Watson Walk

[tozzin]

31 minutes ago, boginspro said:

According to the Street Names of Central Sheffield     "Watson's Walk was called after John Watson of Watson Pass and Company, Silversmiths, who had a workshop in the passage from 1810 to 1825."    ( Before I am corrected please note that I use Watson's here only as a quote from that study guide)

I have the same book but I cant find any reference to Watson, Pass and company or for Mr Pass for that matter, John Watson did have works on Fargate, but the Tontine is much closer to Watson Walk than John Watsons company and looking at the map I would have thought that anyone staying at the Tontine looking for the Washington Works its only natural that James Watson would point them in the right direction and possibly this little passage way could have ended up being called Watsons Walk as it did by-pass the dirty busy High Street. This is all mereley speculation on my part but I think I have a good case.

 

[Guest leksand]

42 minutes ago, tozzin said:

I have the same book but I cant find any reference to Watson, Pass and company or for Mr Pass for that matter, John Watson did have works on Fargate, but the Tontine is much closer to Watson Walk than John Watsons company and looking at the map I would have thought that anyone staying at the Tontine looking for the Washington Works its only natural that James Watson would point them in the right direction and possibly this little passage way could have ended up being called Watsons Walk as it did by-pass the dirty busy High Street. This is all mereley speculation on my part but I think I have a good case.

 

I think you're trying to force evidence into a highly questionable conclusion. That is not a shortcut for the suggested route. That is an old, narrow, inconvenient passage. It would be the direction you sent people for brass or to get robbed.

[tozzin]

10 minutes ago, leksand said:

I think your trying to force evidence into a highly questionable conclusion rather. That is not a shortcut for the route you suggest, that is an old, narrow, inconvenient passage. It would be the direction you sent people for brass or to get robbed.

I’m not trying to force anything, I didn’t say it was a shortcut, I said it was a by-pass and as we all know a by-pass usually takes the long way round, but you are suggesting it was a narrow passage , do you know for sure. I hope someone else can come up with Watson & Pass to disprove my theory and that’s all it is Leksand a theory you can believe it or ignore it.

[Guest leksand]

2 hours ago, tozzin said:

I’m not trying to force anything, I didn’t say it was a shortcut, I said it was a by-pass and as we all know a by-pass usually takes the long way round, but you are suggesting it was a narrow passage , do you know for sure. I hope someone else can come up with Watson & Pass to disprove my theory and that’s all it is Leksand a theory you can believe it or ignore it.

tozzin, I did not suggest that you did claim that it was a shortcut, but the fact that it is not (and indeed would have been highly inconvenient) is perfectly legitimate counter-evidence to your suggestion. In addition, taking that route would be heading straight into the heart of Sheffield's most disreputable areas of the time - surely you are aware of that, aren't you? If you doubt it was narrow, look at the map you have used to support your argument or any number of others (it is the passage to the north of that you have marked). The eastern entry was particularly narrow, whilst the Turf Tavern was a bottleneck and I know that publicans there were called up for permitting/encouraging practice that obstructed the thoroughfare.

If you care to check Baine's 1822 directory of the county of York (it is freely available and readily accessible) then you will find listed the following entry:

Watson John, Pass and Co. - silversmiths and platers, Hartshead.

Now I do not think it unreasonable to conjecture that said property might have had an entry on the passage which subsequently became known as Watson's Walk, do you?

[boginspro]

From here :    http://homepage.eircom.net/~lawed/SILVERSMITHSPART2.htm

On 24th September 1795 on his own account. A larger mark in the same format was registered 17th June 1822 by John Watson & Son.  ln between those dates John Watson senior had been the principal partner in the firm of Watson Pass & Co., his partners in 1818 being Robert Moss, William Pass, John Hancock, William Harwood, Lewis Thomas, Francis Dunn and the executors of John Pass, deceased. There was a partnership change in 1818 and the remaining partners at the dissolution in 1822 were John Watson, John Hancock, William Harwood, Lewis Thomas and the executors of Paul Harwood, deceased.

