good, too!

Do you remember when it might have shut down? Were they still doing roller skating in the later years when it was the "Ballroom" and there were various bands performing?

[Guest InSheffield]

Discussion on Rootsweb

http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/ENG-SHEFFIELD/2002-08/1030694582

Thanks for these links. In truth, I've already seen them, but it's good to have them all in one place.

I've also found this 1943 Billboard article which mentions a rink in Attercliffe, presumably the same one.

[neddy]

Thanks, that's very useful. Knowing it was called the "Palais de Danse" has led me to some posts elsewhere about its later incarnation as the "Central Ballroom" and possibly also the "Central Dance Hall". The memories sound good, too!

Do you remember when it might have shut down? Were they still doing roller skating in the later years when it was the "Ballroom" and there were various bands performing?

Would think it closed early sixties, didn't go that often just a fad at the time, remember the skate boots being old brown leather jobs and lucky if they had your size, were things really that bad :(

[Guest InSheffield]

Would think it closed early sixties, didn't go that often just a fad at the time, remember the skate boots being old brown leather jobs and lucky if they had your size, were things really that bad

Thanks. Its history has been a series of fads: 1870s/early 1880s, 1890s, 1910s, 1960s, 1980s/1990s - and the last one was the only time that Sheffield didn't have at least one roller rink.

With the old Silver Blades ice rink now a roller rink, and roller derby becoming popular, perhaps we'll see another boom?