Black Death in Sheffield?

[Guest tsavo]

Having perused these pages for over a year I suddenly realised that I don't remember any mention of the Plague in Sheffield. Is this just a lapse of memory on my part or did the City avoid this particular pestilence?

[Hjdary]

I dont know about Sheffield but I do know in Rotherham on the Eastwood/Herringthorpe estate there is a burial site for plague victims...from two seperate occasions.

The wierd thing about it is the council houses have been built around it so you go down this street and there is a gap, as if one set of semis has been knocked down but the fence has been left up....but in place of the house is the mass grave.....spooky!

[Bayleaf]

I've never come across any reference to the plague in Sheffield. There is a mention in the Sheffield Constable's accounts for 1661 though

"Charges about keeping people from Fulwood Spaw in the tyme that the plague was at Eam"

Fulwood Spa is/was a spring with supposed medicinal properties, well known in the area. The site of this spring is now lost, though there are a number of guesses as to its whereabouts.

[SteveHB]

The plague house Eyam

[bonnie]

I dont know about Sheffield but I do know in Rotherham on the Eastwood/Herringthorpe estate there is a burial site for plague victims...from two seperate occasions.

The wierd thing about it is the council houses have been built around it so you go down this street and there is a gap, as if one set of semis has been knocked down but the fence has been left up....but in place of the house is the mass grave.....spooky!

This is the cholera burial ground...and the Rotherham cholera outbreak was in 1849

Bonnie

[Only me]

On Norfolk road there is a grass area that backed on to the now demolished Claywood flats. There is a small monument stands there and if memory serves me right it is dedicated to the plague/black death. I seem to recall that it mentions how many people died etc, im not sure if these statistics were local or nationwide.

[SteveHB]

On Norfolk road there is a grass area that backed on to the now demolished Claywood flats. There is a small monument stands there and if memory serves me right it is dedicated to the plague/black death. I seem to recall that it mentions how many people died etc, im not sure if these statistics were local or nationwide.

'Only me' I think that's the Cholera Monument Grounds, you're refering to.

[Only me]

'Only me' I think that's the Cholera Monument Grounds, you're refering to.

Yea im sure your right, its a long time since i was in that area, so forgive my memory .

[Guest skeets]

SteveB Hi Steve.you just beat me to it ,l think the only well known plague was at Eyam in this area, Cheers Arthur

[Guest Furahi]

I have in my family tree two children from the same family who died in 1667 in Whiston Rotherham, I have always assumed from the date of death that these would be plague deaths. They were 3 & 4 years old.

[jmdee]

[Eyam became famous because of the villiage isolating itself to avoid the spread of the plague. Other areas were affected

SteveB Hi Steve.you just beat me to it ,l think the only well known plague was at Eyam in this area, Cheers Arthur

[Guest MarkJB]

I studied Archaeology at A Level at King Edward VII School Sixth Form from 2004 - 2006. I think, if I remember rightly, my teacher said that there were some black death plague pits located around and along Eccallsall road, as that would have been the outskirts of what was there as a market town at the time.

[Guest plain talker]

On Norfolk road there is a grass area that backed on to the now demolished Claywood flats. There is a small monument stands there and if memory serves me right it is dedicated to the plague/black death. I seem to recall that it mentions how many people died etc, im not sure if these statistics were local or nationwide.

I spent many happy hours playing in the "Cholera Grounds" as a child with my grandpa. We used to go for a walk on a sunday, and our route used to take us through the grounds.

I used to love to climb the steps of the big square "tomb" thing, and read the writing on it.

There is mention of the date of the Cholera outbreak, and the numbers of Sheffield deceased, and a memorial to the Master Cutler of the time, who died in the outbreak.

[dunsbyowl1867]

I've never come across any reference to the plague in Sheffield. There is a mention in the Sheffield Constable's accounts for 1661 though

"Charges about keeping people from Fulwood Spaw in the tyme that the plague was at Eam"

Fulwood Spa is/was a spring with supposed medicinal properties, well known in the area. The site of this spring is now lost, though there are a number of guesses as to its whereabouts.

In Mary Walton's 'Sheffield and its Achievements' she states that the Burgery and the constable's defence against the Plague was the 'forcible confinement in their houses of the families of all persons thought to be thought to be in contact with infection. Compensation was paid to these unfortunates on several occasions. Such precautions may have been something to do with Sheffield's freedom from the epidemic which desolated Chesterfield' :o

[RichardB]

Not sure about the Plague but I sure felt rough the morning after I "did" West Street (plus a few offshoots, wish I could name 'em all) then saw a band at Maximillions - 22 pints plus a few Whisky's <Burp> least I made my own way home (eventually) and didn't get the overnight Police treatment like someone I could mention !

<Cough - Bro-in-Law>

[dunsbyowl1867]

RILEY GRAVES

Remember seeing these on a school trip in the 1970s - Plague/Sheffield connection.

Poor 'owd lass - as they say.

from Clarion Ramblers handbbok 1923/4

http://www.wishful-thinking.org.uk/genuki/...ileyGraves.html

[Guest Gramps]

In Mary Walton's 'Sheffield and its Achievements' she states that the Burgery and the constable's defence against the Plague was the 'forcible confinement in their houses of the families of all persons thought to be thought to be in contact with infection. Compensation was paid to these unfortunates on several occasions. Such precautions may have been something to do with Sheffield's freedom from the epidemic which desolated Chesterfield'

Which tallies pretty much with what Joesph Hunter had to say.

[DaveH]

I spent many happy hours playing in the "Cholera Grounds" as a child with my grandpa. We used to go for a walk on a sunday, and our route used to take us through the grounds.

I used to love to climb the steps of the big square "tomb" thing, and read the writing on it.

There is mention of the date of the Cholera outbreak, and the numbers of Sheffield deceased, and a memorial to the Master Cutler of the time, who died in the outbreak.

Would that be here plaintalker?

[DaveH]

Would that be here plaintalker?

Further views of the cholera monument

[DaveH]

and even modern replacements and additions to some of those inscriptions you enjoyed reading.