Watson, Pass & Co. did not enter any silver mark and it may be that the firm was essentially a manufacturer of plated wares. Initially at least that was the case with Watson & Co. There is an undated order of about 1796 to Watson & Co. from their London agent calling for a wide range of mainly plated goods, per catalogue numbers. The silver items in the order were fish trowels, tea pots, caddies, sugar basins and cream ewers. They had established export markets at an early date; in 1798 they were enquiring for shipping dates for goods which they had to forward to Kingston, Jamaica. Other markets were Baltimore, Quebec and Bermuda.

The partnership of John Watson & Co. which succeeded Watson, Pass & Co. may have been the same as John Watson & Son, the partners in 1828 being John Watson, John Watson junior and Thomas Watson. John Watson senior died in 1835 and output of silver does not appear to have continued for very long after that date.

--------------

And from  http://www.silvercollection.it/OLDSHEFFIELDHALLMARKSDH.html

H #59 Watson, Pass & Co (late J.Watson), Hartshead, Sheffield 1811 - Birmingham

 

[tozzin]

I don’t have access to the 1822 directory all I know is there’s no mention of the partnership in the Sheffield 1825 directory. But I still have to ask why should it be named after this Particular Mr Watson and as for the walk on the map leading to the disreputable area, nearly all the areas around Campo Lane were the same and the crofts which was a cauldron of unrest was some distance away, High Street before widening would only allow just two carriages to pass each other with care but I’m still not convinced on the walk. What an experience to be able to go back to live the area and visit the town generally.

[Ponytail]

Plan of Watson's Walk, 1782.

Land purchased of Francis Fenton to be exchanged for an addition to the Meeting House Burying Ground and Freehold tenements of Samuel Peech and John Webster; and adjoining tenements held of the Earl of Surrey by George Deakin and William Stocks.

Shows burying ground of the people called Quakers, meeting house of the people called Quakers, road from the burying ground.

Mentions Samuel Peech, William Fairbank, Frans. Fenton, William Stocks, and George Deakin.

https://www.picturesheffield.com/frontend.php?keywords=Ref_No_increment;EQUALS;arc04284&pos=18&action=zoom&id=105963

 

According to the plan it appears after "the People called Quakers" the word "Passage." 

 

 

 

[Ponytail]

Plan of Watson's Walk 1788.

William Watson’s freehold tenements and ground extending from Hart’s Head [Hartshead] to Market Place. 

Marked: The Harts Head, Market place, now or late Vincent Eyre esq., this part of the passage is common to Ann Helewell and Wm. Watson for carriages, etc., John Eyre, Dolliff Rollisson's tenements, John Eyre's freehold, Robert Barnard [Burnand?]

 

https://www.picturesheffield.com/frontend.php?keywords=Ref_No_increment;EQUALS;arc04136&pos=17&action=zoom&id=103937

 

[Ponytail]

Watson's Walk and Hartshead measured for Samuel Turner. 1806. 

https://www.picturesheffield.com/frontend.php?keywords=Ref_No_increment;EQUALS;arc04135&pos=16&action=zoom&id=103936

 

[Ponytail]

Entry to Watson's Walk at the side of Messrs Birk's  tea, coffee & grocery establishment, from Market Place. 

From Illustrated Guide to Sheffield Pawson & Brailsford 1862.

 

T. B. and W. Cockayne, department store, Watson's Walk, off Angel Street

y13259

Image from Illustrated Guide to Sheffield by Pawson and Brailsford, p.113, 1899 (Sheffield Local Studies Library: 914.274 S)

Cockayne's Arcade, Watson's Walk, off Angel Street. y13258

Image from Illustrated Guide to Sheffield by Pawson and Brailsford, p.113, 1899 (Sheffield Local Studies Library: 914.274 S)

 

Dove and Rainbow public house, top of Watsons' Walk. y13216

James Hayton Stainton (Artist)

Image from Past Chapters in Sheffield History by James Hayton Stainton (1918) p.25 (Sheffield Local Studies Library: 972.74 SQ)

 

Watson's Walk. No. 26,Turf Tavern, (also known as Waterloo Turf Tavern)

https://www.picturesheffield.com/frontend.php?keywords=Ref_No_increment;EQUALS;s20313&pos=8&action=zoom&id=22921

 

Hartshead Snack Bar, Watson's Walk. 

https://www.picturesheffield.com/frontend.php?keywords=Ref_No_increment;EQUALS;y00025&pos=6&action=zoom&id=47812

 

Watson's Walk - looking towards Angel Street, after air raid. 12th December 1940. s01266

Photographer: Photofinishers. 

