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Drainspotting!


Calvin72

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I saw these drain covers up around Brocco Bank, i.e. Newington Rd, Rossington Rd etc. The double one that was made in Bangor, I think they were actually based in Llandudno. Can you see the Government ARROW mark in the bottom right hand corner of the one dated 1899?

Thanks for these! Two new dates in 1922 and 1926 but i wonder if they are 'recycled' as the last two digits seem out of place? Certainly i have never seen any other dates after WW1. As for the arrow it also doesn't look 'real' and i have never seen another on a Sheffield Corporation drain. If i am right then more questions than answers arise from your pics and i will have to have a look in the area.

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I saw these drain covers up around Brocco Bank, i.e. Newington Rd, Rossington Rd etc. The double one that was made in Bangor, I think they were actually based in Llandudno. Can you see the Government ARROW mark in the bottom right hand corner of the one dated 1899?

The arrow may be the mark made by the Ordnance Survey to show where a contour line passes?

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I've spotted a lot of Blakes Foundry this week, I'm presuming that those drain covers aren't that old.

There are lots aren't there.

Here's one anyway, just for the record.

Bradley Street S10

And also on Bradley Street

Can't find any info on W Green and Co

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Best guess is:

Green & Co., William (, ironfounders,kitchen range & stove-grate manuftrs).
Residing at Norfolk Foundry Ecclesfield & Sheffield, in 1905.
Recorded in: Whites Directory of Sheffield & Rotherham.

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Best guess is:

Green & Co., William (, ironfounders,kitchen range & stove-grate manuftrs).

Residing at Norfolk Foundry Ecclesfield & Sheffield, in 1905.

Recorded in: Whites Directory of Sheffield & Rotherham.

Green William & Co. (Ecclesfield) Ltd. manufacturers of stove giates,

111 115 West Bar & Noifolk foundiy, Station Road, Ecclesfield.

Kelly's 1925.

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We have wondered before about an earlier style that had 'Corporation' at the top but unfortunately every example we found was too worn to date.

Today i unexpectedly found a new design (Corporation of Sheffield) in great condition and 1890!

Has anyone seen any more of these, or indeed any older dates?

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The square cover is a hinged stop-tap chamber cover. It bears the name of G. W. Dawes, a well known plumbing and heating company with it's origins dating from 1899 and originally located on Holme Lane, Hillsborough. There must be thousands of similar covers located on pavements adjacent to property boundaries. Many of them are marked SCWW (Sheffield Corporation Water Works), although that's not the version that a waterworks watchman told me when I was a little lad. His version was that it stood for Sheffield Chaps Wont Work or something similar. The little slot at the bottom is to insert a screwdriver to lever the rusted cover open.

The round cover bearing J. Parker & Sons, another well known builder's merchant is, I suspect, over a minor junction in a drain system. We had a similar one at the bottom of the entry leading to my childhood home. It was where the drains from the front roof fall pipes joined the main drain.

It's difficult to gauge the size from the photo but if it's bigger than about 6" diameter it might be a coal hole cover.

HD

PS When I first posted this I used the normal technical word to describe a stop valve and the site software automatically changed it to " wee wee tail"

I like it :rolleyes:

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There are indeed many, many small square 'SCWW' features on Sheffield pavements - however i have never seen one of the maker's name above! - it all adds up to the mystery of Sheffield's many road and pavement features.

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I saw these drain covers up around Brocco Bank, i.e. Newington Rd, Rossington Rd etc. The double one that was made in Bangor, I think they were actually based in Llandudno. Can you see the Government ARROW mark in the bottom right hand corner of the one dated 1899?

Thanks for these! Two new dates in 1922 and 1926 but i wonder if they are 'recycled' as the last two digits seem out of place? Certainly i have never seen any other dates after WW1. As for the arrow it also doesn't look 'real' and i have never seen another on a Sheffield Corporation drain. If i am right then more questions than answers arise from your pics and i will have to have a look in the area.

The arrow may be the mark made by the Ordnance Survey to show where a contour line passes?

