The Foresters Hotel

[tozzin]

I recently went to photograph the Foresters Hotel on Division Street and I couldn't believe my eyes on how it's been changed out of all recognition, I think it was open in c1893 so it's getting on for two hundred years old, just how could the council planning committee allow the drastic change of the outside of the pub, just sheer vandalism.

 

 

[Edmund]

My GGG Uncle George Skinner was landlord there from 1849 to 1856.  In 1841 he was a Journeyman Painter living at Charlotte Street (off West Street) with his wife Jane. George and his brother Frederick were founder members of the Sheffield Skating club in 1841, skating on ponds at Chatsworth, on occasion playing ice cricket with Joseph Paxton the head gardener. On July 29th 1848 a notice appeared in the Independent that the Foresters Inn was to be let and George took it on, athough still painting and decorating, and selling tickets for excursions to Bangor and the Isle of Man via Liverpool.  In 1853 he was on the Licensed Victuallers Association committee and was Secretary for about 25 years, involved in the running of the Grimesthorpe LVA Asylum built in 1848 and the building and running of the Dore Asylum, built in 1877. George served as a Town Councillor for the St George's ward from 1st November 1855 to 1st November 1858, and again from 1st November 1872 to 1st November 1887. In 1855 he was voted onto the New Highway Board and was still there in 1858. In October of 1855 the fall of Sebastopol was celebrated widely and the Foresters Inn had a gas lit star in its window. In June 1858 he placed an advertisement to say that he had moved from 57 Division Street to 150 Westfield Place, West street, with shops in Mr Hayball's Yard, Rockingham Street.  George was a keen cricketer, playing for both the LVA and Sheffield Wednesday in 1852, and still playing for Sheffield Wednesday in July 1862. He was the Secretary of Sheffield Wednesday Cricket Club from 1859 until 1863 and in his last year he was also treasurer. In 1865 George was one of the principal supporters of the two Liberal candidates for Sheffield (John Roebuck and George Hadfield).  In 1871 George was a Brewers Agent, the brewery was probably the Neepsend Brewery, who supplied the Foresters Inn.  George founded the Good Intent Lodge (no.563) of the Manchester Unity of Odd Fellows, and for over 25 years was its secretary.. In 1885 the Town Councillors visited Haddon Hall and all had their photograph taken - it was reprinted in the Daily Telegraph on 24th December 1925 - George is number 35 on the photo. By 1891 he was a retired Licensed Victualler (74) living with wife Jane at the Licensed Victuallers Institution on Abbeydale Road, Dore. Jane died on Jun 21 1891 aged 76 and George died after a run of poor health on 25th December 1893 aged 77 and was buried in Ecclesall Churchyard.

 

[syrup]

1 hour ago, Edmund said:

My GGG Uncle George Skinner was landlord there from 1849 to 1856.  In 1841 he was a Journeyman Painter living at Charlotte Street (off West Street) with his wife Jane. George and his brother Frederick were founder members of the Sheffield Skating club in 1841, skating on ponds at Chatsworth, on occasion playing ice cricket with Joseph Paxton the head gardener. On July 29th 1848 a notice appeared in the Independent that the Foresters Inn was to be let and George took it on, athough still painting and decorating, and selling tickets for excursions to Bangor and the Isle of Man via Liverpool.  In 1853 he was on the Licensed Victuallers Association committee and was Secretary for about 25 years, involved in the running of the Grimesthorpe LVA Asylum built in 1848 and the building and running of the Dore Asylum, built in 1877. George served as a Town Councillor for the St George's ward from 1st November 1855 to 1st November 1858, and again from 1st November 1872 to 1st November 1887. In 1855 he was voted onto the New Highway Board and was still there in 1858. In October of 1855 the fall of Sebastopol was celebrated widely and the Foresters Inn had a gas lit star in its window. In June 1858 he placed an advertisement to say that he had moved from 57 Division Street to 150 Westfield Place, West street, with shops in Mr Hayball's Yard, Rockingham Street.  George was a keen cricketer, playing for both the LVA and Sheffield Wednesday in 1852, and still playing for Sheffield Wednesday in July 1862. He was the Secretary of Sheffield Wednesday Cricket Club from 1859 until 1863 and in his last year he was also treasurer. In 1865 George was one of the principal supporters of the two Liberal candidates for Sheffield (John Roebuck and George Hadfield).  In 1871 George was a Brewers Agent, the brewery was probably the Neepsend Brewery, who supplied the Foresters Inn.  George founded the Good Intent Lodge (no.563) of the Manchester Unity of Odd Fellows, and for over 25 years was its secretary.. In 1885 the Town Councillors visited Haddon Hall and all had their photograph taken - it was reprinted in the Daily Telegraph on 24th December 1925 - George is number 35 on the photo. By 1891 he was a retired Licensed Victualler (74) living with wife Jane at the Licensed Victuallers Institution on Abbeydale Road, Dore. Jane died on Jun 21 1891 aged 76 and George died after a run of poor health on 25th December 1893 aged 77 and was buried in Ecclesall Churchyard.