 

Derelict Wingprice Ltd., department store (former premises of T. B. and W. Cockayne Ltd.), Nos. 1 - 13 Angel Street showing the entrance to Watsons Walk. 

https://www.picturesheffield.com/frontend.php?keywords=Ref_No_increment;EQUALS;s23701&pos=4&action=zoom&id=26474

Argos Store, Nos. 1 - 13 Angel Street showing (left) Watsons Walk. 2020.a06372

Photographer: Pete Evans. 

Watson's Walk, Hartshead. a05433

 

[Ponytail]

Brewery in Watson's Walk

For sale by Auction 1st October 1801, under a commission of Bankrupt awarded against Francis Walker and John Thompson. Newly erected Ale and Porter Brewery, Watson's Walk Sheffield. 

Newspaper Advert Iris 3rd September 1801. 

 

Shades Vaults, Watson's Walk. 

When King Edward visited an old pub. 

https://sheffielder.net/tag/shades-vaults/

 

Beeswings Tavern with Shades Vaults in the background.y13218 

From Past Chapters in Sheffield History by James Hayton Stainton (1918)

 

[neddy]

On 21/05/2009 at 13:13, RichardB said:

 

 

1840

 

 

Paul Ashley died 17th Nov 1853, aged 48.

Paul Ashley was in the wife's tree, born 1805 Gainsborough, died Watsons Walk 1853

[Ponytail]

Watson's Walk. 

Extract from Reminiscences of old Sheffield, it's streets and it's people. Edited 1875 by Robert Eadon Leader. From articles and letters in the Sheffield and Rotherham Independant 1872/73.

Pages 16 &17.

Leighton: In the Hartshead, some sixty years ago, the late Mr. Thomas Pearson carried on business as a wine merchant, and there realised a large fortune.

Wragg: It is said that on his late premises there are two cellars cut out of solid rock, one underneath the other. They are now occupied by J. S. & T Birks, grocers and wine dealers. 

Leighton: Then there was "T'oil i' t 'Wall" (The Hole in the Wall) and house now occupied by Mr. Alcroft with entrances from both Hartshead and Watson's Walk, was kept by Mr. Sam Turner-  "Gin Sam," as he was called, to distinguish him from "Flannel Sam"  - the draper. "Gin Sam" was the most gentlemanly landlord I ever met with, both in manner and conduct. He was particularly good looking had a pleasant smile and a kind word for all about him and took a pride in waiting upon his customers himself. 

Twiss: And his customers included the most respectable men in the town. There were more sociableness among the shopkeepers in that time than now and the public houses were kept so kept that orderly folk would go in them, without injury to themselves or to their reparation. 

Wragg: The doorway of Sam Turners' public house used to be blocked up on a Saturday night by men crowding to get in and by others trying to get out. Turner had formerly been a carpet weaver, and had worked with Mr. Wildsmith of the Crofts. He got, by accident his arm broken and during the period of enforced illness which followed, he married a widow woman, whose name I forget but who kept a public house that was taken down to build the Town Hall. That would be about 1805.

Leighton: Lower still in Watson's Walk was Mrs. Keat's eating house, once well known. On the opposite side, the premises now swallowed up by Messrs. Cockayne's carpet warehouse were occupied though somewhat later than the time we have been speaking of by a coffee shop on the ground floor, the Mechanics Library and a billiard room upstairs. In the corner now occupied by Messrs. Cockayne's shop were the Offices to which Mr. B J Wake - a most honourable man of whom I always think with respect and gratitude - removed from Norfolk Street about the year 1816 or 1817. What is now the Waterloo Tavern was originally the manufacture of Messrs. Watson. They were I believe silver smiths before plating on copper was invented and the premises now occupied by Messrs. Birks and Mr. Atkinson formed their frontage. 

 

[neddy]

18 minutes ago, Ponytail said:

Watson's Walk. 

