Roscoe Field & Doctors Field

[Guest Jeremy]

I'm trying to find out where Roscoe Field and Doctors Field were. Roscoe Field was the scene of a large chartist meeting in September 1838, and Doctors Field was where the chartists regrouped in September 1839 after battling with the police and troops in Paradise Square.

I think Doctors Field may have been in the south east part of the town, perhaps around Shoreham Street, and Roscoe Field may have also been in this area, or perhaps the area close to St Phillips Church on the north side.

thanks,

Jeremy

[Guest Gramps]

According to this site

"The Chartists reassembled in ‘Doctor's field', at the bottom of Duke street, Sheffield moor, where they were followed by the soldiers and police, and 36 prisoners taken."

Which doesn't sound right to me, - isn't Duke street on Park Hill ?

I'm familiar with Roscoe Bank but can't remember where it is - might it be associated with Rosco Field ?

[Guest Jeremy]

Thanks Gramps. I didn't know this, but it seems that Matilda Street was originally called Duke Street:

Jeremy

[Bayleaf]

I'm trying to find out where Roscoe Field and Doctors Field were. Roscoe Field was the scene of a large chartist meeting in September 1838, and Doctors Field was where the chartists regrouped in September 1839 after battling with the police and troops in Paradise Square.

I think Doctors Field may have been in the south east part of the town, perhaps around Shoreham Street, and Roscoe Field may have also been in this area, or perhaps the area close to St Phillips Church on the north side.

thanks,

Jeremy

Peter Harvey in Street Names of Sheffield says that Roscoe Road, Off Langsett Rd near the old St Philips church, was named after Roscoe Fields, a field where meetings were held in the early 19th Century. Sounds like the one?

[neddy]

A death at St. Pauls gives "Roscoe Field, Henry Street"

and a Roscoe Sq., Hoyle Street

[Guest Gramps]

Thanks Gramps. I didn't know this, but it seems that Matilda Street was originally called Duke Street:

Jeremy

That will be the one then - South street was 'Sheffield Moor'.

[Guest Jeremy]

Thanks for all the help. The 1841 census has people living at Roscoe Field, and Suffolk Street, Roscoe Field in Sheffield North enumeration district 22. This was just off of Malinda Street, so it seems to be in the same area as Roscoe Road.

Incidentally, I was sad to read that Peter Harvey passed away earlier this year. I think that his books are at least partly responsible for igniting my interest in Sheffield's history.

Jeremy

[Guest plain talker]

Thanks for all the help. The 1841 census has people living at Roscoe Field, and Suffolk Street, Roscoe Field in Sheffield North enumeration district 22. This was just off of Malinda Street, so it seems to be in the same area as Roscoe Road.

Incidentally, I was sad to read that Peter Harvey passed away earlier this year. I think that his books are at least partly responsible for igniting my interest in Sheffield's history.

Jeremy

MY ex used to run "Roscoe welders" car repairs, in the early 1980's at the rear of the Roscoe Cinema/ Bingo club, off Shalesmoor.

[HughW]

For a while I have been interested in the origin of the Roscoe street names in the St Philip's area.

Jobson, Shaw and Hoole began building the Roscoe Place works in 1805/6. About the same time the business acquired the lease of the water wheel at the foot of Roscoe Bank in the Rivelin Valley, which they used as a 'blacking mill'. I have been wondering which direction the name might have moved in: was it the name of the wheel being used for the new works, or was the name for the wheel and the steep wooded bank behind it taken from the new venture?

Looking at David Crossley's book (Water Power on the Sheffield Rivers) I now realize that the Hooles had themselves built the wheel in or about 1725. So the lease formerly transferred to the new partnership was already held by one of the partners. This, I think, makes it likely that the name for the new works comes from the placename in the Rivelin.

Information from:

Morley, Chris (1997) 'A Forgotten Industry: The Stone Grate and Light Castings Industry of Sheffield' in Aspects of Sheffield Vol. 1 edited by Melvyn Jones

Hugh

[Guest Jeremy]

Thanks for the info. Roscoe is used as a surname, so Roscoe Field could be Mr Roscoe's Field. However, I found it interesting to read in 'Surnames of the United Kingdom' by Henry Harrison that the surname Roscoe could derive from Roe Wood. It's probably not connected, but there was a Great Roe Wood north of Pitsmoor.

Looking around the web I also found references to coins showing the Roscoe Place works.

Jeremy