I don't think the arrow is actually the government mark, common on wartime issued equipment. In this case I think it's just an imperfection in the casting or a mark that has been scratched into the casting accidentally somehow over the passage of time. As the covers are cast iron, it would be very difficult (maybe even impossible) to stamp a mark into them after manufacture as they would likely shatter. Also if it was made at the casting stage it would stand proud like the letters, not be recessed.

The different numerals in the second part of the dates shows how the lettering was detachable from the original patterns the green sand castings were made from. These letters and numbers, known as pattern makers letters, were available in different sizes and designs. Obviously be the twenties the foundry had run out of the original ones!

Could the arrow be there to show the direction of flow to the main drain, or direction of flow in the main drain?

I don't think this drain grate on the canal at Victoria Quays is that old, but I presume 'Traffic' and the 'Arrow' are referring to the directional flow of water ....

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Harveys Nonslip inspection cover.

There was one like this in the back yard of our old house on St. Mary's Road,

this one is at the corner of Charlotte Rd. & Shoreham Street.

Wilkinson Thomas & Sons, joiners & builders, Wilkinson's buildings, Guernsey road, Heeley. (White's 1901).

Wilkinson Thomas & Sons, joiners & builders, Woodbine works, Guernsey road, Heeley. (White's 1905, 1911).

Wilkinson Thomas & Sons, (Builders) Ltd builders &c (Olive Grove works) Midhill Road, Heeley. (Kelly's 1925, 1965).

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Amazing amount of interest from the national media today as a result of The Star piece. Many of tomorrow's nationals are covering the story and i will be on Toby Foster's show on Radio Sheffield 7-30 on Monday morning. I am asking all the media to mention this site and i am pleased that The Star have done so.

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Glad of the coverage in the Daily Mail but there are many errors including me being part of 'Streets Ahead' when it is the potential enemy!

Not sure about the 'Sherlock of the sewers' either!

But best of all i am finally, and i quote, a "Yorkshireman"!

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Still no word from the council about the vandals at AMEY though. It's a month since I e-mailed them and nothing back yet. Also that useless Labour councilor woman at nether Edge, who said she'd get back to me hasn't done either!

The Star have quoted Jack Scott from the Council who says that some pavement furniture will go - so listing is the way.

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I don't think the arrow is actually the government mark, common on wartime issued equipment. In this case I think it's just an imperfection in the casting or a mark that has been scratched into the casting accidentally somehow over the passage of time. As the covers are cast iron, it would be very difficult (maybe even impossible) to stamp a mark into them after manufacture as they would likely shatter. Also if it was made at the casting stage it would stand proud like the letters, not be recessed.

The different numerals in the second part of the dates shows how the lettering was detachable from the original patterns the green sand castings were made from. These letters and numbers, known as pattern makers letters, were available in different sizes and designs. Obviously be the twenties the foundry had run out of the original ones!

I don't think the arrow is an O.S. mark, it would be a bit more defined than it is BUT it's not an imperfection in casting either, I'm still in the Government court, you can see it's been worn over the years .

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The seriousness of the Sheffield Star report has given way to 'silly season' stories about me personally, but it's worth it if the story gets people looking and thinking about their surroundings and local history.

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I'll go along with Hildweller on what the small features are. I think stop taps are a spot on explanation.

The 'CORPORATION OF SHEFFIELD' drain is interesting. Previously we've found one with 'CORPORATION' at the top with nothing at the bottom and wondered what it was. Now it looks like it was one of these with the 'OF SHEFFIELD' bit worn off.

So if you find a 12 slot 'CORPORATION OF SHEFFIELD' it's definitely sometime pre-1892. And if you find a 12 slot 'SHEFFIELD CORPORATION' it's definitely post-1890. we're just not sure which was in use during 1891.

Calvin, for your next challenge you need to find something dated 1891!

We're now getting so much

information on this I'm starting to think we should write a small book or something.

Is this Sheffield Corporation 1891? Never seen another one if so.

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