SteveHB Posted January 23, 2009 Share Posted January 23, 2009 Sheffield History needs your... Questions, Comments, Photographs. And Indeed, we need anything 'YOU' can contribute to Sheffield's History. ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveH Posted January 23, 2009 Share Posted January 23, 2009 OK Steve, We'll keep trying our best to come up with new ideas and challenges on the site. As you know we have had added a lot of new stuff recently covering all aspects of the Cities history but to say we have about 4500 members it seems to be the same dozen or so hard core supporters who do all the posting, - a small fraction of the membership and so few that if you have been around for only a week or two you soon get to know the main characters. It would be nice if some of our newer members, or those that have been members for ages but never posted started to get involved a bit and bring in some fresh ideas of their own. Then there's the guests who don't join. the number of guests on the site almost always exceeds the number of members. If we could encourage them to take up the free membership and become involved in some way that would also help. I like the modified slogan on the "Your Country Needs You" poster from WW1. Perhaps we need some form of online advertising of our own. When I was discussing sheffield history in the pub with Stuart0742 earlier this week we mentioned new ideas and things to move the site forward. I happened to comment that, in the short term, it is less than a month from the second anniversary of the sheffield history site and that perhaps we could do something special or a bit different for that but I don't really know what. How about resurecting some of the original posts from February 2007 which "died" and never got reply posts to see if, 2 years on, anyone can add to them or kick start them back into postable threads? Just an idea? After all the calendar idea that you took on seemed to attract attention from just an initial casual comment, although the interest did come from established members. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ukelele lady Posted January 24, 2009 Share Posted January 24, 2009 DaveH, what a good idea to kick start some of the old post for us newbies who haven't been a member for long. I have looked through them now and again and wondered if it was worth commenting on them over a year later. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveH Posted January 24, 2009 Share Posted January 24, 2009 DaveH, what a good idea to kick start some of the old post for us newbies who haven't been a member for long. I have looked through them now and again and wondered if it was worth commenting on them over a year later. I know most people go into a topic and only look at the page 1 posts or click on the "new posts" button but occasionally I have deliberated clicked on "goto page" and put in, for example "28", or whatever the last page in the topic is just to see what is there. Often it will be a single post, dated early 2007 by either RichardB, ADMIN or Tsavo, it will be quite a good detailed piece on say a single well known place or building in Sheffield with its potted history but unfortunately no one ever replied to it which is why it is now on the last page where few people both to look. We could easily revive these topics ourselves as dedicated members simply by adding a 2 year belated reply which would immediately bring it right up back to the top of page 1 and add it to the new posts list where it is seen by everyone again encouraging further responses. So yes, I think it is certainly worth replying to old posts even over a year later. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest tsavo Posted January 24, 2009 Share Posted January 24, 2009 Brought up my personal favourite of the original Childrens Hospital building at Brightmore Place....newer members please solve the mystery and make my year. Any suggestions no matter how strange, would be welcome! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardB Posted January 24, 2009 Share Posted January 24, 2009 Great work ! You may have noticed less input from a couple of "big hitters" on this site; we've not deserted you, we're just worn out - everyone has memories, pictures, thoughts. Personally, I'm all posted out for now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveH Posted January 25, 2009 Share Posted January 25, 2009 OK here's another idea to run past you. Some of us have our own web sites and personal web space. For example, although I am no longer on the committee I run the Sheffield Steam & Vintage Club web site in my own personal web space at www.sheffieldsteam.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk at present just a single page to advertise any forthcoming rally by Sheffield Steam & Vintage Club. Could I put an advert on my site to encourage visitors to come to Sheffield History? This would involve using the Sheffield History ident / logo and setting up a hyperlink. I am asking because the ident / logo is this sites corporate image and the administrators may not want it to be used by just anybody for any old purpose they see fit, - but to use it on other sites to advertise ourselves may just get a few more people to look in. For example on my site, which is concerned with a local steam traction engine rally, I am thinking on the lines of something like If you are interested in other types of historic transport in this locality then why not visit... then the Sheffield History logo used as a hyperlink to our home page. What's the feeling amongst the members and the verdict on this idea? