The Vickers Building - underrated and needs more love and recognition!

[Sheffield History]

The Vickers building - absolutely beautiful 

[Ponytail]

Where it's sited it never did itself justice. I was amazed how lovely it was when they cleaned it up. Remember the marble staircase when I went for an interview. 

[Heartshome]

It's a star of a building! good enough to be Grand Hotel.

[johnm]

My old boss was a Non-executive Director of Forgemasters & some years ago managed to get some money to clean the building up outside, i think. I assume the marble floors, chandeliers etc are all still there in the entrance, There was also a stainless cannon in the entrance hall, I think. It's a shame there is no photo of it. 

I was there 1960-1967 in the Research dept. I recall we were on the top floor of that area but weren't allowed to walk along directly to Accounts but had to go down one floor , along the first floor then back up, so we didn't go along the Directors corridor !!!!

[johnm]

Just remember that there was a large Records repository in a basement near the entrance hall & from there was  a passage going under the road into the South Machine Shop, Anybody remember it ?

[Ponytail]

Just now, johnm said:

Just remember that there was a large Records repository in a basement near the entrance hall & from there was  a passage going under the road into the South Machine Shop, Anybody remember it ?

Remember being taken to the room in the basement where they produced the news bulletin, that was in that area. Didn't know about the passage under the road, Dad worked in the South Machine Shop but he never let that one slip. Remember the train that ran across Brightside Lane from No.1 gate to No.2 gate. 

Looked for many years for a photo of the staircase. Dad had a full set of the ESC Quartly Bulletins but it didn't even feature in those. Think they preferred to keep it secret. 😂 Seem to remember someone being tasked with taking photographs of the interior... what happened to the photos I don't know. 

[Ponytail]

9 minutes ago, Ponytail said:

Remember being taken to the room in the basement where they produced the news bulletin, that was in that area. Didn't know about the passage under the road, Dad worked in the South Machine Shop but he never let that one slip. Remember the train that ran across Brightside Lane from No.1 gate to No.2 gate. 

Looked for many years for a photo of the staircase. Dad had a full set of the ESC Quartly Bulletins but it didn't even feature in those. Think they preferred to keep it secret. 😂 Seem to remember someone being tasked with taking photographs of the interior... what happened to the photos I don't know. 

https://www.picturesheffield.com/frontend.php?keywords=Ref_No_increment;EQUALS;s07885&pos=79&action=zoom&id=11046

https://www.picturesheffield.com/frontend.php?keywords=Ref_No_increment;EQUALS;s07886&pos=80&action=zoom&id=11047

Not the ones I was thinking about but found these. 😁

[Ponytail]

27 minutes ago, Ponytail said:

https://www.picturesheffield.com/frontend.php?keywords=Ref_No_increment;EQUALS;s07885&pos=79&action=zoom&id=11046

https://www.picturesheffield.com/frontend.php?keywords=Ref_No_increment;EQUALS;s07886&pos=80&action=zoom&id=11047

Not the ones I was thinking about but found these. 😁

Searched the photographs taken at the time c01672-c01687 and it appears only the outside was taken. Have a feeling the photographer was denied access to the interior. Task for someone... 😁 Try and get permission and photograph. 

[Ponytail]

https://www.picturesheffield.com/frontend.php?keywords=Ref_No_increment;EQUALS;c01676&pos=6&action=zoom&id=2180

The photographer may not have obtained permission for interior shots but was there for this timely photo. Wasn't the one I remember but this version was still running between the gates in 2005.

[Brian Hardy]

 

When I was an apprentice at E S C from 1959 to 1964 the building came right up no.1 gate,the entrance to the apprentice training shop which was up the yard opposite the canteen .As you entered the building the guards office was on the left next to the apprentice training officers office .

Tommy Eyre was the man in charge a very strict ex naval man.

 

 

[Lysanderix]

I recall , at my fathers behest, going through those gates for an interview with a Mr Parkin for a possible apprenticeship…which I didn’t want….having already accepted one at a small steelworks. Needless to say ESC missed out and I received the best possible start to my working life at The Tinsley Rolling Mills Co. Ltd.

[Brian Hardy]

Hi Lysanderix,

Yes Mr.Parkin was Tommy Eyres second in command a much more approachable man than Tommy.

