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Calvin72

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That's a new one with me!

Anyone else know anything about the 'Sheffield Telephone Exchange and Electric Light Company' ?

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That may be the best provenance for an undated feature we have! Definitely dates from 1888-1890 then. Also found in an area that i have been Drainspotting in several times - i have to doff my proverbial cap to tozzin :) , some impressive Drainspotting there!

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Duke of Norfolk?

There are several D of N drain covers near Bramall Lane on Lancing Street. As a Sussex lad myself i know that the Duke of Norfolk and family are based at Arundel, and that this is why lots of Sussex towns are also street names in Sheffield; Arundel, Shoreham, Lancing etc. Elsewhere on this site the bollards from the Norfolk estate are discussed as they appear in several places around the City centre, however why Duke of Norfolk drain covers? Did they come from the estate once no longer needed there or was he responsible for sanitation on Lancing Street at one time (if indeed it is his land)?

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Also discovered a worn but identifiable 'Sheffield Local Board' cover on Artisan View, Meersbrook at the weekend. I have a photo but having a few I.T problems so can't upload for now. Also a couple of possible Local Board drains alongside the Sheaf View pub on Prospect Road. These are still numbering less than 10 in the City so far - can anyone help with dating the area so we can narrow down the instillation time? Much appreciated :)

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I found this cover this morning on Ashdell Rd this morning, a hark back to when the Corporation supplied nearly everything.

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I found this cover this morning on Ashdell Rd this morning, a hark back to when the Corporation supplied nearly everything.

This was the first cover i posted in this thread - i like them, they look official and proud.

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This was the first cover i posted in this thread - i like them, they look official and proud.

Sorry I should have checked first.

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I found this cover this morning on Ashdell Rd this morning, a hark back to when the Corporation supplied nearly everything.

That's a section box and links the cables from two different sub-stations. Under the lid will be a cast iron box with no bottom that fits over another cast iron box containing fuses or links. This arrangement keeps water out of the connections, during flood conditions, in the manner of a diving bell. The idea was that if a particular sub-station failed then supply would be maintained from other subs up to the limit of the fusing. Nowadays the fashion is to connect everything together in a solid network.

The distribution company have a rolling programme of replacing these with GRP boxes or removing them completely and just joining the cables together (network solidification).

They seem to be working their way around Lodge Moor at the moment.

This survivor from before nationalisation in 1947 will be a bit long in the tooth and not up to modern safety standards.

HD

Come to think of it, I'm a survivor from 1947 and long in the tooth and I certainly don't meet modern standards. :rolleyes:

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I have found two more styles of dated 1890 covers - all three so far in the Abbeydale/Nether Edge/Sharrow area. These are the 'Corporation of Sheffield' style mainly found on Club Street, Sharrow. Also the 12 vertical slot style previously referred to are only found (so far) dated 1890,91,92. On Brookfield Road, just off Abbeydale Road there is one previously unknown 'Sheffield Corporation 1890'. When i started out with this i focused on the increase of features in 1897, which i put down to plans for the electrification of the tramway. Now i am wondering what led to the different styles in 1890 and the sudden appearance of dates. Was there competition for becoming the Sheffield Corporation approved maker? Any other reason for 1890 being important? I presume the Corporation knew City status was coming in 1893? Could that be significant?

PS - still having internet problems and unable to upload photographs, which i realise doesn't help!

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I have finally worked out how to use my new mobile and laptop!

Here are the three 1890 drain covers i refer to above.

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I have a plan (when I get around to it) to do a bit of reconstructive archeology and cast a brand new cover with a 2014 date out of aluminium.

Were you a pupil of the Central Technical School by any chance ?

I ask because the engineering strand of the pupils, used to have weekly lessons on pattern making and foundry practice.

Fifty years on I reckon I could still ram a half decent green sand mould.

Don't forget your contraction ruler. :mellow:

HD

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Also discovered a worn but identifiable 'Sheffield Local Board' cover on Artisan View, Meersbrook at the weekend. I have a photo but having a few I.T problems so can't upload for now. Also a couple of possible Local Board drains alongside the Sheaf View pub on Prospect Road. These are still numbering less than 10 in the City so far - can anyone help with dating the area so we can narrow down the instillation time? Much appreciated :)

Seen better days, but this is definitely a 'Sheffield Local Board' on Artisan View, Meersbrook.

