Sheffield History Posted June 22, 2020 Share Posted June 22, 2020 A thread dedicated to the Handsworth area of Sheffield. Handsworth was where actor Sean Bean was born and raised, where steel revolutionist Benjamin Huntsman resided, and where places such as The Plaza Cinema were built. There have been many pubs in Handsworth too that are covered in our pubs section, such as the Turf Tavern, Norfolk Arms, The Crown, The Chantrey Inn Let me start this thread with a question though. On a recent walk I passed this building that is now home to the Oak House Tea Room and Cafe, and the Handsworth Fish Bar fish and chip shop. But it looks like a building that had a very different past. Did this used to be a pub? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu_1981 Posted June 23, 2020 Share Posted June 23, 2020 Well, this was a fun one. I think I might have found an answer. I looked on some old OS maps in case the building was labelled. It wasn't, but a nearby building called Manor View was. It is still there and visible on Google Street View. A quick search of periodicals revealed that Mrs Ball (Manor View) let a house (Oak House) in 1904. I wondered if this was a just a coincidence, despite the buildings (Manor View and Oak House Tea Room) being so close to each other, but found another article detailing the sale of Oak House in 1939. The address being 309 Handworth Road, which is the modern day Fish Bar. So it seems that the building (coffee shop and fish bar) was a rather nice private residence (with a vinery!). 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu_1981 Posted June 23, 2020 Share Posted June 23, 2020 Seems that the people that lived in the house could also afford some help with tedious household chores! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheffield History Posted June 23, 2020 Author Share Posted June 23, 2020 Amazing work thank you! There's some really amazing buildings down that stretch of Handsworth Road. I had a gut feeling that some of them would have fascinating histories so glad you could prove it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu_1981 Posted June 24, 2020 Share Posted June 24, 2020 No problem at all. It was also interesting to note that the road between the houses (Manor View and Oak House), Fitzalan Road, didn't exist on the early OS maps. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheffield History Posted June 24, 2020 Author Share Posted June 24, 2020 3 hours ago, Stu_1981 said: No problem at all. It was also interesting to note that the road between the houses (Manor View and Oak House), Fitzalan Road, didn't exist on the early OS maps. I had a feeling that would be the case The buildings on Handsworth Road itself certainly have a very different feel to them Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu_1981 Posted June 25, 2020 Share Posted June 25, 2020 A bit more info. On the opposite side of the road to Manor View and Oak House (directly opposite the Methodist Church) is another building marked on the old OS map above, called Oakfield House. It currently houses the Lloyds Pharmacy etc (street view image below). Picture Sheffield has some images of this building from the 1960s (when it was also a used as shops), but there is also an image from 1891 when it was a private residence. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu_1981 Posted June 25, 2020 Share Posted June 25, 2020 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu_1981 Posted June 25, 2020 Share Posted June 25, 2020 Information about resident, Mr Charles Fisher: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu_1981 Posted June 25, 2020 Share Posted June 25, 2020 Perhaps this is the reason for the naming of Oak House and Oakfield House? According to Picture Sheffield: "The Handsworth Oak and the old village smithy at the side of the Turf Tavern. The two men on the left are Norman Walker and his father. In the 1920 directory it is listed as belonging to Wolston Walker." The Turf Tavern is marked on the old OS map above and was not far from the houses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheffield History Posted June 29, 2020 Author Share Posted June 29, 2020 Here we go then - a walk down Handsworth Road with so many questions in it Many of the buildings in here are questioned and discussed - wonder if anyone can shed any light on them? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Walker Posted June 30, 2020 Share Posted June 30, 2020 On 23/06/2020 at 15:02, Stu_1981 said: Well, this was a fun one. I think I might have found an answer. I looked on some old OS maps in case the building was labelled. It wasn't, but a nearby building called Manor View was. It is still there and visible on Google Street View. A quick search of periodicals revealed that Mrs Ball (Manor View) let a house (Oak House) in 1904. I wondered if this was a just a coincidence, despite the buildings (Manor View and Oak House Tea Room) being so close to each other, but found another article detailing the sale of Oak House in 1939. The address being 309 Handworth Road, which is the modern day Fish Bar. So it seems that the building (coffee shop and fish bar) was a rather nice private residence (with a vinery!). I can remember the Oak House chip shop from the late 1950's and Manor View was once a dentist surgery,Mr Cole I believe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu_1981 Posted June 30, 2020 Share Posted June 30, 2020 Have you ever heard of the Handsworth Oak in the photo (above) @Peter Walker? I'm not from the area, so wondered if it was something that locals were aware of? Cheers, Stu Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Walker Posted July 1, 2020 Share Posted July 1, 2020 15 hours ago, Stu_1981 said: Have you ever heard of the Handsworth Oak in the photo (above) @Peter Walker? I'm not from the area, so wondered if it was something that locals were aware of? Cheers, Stu Hi Stu, the photo above was the first I recall hearing of the 'Handsworth Oak'. The 'old village smithy' was across the top of where Laverack Street now joins Handsworth Road, at the side of the Turf Tavern. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu_1981 Posted July 1, 2020 Share Posted July 1, 2020 3 hours ago, Peter Walker said: Hi Stu, the photo above was the first I recall hearing of the 'Handsworth Oak'. The 'old village smithy' was across the top of where Laverack Street now joins Handsworth Road, at the side of the Turf Tavern. I've reached out to Handsworth Historical Society on Facebook to see if they are interested in joining the Forum to share their knowledge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon crapper Posted May 7, 2021 Share Posted May 7, 2021 On 25/06/2020 at 12:09, Stu_1981 said: Information about resident, Mr Charles Fisher: On 01/07/2020 at 13:47, Stu_1981 said: On 25/06/2020 at 12:09, Stu_1981 said: Information about resident, Mr Charles Fisher: When I was a child (b. 1935) the remains of Fisher Son and Sibray's nurseries occupied the whole area of what is now the Asda supermarket. Just unused ground where we would often play. I seem to remember the firm had moved futher out, I think to the Beaver Hill Road area, though I'm not sure about that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martin Posted June 22, 2021 Share Posted June 22, 2021 On 22/06/2020 at 15:45, Sheffield History said: A thread dedicated to the Handsworth area of Sheffield. Handsworth was where actor Sean Bean was born and raised, where steel revolutionist Benjamin Huntsman resided, and where places such as The Plaza Cinema were built. There have been many pubs in Handsworth too that are covered in our pubs section, such as the Turf Tavern, Norfolk Arms, The Crown, The Chantrey Inn Let me start this thread with a question though. On a recent walk I passed this building that is now home to the Oak House Tea Room and Cafe, and the Handsworth Fish Bar fish and chip shop. But it looks like a building that had a very different past. Did this used to be a pub? Did that used to be the cross keys pub ; you haven't mentioned it in your post ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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