Cheers Brian

[Ponytail]

Link

https://www.sheffieldhistory.co.uk/forums/topic/16309-inside-english-steel-corp-offices/

[Ponytail]

[Athy]

It's an imposing edifice and so mistake. What is it used for now? It looks devoid of life, but I see in the picture which opens this topic that there's a flag flying on top of it.

[Lysanderix]

The Ministry of Defence owned Sheffield Forgemasters Ltd. maybe?

 

[RLongden]

Some tantalising snippets of the interior, taken by a group of ‘urban explorers’ in 2015…

Also, nice detailed architect plans of building, on PS…

https://www.picturesheffield.com/frontend.php?action=printdetails&keywords=Ref_No_increment;EQUALS;arc07494&prevUrl=

https://www.picturesheffield.com/frontend.php?action=printdetails&keywords=Ref_No_increment;EQUALS;arc07496&prevUrl=

Zoomable to really precise detail, lower link is of basement, so may answer some earlier questions? Wonder what the 2 “Strong Rooms” held? Workers wages maybe??? 

[Ponytail]

Amazing. 

Please tell me those ledgers and any other paperwork was rescued and passed onto Archives and Local Studies. 

I do hope since the filming the building hasn't deteriorated further or worse still gutted and made into a "modern office." Yes, I agree we can't live in a museum but some things from our past need preserving so future generations can appreciate them

Does anybody know if the buildng is in use? 

[History dude]

1 hour ago, Ponytail said:

Amazing. 

Please tell me those ledgers and any other paperwork was rescued and passed onto Archives and Local Studies. 

 

The only way to find out would be to e-mail Local Studies and ask them if they received anything from that building.  It was seven years ago when they filmed it so it should now be there. 

[makapaka]

4 hours ago, Ponytail said:

Amazing. 

Please tell me those ledgers and any other paperwork was rescued and passed onto Archives and Local Studies. 

I do hope since the filming the building hasn't deteriorated further or worse still gutted and made into a "modern office." Yes, I agree we can't live in a museum but some things from our past need preserving so future generations can appreciate them

Does anybody know if the buildng is in use? 

It’s not in use.

[RLongden]

2 hours ago, History dude said:

The only way to find out would be to e-mail Local Studies and ask them if they received anything from that building.  It was seven years ago when they filmed it so it should now be there. 

https://www.sheffield.gov.uk/sites/default/files/docs/libraries-and-archives/archives-and-local-studies/collections/Iron and Steel Company Records.pdf.pdf

https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/a/A13532579

https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/c/F186201
 

 

[Bikeman]

I was on sales for a freight fowarder in the 1980s and visited the shipping manager through those imposing doors on the front of the building many times. I was so impressed on my first visit on entering the palatial marble entrance hall, but what was more exciting was being taken across the road to the factory where a 64ton propellor shaft was swinging above us in mid air. It really brought home to me the power and strength of British engineering in those times before Davy Mckee Ltd sold plans for constructing steel factories to the rest of the world shortly afterwards.

[History dude]

10 hours ago, RLongden said:

https://www.sheffield.gov.uk/sites/default/files/docs/libraries-and-archives/archives-and-local-studies/collections/Iron and Steel Company Records.pdf.pdf

https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/a/A13532579

https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/c/F186201
 

 

I have looked at these links and I can see the records, but it's not clear that anything was taken out of the building. Wouldn't be surprised if they were still there. Or what's left of them. Especially as it's not in use. Is the building on the market at all?

[Ponytail]

The building wasn't in use in 2005 and probably vacant before that. 

[RLongden]

Sheffield Forgemasters have a Public Relations contact for FOI (Freedom of Information) requests, so maybe they either have, or are willing to provide information on the old head office building, if anyone would like to approach them?

https://www.sheffieldforgemasters.com/contact-us

Cannot see any evidence of it being occupied and running the timeline years on Google Maps street view, when the facade was cleaned up (2018 scaffolding and debris netting was up), it looks like the windows got a clean. However, looking at the photos immediately after, no lights appear to be on inside, even though it’s only possible to peer into the windows on the first couple of floors. Suggest SFEL offices are somewhere else on site?

if they offered to allow access to the building (unlikely), wonder how many of us would be forming an orderly queue??? 😁😁😁