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Olympia Bramall Lane


dunsbyowl1867

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Hardly qualifies really ( as you can see from the caption ) although the area is well known for comedy acts!

Where abouts on Bramhall Lane was the Olympia?

In later years did it become part of the Arnold Lavers site? the lower floors seem similar to the old Arnold Laver Offices (now gone).

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Well done, Dunsbyowl, that's one I didn't remember. Wonder if the skating rink was the original idea and the film just an opportunity taken?

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In Peter Harveys "Sheffield" 1980

He says in 1909 Sheffield went into a roller skating craze, with 5 new skating rinks opening within 3 months. One being the Olympia on Bramhall Ln and another was the American Rink at the corner of John St and Shoreham St.

Where were the other 3?

This book contains photo's of the inside of both the Olympia and the American Rink, including the restaurant in the American.

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Where abouts on Bramhall Lane was the Olympia?

In later years did it become part of the Arnold Lavers site? the lower floors seem similar to the old Arnold Laver Offices (now gone).

There might be a map somewhere around here somewhere ?

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In Peter Harveys "Sheffield" 1980

He says in 1909 Sheffield went into a roller skating craze, with 5 new skating rinks opening within 3 months. One being the Olympia on Bramhall Ln and another was the American Rink at the corner of John St and Shoreham St.

Where were the other 3?

This a list taken from White's 1910 Directory of Sheffield and Rotherham.

American Skating Rink, Shoreham street and John street. (sic)... I was pushed for time but will check the individual entries at a later date.

Attercliffe Skating Rink, Attercliffe road.

Royal Alexandra Skating Rink, Hawley street and Sims street.

Sheffield Empire Roller Rink Co. Ltd., Aizlewood road.

Sheffield Olympia and Provincial Rinks Ltd., Shoreham street and Bramall lane.

There were also two more rinks in Mexborough and another in Rotherham.

Although not certain about this, I believe the Loxley Bros. printing works on Aizlewwod road is the former Sheffield Empire Roller Rink and retains the original facade - can anyone confirm this ?

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From the Register 11th April, 1825.

Cooke's Olympic Circus in Sycamore Street, built and opened.

Built and opened in one day? Are we looking at a traditional circus tent here?

Still searching for a map.

Found it, still no Sycamore Street though. May well have been where Olympic sawmill was.

http://www.sheffieldhistory.co.uk/forums/i...ost&id=6763

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Sycamore street ran between Arundel street and Flat street, - parallel to Norfolk street. In 1825 there may well have been undeveloped lots large enough to accommodate a circus tent.

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So Gramps, this would be a coincidence. Cookes Olympic Circus was just a visiting circus and not connected to the Olympic on Bramall Rd?

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I doubt there was any connection at all. In 1825 the only buildings on Bramall lane at that location were Sheaf House and the Whitehouses. Sheaf House became a pub and the grounds a sports field. About 1910 the Olympia skating rink was built on the sports field and the skating rink eventually became a Sheffield Transport bus depot.

On some of the land behind the Whitehouses a brewery was built and later came the sawmills eventually owned by Arnold Lavers. That they were named the Olympic sawmills might be associated with the Olympia skating rink next

door.

...but in any case Sycamore street was far removed from Bramall lane :)

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Thanks Gramps, that means more research needed on the Olympic site itself then.

In 'Sheffield Pictorial' by David Richardson ( which I got for Christmas lol ) there is a photograph of the interior of the former Olympia roller skating rink in 1920. It is full of haulage lorries belonging to a firm called CHIVERS and it states the building later became a bus depot. Is that clearer for those who know the area?

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Guest stephandruss

Thanks Gramps, that means more research needed on the Olympic site itself then.

Hello If you are still looking for information regarding the olypic roller skating rink in Sheffield. I can tell you that my gg grandfather Walter Cordon ran the rink for a couple of years. I have the rent book for the premises and also a picture of the olympia advertising rollerskating. The picture is in bad condition but still quite readable.

hope this information is of some use to you. Russ

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Guest stephandruss

Any chance you could scan the material to share with us? Welcome to SH, Stephan, look forward to more information.