 

I'm thinking that you may have this article but just in case..

Sheffield Independent 26 December 1893

[tozzin]

This is just a paragraph from my article on Mr and Mrs Grafton who had an oyster dealers shop next to the Foresters. 

The shop is still there but the exterior has changed dramatically for the worse I may add, next door is the Foresters Hotel, this once fantastic old pub has been ruined by the modern look it now has, God knows how they obtained planning permission to destroy the 191 year old outside look of the pub, just criminal, this old pub was opened in 1828, it was opened just four years when the Cholera epidemic was raging in Sheffield, I like many others can remember what the outside looked like and it did look old but now I would just walk past without a second glance, anyway I nearly went off on one then, a few years ago I read a report in the star about some kind of work was underway in the Foresters (nothing to do with chopping trees down, it was a friendly society with lodges worldwide) one day a wall was taken down and the room or large void behind it was crammed full of oyster shells discarded by the owners of the oyster shop next door, they must have had a large enough opening in their adjoining wall to just put shells through without having the bother of disposing of them else where.

[Edmund]

Thanks Syrup, I had not seen seen that obituary, I only had a much shorter one from the Telegraph. I'll add it to my collection.

I must have spent weeks in total in the Foresters in the '70s and 80s, as it was on the West Street/Division Street pub crawl route, and at that time was a Whitbread house (my Dad was unimpresssed, Whitbreads was "throwing up ale"). The Foresters was often a meeting up place for us for journeys to other towns. Once, running late, I got to the bar and ordered a pint, only to remember when it was handed over, that we were actually meeting in the Howard Hotel, nearer the station - so a pint quickly down the throat and a sprint across Sheffield.

[tozzin]

Albert, Foresters, Prince of Wales, Raven, Beehive, Mailcoach , great  times.

 

[Ponytail]

The Star 23rd January 2024.

Foresters: Division Street pub which opened in 1828 to be reborn as Sheffield city centre's 'new local'

The new venue will replace the Gatsby cocktail bar, which closed at the end of 2023 after 13 years. 

https://www.thestar.co.uk/news/the-foresters-division-street-sheffield-gatsby-pub-which-opened-in-1828-to-be-reborn-as-city-centres-new-local-4490094

 

[Ponytail]

Forester's Hotel, Nos. 73-75 Division Street, at junction of Rockingham Street.

s22076

Forester's Inn. 

https://www.picturesheffield.com/frontend.php?keywords=Ref_No_increment;EQUALS;t13849&pos=3&action=zoom&id=108311

Also known as Yorick, Gatsby and The Hush Bar. 

Yorick. November 1988.s22075

 

[Ponytail]

The lot which became "Foresters" is shown at the junction of Division Street and Rockingham Street labelled boldly in capital letters as William Smith then underneath written "now John Green"

Plan of certain building land the property of Messrs Brittain, Wilkinson and Brownell. 1829.

https://www.picturesheffield.com/frontend.php?keywords=Ref_No_increment;EQUALS;arc04097&pos=14&action=zoom&id=103534

Shows Rockingham Street, Division Street, Rockingham Lane and Carver Street. Also, owners or tenants: John Harrop, Henry Blackwell; Charles Brown; William Smith; Jacob Bridge; John, Joseph, William and Edwin Mouslon.