Extract from Reminiscences of old Sheffield, it's streets and it's people. Editor Robert Eadon Leader. From articles and letters in the Sheffield and Rotherham Independant 1872/73.

Pages 16 &17.

Leighton: In the Hartshead, some sixty years ago, the late Mr. Thomas Pearson carried on business as a wine merchant, and there realised a large fortune.

Wragg: It is said that on his late premises there are two cellars cut out of solid rock, one underneath the other. They are now occupied by J. S. & T Birks, grocers and wine dealers. 

Leighton: Then there was "T'oil i' t 'Wall" (The Hole in the Wall) and house now occupied by Mr. Alcroft with entrances from both Hartshead and Watson's Walk, was kept by Mr. Sam Turner-  "Gin Sam," as he was called, to distinguish him from "Flannel Sam"  - the draper. "Gin Sam" was the most gentlemanly landlord I ever met with, both in manner and conduct. He was particularly good looking had a pleasant smile and a kind word for all about him and took a pride in waiting upon his customers himself. 

Twiss: And his customers included the most respectable men in the town. There were more sociableness among the shopkeepers in that time than now and the public houses were kept so kept that orderly folk would go in them, without injury to themselves or to their reparation. 

Wragg: The doorway of Sam Turners' public house used to be blocked up on a Saturday night by men crowding to get in and by others trying to get out. Turner had formerly been a carpet weaver, and had worked with Mr. Wildsmith of the Crofts. He got, by accident his arm broken and during the period of enforced illness which followed, he married a widow woman, whose name I forget but who kept a public house that was taken down to build the Town Hall. That would be about 1805.

Leighton: Lower still in Watson's Walk was Mrs. Keat's eating house, once well known. On the opposite side, the premises now swallowed up by Messrs. Cockayne's carpet warehouse were occupied though somewhat later than the time we have been speaking of by a coffee shop on the ground floor, the Mechanics Library and a billiard room upstairs. In the corner now occupied by Messrs. Cockayne's shop were the Offices to which Mr. B J Wake - a most honourable man of whom I always think with respect and gratitude - removed from Norfolk Street about the year 1816 or 1817. What is now the Waterloo Tavern was originally the manufacture of Messrs. Watson. They were I believe silver smiths before plating on copper was invented and the premises now occupied by Messrs. Birks and Mr. Atkinson formed their frontage. 

 

Joseph Ashley victualler, Pauls father died from Watsons Walk 1826.

[Ponytail]

13 minutes ago, neddy said:

Joseph Ashley victualler, Pauls father died from Watsons Walk 1826.

Name Waterloo Tavern/Waterloo Turf Tavern

Address 26 Watson's walk

Earliest 1774.

Closed 1906.

Comments also known as The Turf Tavern, 1822 address 1 Watson's Walk

1821. Joseph Ashley

1822. Joseph Ashley (1 Watson's Walk)

1823. Joseph Ashley (1 Watson's Walk)

1824. Joseph Ashley (1 Watson's Walk)

1825. Joseph Ashley (1 Watson's Walk)

1828. Hannah Ashley

1829. Ann Ashley

1833. Paul Ashley

1834. Paul Ashley

1835. Paul Ashley

1836. Paul Ashley

1837. Paul Ashley

1838. Paul Ashley

1839. Paul Ashley

1840. Paul Ashley

1841. Paul Ashley

1842. Paul Ashley

1843. Paul Ashley

1844. Paul Ashley

1845. Paul Ashley (25 Watson's Walk)

1846. Paul Ashley

1847. Paul Ashley

1848. Paul Ashley

1849. Paul Ashley

1850. Paul Ashley

1851. Paul Ashley

1852. Paul Ashley

1853. Paul Ashley (died 17th Nov 1853, aged 48)

1854. Charles Clark

1856. Joseph Rotherforth

1859. George Silke

1860. George Silke

1861. George Silke

1862. George Silke

1863. George Silke

1864. George Silke

1865. George Silke

1866. George Silke

1867. George Silke

1868. George Silke

1871. George Downing

1876. Thomas Lenthall

1879. John Wood

1881. David Henry K Ruston (Turf Tavern)

1889. George E Mills

1895. Joseph Alfred Greenwood

1896. Joseph Alfred Greenwood

 

[neddy]

14 minutes ago, Ponytail said:

Name Waterloo Tavern/Waterloo Turf Tavern

Address 26 Watson's walk

Earliest 1774.