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Monks William, builders' factor, 250 Edmund Road. (1905).

Monks William, builders' merchant. Edmund Road; house. 250 Edmund Road. (1911).

Monks William, builders' merchant, 233 Edmund Road; h. Cannon Fields, Hathersage (1919)

Monks William,. builders' merchant, 233 Edmund Road. (1925). Home address as per 1919.

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Wayland Road, Ecclesall

Sheffield Daily Telegraph. 31 Jan 1899
Soil for Disposal (any quantity).—Apply Walter Shaw, Builder, Ecclcsail Koad

Sheffield daily Telegraph - 9 Oct 1899
Nine pence per load given for Clean Ashes for mortar mill.—Walter Shaw, Builder, Ecclesall Road. Sheffield

Sheffield Daily Telegraph - 1st Nov 1899
OLD Bricks and Stone, Is. per Load given.—Walter Shaw. Builder, Road. Sheffield

Sheffield Daily Telegraph. 27th Dec 1899
ONE Shilling and Sixpence per Load given for old Brick* and Rubble Stone.—Apply Walter Shaw, Builder, Ecclesall Road, Sheffield

Same builder ? - It's the right sort of date.

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Wayland Road, Ecclesall

attachicon.gifWalter Shaw Builder-Wayland Rd.jpg

Sheffield Daily Telegraph. 31 Jan 1899

Soil for Disposal (any quantity).—Apply Walter Shaw, Builder, Ecclcsail Koad

Sheffield daily Telegraph - 9 Oct 1899

Nine pence per load given for Clean Ashes for mortar mill.—Walter Shaw, Builder, Ecclesall Road. Sheffield

Sheffield Daily Telegraph - 1st Nov 1899

OLD Bricks and Stone, Is. per Load given.—Walter Shaw. Builder, Road. Sheffield

Sheffield Daily Telegraph. 27th Dec 1899

ONE Shilling and Sixpence per Load given for old Brick* and Rubble Stone.—Apply Walter Shaw, Builder, Ecclesall Road, Sheffield

Same builder ? - It's the right sort of date.

Walter Shaw, builder & contractor, 476 Ecclesall Roaod, (1901 directory).

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William Monks anyone ... ?

On Abbeydale Road.

Monks had a yard on Queens Rd, Keyline have had the site since Monks ceased trading.
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Sheffield daily Telegraph - 9 Oct 1899

Nine pence per load given for Clean Ashes for mortar mill.—Walter Shaw, Builder, Ecclesall Road. Sheffield

So he must be the bloke responsible for all the bulging walls on terraced houses all over Sheffield !

If you make mortar with ground ashes (black mortar) then decades later the sulphur in the ashes attacks the galvanising on wall ties and they then corrode and the wall bulges.

HD

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Just wanted to make sure you were aware of the two Sheffield Highways covers side by side on the road down to Forge Dam. There was another one a little further along that I think may also be a Highways cover but is now rubbed clean. I didn't have anything with me to photograph them I'm sorry to say.

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Just wanted to make sure you were aware of the two Sheffield Highways covers side by side on the road down to Forge Dam. There was another one a little further along that I think may also be a Highways cover but is now rubbed clean. I didn't have anything with me to photograph them I'm sorry to say.

Thanks very much saw - i bumped an old thread recently about early 19th century Highway development with my photo of a 'Highways' cover. Are yours the same, i.e look a bit like 'Local Board' ones and clearly 19th century?

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Definitely 19th century and pre Corporation if the style of lettering is anything to go by. Definitely closer to Local Board covers.

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Think this recent discovery is one of my favourites! Certainly pre-dates the Corporation takeover of the Water Works in 1888 and could be quite a bit older than that...

I am bouncing this photo from 5 months ago in case it has dropped off the radar! - Has anyone seen anything else like this? I think it may be one of the most interesting things i have found and i think (just a feeling based on condition and location) that it may be VERY old - any thoughts?

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well it's certainly not the normal 'SCWW' type of stop tap cover, which commonly found around the city. I'd say it either pre-dates the corporation taking over the water supply or is a generic casting used in a lot of different places.

I have never seen another one, or indeed anything similar. It is on an old cobbled side street near the Cathedral and i think it is VERY old, certainly pre-1888 and i would estimate c.1850-60

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