Hello Tsavo

I have looked in to the information i have and realised that the olympia building is not the same one. This one was on commercial street and was run under the name of The Central Steel Skating rink. The date is also much earlier 1882-1883. We were always told by our grandparents that Walter Cordon born in 1843 had the very first roller skating rink in Sheffield. I will attach the pictures and hope they are of some use to you.

Regards Russ

PS Are you hoping to make a book on the history of skating rinks in Sheffield ?

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Hello Tsavo

I have looked in to the information i have and realised that the olympia building is not the same one. This one was on commercial street and was run under the name of The Central Steel Skating rink. The date is also much earlier 1882-1883. We were always told by our grandparents that Walter Cordon born in 1843 had the very first roller skating rink in Sheffield. I will attach the pictures and hope they are of some use to you.

Regards Russ

PS Are you hoping to make a book on the history of skating rinks in Sheffield ?

Hi Russ, thanks for posting the pics, as always I'm struck by the wonderful handwriting, on even such a mundane doccument as a rent book! The Olympia we were looking for originally was a cinema, somewhere on Bramhall Lane. This also became a Skating Rink in later life I think. No plans for a specific section on Skating Rinks, but they could be included under Cinemas and Theatres where they'd be most welcome. Or you could make it your life's work finding the locations and history of all the other rinks. Go on give it a whirl! We'll all help, so how about it?

Laurence

PS I've tweaked the photo a little, hope that's OK.

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Guest Trefcon

The Sheffield City Battalion had a Sgt's Mess at Olympia, Bramall Lane. The 'Twelfth Club', was made up of members of the 12th Bn. who had served with the regiment on or before 1st July 1916. During 1919 they had monthly 'Smoking Concerts from Jan - Jun. By Sept. the club had moved to the Imperial rooms on Pinstone St.

( from Sheffield City Battalion, Ralph Gibson & Paul Oldfield )

Dean.

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I doubt there was any connection at all. In 1825 the only buildings on Bramall lane at that location were Sheaf House and the Whitehouses. Sheaf House became a pub and the grounds a sports field. About 1910 the Olympia skating rink was built on the sports field and the skating rink eventually became a Sheffield Transport bus depot.

On some of the land behind the Whitehouses a brewery was built and later came the sawmills eventually owned by Arnold Lavers. That they were named the Olympic sawmills might be associated with the Olympia skating rink next

door.

...but in any case Sycamore street was far removed from Bramall lane :)

Has anyone got a photo of the bus depot or even the Yorkshire Electricity depot which it later became?

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Hi Russ, thanks for posting the pics, as always I'm struck by the wonderful handwriting, on even such a mundane doccument as a rent book! The Olympia we were looking for originally was a cinema, somewhere on Bramhall Lane. This also became a Skating Rink in later life I think. No plans for a specific section on Skating Rinks, but they could be included under Cinemas and Theatres where they'd be most welcome. Or you could make it your life's work finding the locations and history of all the other rinks. Go on give it a whirl! We'll all help, so how about it?

Laurence

PS I've tweaked the photo a little, hope that's OK.

HI StephanRuss, A long shot ,but would either your Mother or GrandMa's name have been Rene, if so we played together as children, the Family lived close to us in Ellesmere rd ,Pitsmoor. cheers skeets
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Has anyone got a photo of the bus depot or even the Yorkshire Electricity depot which it later became?

Found a pic of the remains of Lavers after The Blitz, but drawn a blank on the YEB. Not very helpful, I know but will keep looking.

Picture Sheffield Image

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That does not look much like a converted cinema, but can see why it made a good Bus garage.

Map 23 shows Bramall Lane bus depot quite clearly, between the Olympic Sawmills and the Sheaf House Pub.

http://www.sheffieldhistory.co.uk/forums/i...amp;#entry22507

It can be seen from the air in several photos on Picture Sheffield: the best is probably this one, where it is the large dark-roofed building.

As far as I can tell, it became a transport depot in 1926 and closed in 1963, when East Bank garage was opened. The only photos I can find are in Sheffield Transport by Chas C Hall ( Transport Publishing Co, 1977, ISBN 0-903839-04-0). None of them shows much of the building, unfortunately.

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Guest boston

The Olympia building must have been demolished sometime in the 90s, from memory in the 70s, was this building later used as the joinery workshops for Sheffield PWD?

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