Closed 1906.

Comments also known as The Turf Tavern, 1822 address 1 Watson's Walk

1821. Joseph Ashley

1822. Joseph Ashley (1 Watson's Walk)

1823. Joseph Ashley (1 Watson's Walk)

1824. Joseph Ashley (1 Watson's Walk)

1825. Joseph Ashley (1 Watson's Walk)

1828. Hannah Ashley

1829. Ann Ashley

1833. Paul Ashley

1834. Paul Ashley

1835. Paul Ashley

1836. Paul Ashley

1837. Paul Ashley

1838. Paul Ashley

1839. Paul Ashley

1840. Paul Ashley

1841. Paul Ashley

1842. Paul Ashley

1843. Paul Ashley

1844. Paul Ashley

1845. Paul Ashley (25 Watson's Walk)

1846. Paul Ashley

1847. Paul Ashley

1848. Paul Ashley

1849. Paul Ashley

1850. Paul Ashley

1851. Paul Ashley

1852. Paul Ashley

1853. Paul Ashley (died 17th Nov 1853, aged 48)

1854. Charles

Pauls second wife Elizabeth had the Oyster rooms at No.25, Charles Clark had the pub at No.26

[Ponytail]

Paul Ashley is mentioned in Reminiscences of old Sheffield, it's streets and it's people, in relation to an arrest at his premises of Peter Foden one of the Chartists. 

Page 278

"Johnson: There is one little inaccuracy there — the reference to Peter Foden being captured with the rest. He had been apprehended in the early part of August for taking part in riotous meetings and processions, and he did not obtain bail until the 3rd September, when Ebenezer Elliott, the corn-law rhymer, and Mr. Wostenholm, file manufacturer, Dunfields, were his sureties. For a while he kept aloof from the meetings, but he was at last prevailed upon to attend, and although he took no active part in speaking, yet he was believed to be in the secrets of the physical force party. Peter Foden was not seen in the proceedings connected with the collapse of the conspiracy, but he was suspected of being connected in them, and a warrant was issued for his apprehension. He concealed himself in the town for some time, and at last went into Wales and stayed as long as possible in various towns. He did not surrender at the Spring Assizes, at which he was indicted for conspiracy, sedition, and riot, and the recognisances of his sureties were forfeited. At last, tired of dwelling in fear of arrest, and encouraged by the collapse of the Chartist movement, he ventured to come to Sheffield, and in order to see if the authorities would notice him, he took some commodities of his own making and hawked them in various public-houses. A good living he would have earned had he not been arrested in December, 1840, at Paul Ashley's, in Watson's walk. He was tried at York, and having been advised to plead guilty by his counsel, he was committed to Wakefield for two years. He had already been in prison three months, which was taken into consideration. He served one year and nine months after his conviction. He affected an odd demeanour in prison, but ultimately being made schoolmaster, he attained more liberty and had books to read. At one time he wanted to write a detailed account of his proceedings to his family, and he secreted bits of paper and a pen, but how to obtain ink to write was a matter of difficulty. So at last he hit upon the singular plan of writing with his own blood, and concealed the document in the neck-handkerchief of a discharged prisoner. One of his children, of the name of Feargus O'Connor, died while his father was in gaol. Foden, released from prison, went to Staleybridge, where he commenced business, and got on well; but he could not settle, and removed to Doncaster. Then he sold all off and went to St. Louis, in America, and died a few years ago. The citizens made a public funeral, and presented his wife with a framed document, setting forth the respect they had for him and his family."

 

[Ponytail]

Watson's Walk. 

"At the front of Spring Lane was Samuel Padley's (a Quaker), the father of Mr. Padley, of the firm of Padley, Parkin, & Co., silversmiths, in Watson's Walk." 

Extract from page 149 discussing Gardens, Reminiscences of old Sheffield, it's streets and it's people, edited 1875. Articles and Letters from the Sheffield and Rotherham Independent 1872/3.