Steel furnaces, cutlers shops and warehouse marked.

Surveyed and drawn by J. Fairbank and Son.

 

Premise of William Smith also marked Jacob Bridge

Plan of vacant land, the property of Verdon Brittain, Robert Robinson Brownell and Charles Brownell. 1829. 

https://www.picturesheffield.com/frontend.php?keywords=Ref_No_increment;EQUALS;arc04096&pos=13&action=zoom&id=103533

Shows Rockingham Street, Division Street, Rockingham Lane and Carver Street. Property leased to John Harrop, property leased to Henry Blackwell;  also, owners or tenants: Charles Brown;  William Smith; Jacob Bridge; John, Joseph, William and Edwin Mouslon.

 

Forester's Inn marked right hand side towards the top. 

Ordnance Survey Map, sheet no. Yorkshire No. 294.7.25.  1889

https://www.picturesheffield.com/frontend.php?keywords=Ref_No_increment;EQUALS;q00075&pos=2&action=zoom&id=107161

 

Sheffield History A-Z Public Houses List. 

Forester's Inn/Yorick/The Yorl/Olive Bar, 57 Division Street
Open 1828. 

1828 William Smith
1833 William Smith
1834 William Smith 

1837 Jacob Bridge

1839 W Deakin

1841 John Parsons [Pigot's ] 149 Rockingham Street

1841 William Richmond [ Whites ]
1845 Charles Holland (149 Rockingham Street)
1846 Charles Holland
1849 George Skinner
1852 George Skinner [57 Division Street]
1854 George Skinner
1856 George Skinner
1859 Herbert Rowe
1862 John Storey
1863 John Storey
1864 John Storey [57 Division Street]
1865 John Storey
1868 Thomas Webster
1871 Thomas Webster
1876 Thomas Webster [73-5 Division Street]
1879 William Thompson
1881 William Thompson [73 Division St]
1883 John Maxfield
1887 to 1890 John Maxfield
1893 John Maxfield
1895/6 Herbert Bevington
1898 Herbert Bevington
1900 to 1902 Herbert Bevington
1903 William Charles Lockwood
1905 William Charles Lockwood
1907 Mrs Eliza Smith
1910 to 1913 Frank Shelton
1916 Frank Shelton
1917 Frank Shelton
1919/20 Frank Shelton
1921 Herbert Walker
1922 Herbert Walker
1923 Sidney Hudson
1924 Gorden Lyall
1925 Gordon Lyall
1929 Gorden Lyall
1931 Harry Rose
1932 Mrs Sarah Agnes A Thomas
1933 Mrs Sarah Agnes A Thomas
1936 to 1939 Frank Jones
1942 Frank Jones
1944 Frank Jones
1948 Frank Lee (73-75 Division Street)

 

[Lysanderix]

I remember as a “right of passage” the Foresters was one of central Sheffields pubs that young 1960s men had to visit.

[Ponytail]

This also shows "Foresters" (left) don't know whether it something I'm doing/not doing, unable to get the Zoom to work to enable text legible.

Possibly reads John Green. 

Plan of Messrs Brownell's freehold property in and near Carver Street, Sheffield. 1845.

https://www.picturesheffield.com/frontend.php?keywords=Ref_No_increment;EQUALS;arc04077&pos=8&action=zoom&id=98738

By J. Fairbank and Son.

Endorsed: This plan is drawn from an old survey.

Shows Rockingham Street, West Street, Carver Street, Rockingham Lane, and Division Street.

Tenants / owners: John Green, Samuel Laycock’s executors, Society of Methodists [Carver Street Wesleyan Chapel], John Moulson, Joseph Moulson, William Moulson, Edwin Moulson, Henry Duke, Francis Carr, Fenton and Shore, Bush and Broomhead and Nadin, Charles Brown, and Sorby and Sons.