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest tsavo Posted January 25, 2009 Share Posted January 25, 2009 The link to SH is a great idea, Dave, and I'm sure there will be no objections to one being added to your site. If you haven't already done it, why not add your site to our Sheffield websites section? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardB Posted January 25, 2009 Share Posted January 25, 2009 Great idea ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveH Posted January 26, 2009 Share Posted January 26, 2009 The link to SH is a great idea, Dave, and I'm sure there will be no objections to one being added to your site. If you haven't already done it, why not add your site to our Sheffield websites section? I already added a link to the site www.sheffieldsteam.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk from the thread I started in Sheffield History - Sheffield Transport last October about Sheffield Steam Club and I can see from my site traffic analysis that some referals have been made from this site to mine. I now hope to reciprocate the link by passing any visitors to my site that are interested to here. I will add a link to SH next time I update my page, - usually once a year once the rally dates are known. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hougomont Posted January 31, 2009 Share Posted January 31, 2009 Sheffield History needs your... Questions, Comments, Photographs. And Indeed, we need anything 'YOU' can contribute to Sheffield's History. May I add my twopennorth on this subject,my dear Wife is a very keen student of hers and my family history and has had some wonderful success and quite a few surprises,and has attended many courses,workshops etc and one thing which is always emphasised is Oral History, and talking to them! mature relatives and friends about days gone by, for instance many years ago my late Grandfather told me many stories of football in the early 2th century,Wednesday,United and the players matches and what football was like,and going to Wednesdays original ground at Olive Grove. Just a thought to stimulate interest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveH Posted January 31, 2009 Share Posted January 31, 2009 May I add my twopennorth on this subject,my dear Wife is a very keen student of hers and my family history and has had some wonderful success and quite a few surprises,and has attended many courses,workshops etc and one thing which is always emphasised is Oral History, and talking to them! mature relatives and friends about days gone by, for instance many years ago my late Grandfather told me many stories of football in the early 2th century,Wednesday,United and the players matches and what football was like,and going to Wednesdays original ground at Olive Grove. Just a thought to stimulate interest Great idea Hougomont. I have commented previously in the Sheffield at War section that the people with first hand memories of the first half of the 20th Century are now getting on a bit and may not be around to tell the story for many more years so first hand memories need recording now before its too late. Many of the posts on Sheffield History are memories of more recent times or reported (second hand memories) which have been passed on in the family line. All of them are very welcome additions to the site. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Old Canny Street Kid Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 Sheffield History needs your... Questions, Comments, Photographs. And Indeed, we need anything 'YOU' can contribute to Sheffield's History. It might help the cause if the Sheffield History site can get some regular publicity. I mean, if you look at some topics and think, this might be of interest to Martin Dawes for his column in The Star. Alert him to it, and say it might make him a piece. In any event, he might be up for a special piece on how Sheffield History is progressing --how much interest there is in local history topics and searches for old pals, family details, etc. Getting a mention in the Press on a fairly regular basis will no doubt attract new people onto the site. It just needs someone who is one of the group running things to have a chat with someone like Martin Dawes. Or someone at Radio Sheffield, Rony Robinson for instance is always looking for tiopics to talk about. A lot of people who use Sheffield Forum could be attracted to the idea of using History as well, esp if they think a picture has been posted that they will want to look at. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveH Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 It might help the cause if the Sheffield History site can get some regular publicity. I mean, if you look at some topics and think, this might be of interest to Martin Dawes for his column in The Star. Alert him to it, and say it might make him a piece. In any event, he might be up for a special piece on how Sheffield History is progressing --how much interest there is in local history topics and searches for old pals, family details, etc. Getting a mention in the Press on a fairly regular basis will no doubt attract new people onto the site. It just needs someone who is one of the group running things to have a chat with someone like Martin Dawes. Or someone at Radio Sheffield, Rony Robinson for instance is always looking for tiopics to talk about. A lot of people who use Sheffield Forum could be attracted to the idea of using History as well, esp if they think a picture has been posted that they will want to look at. An interesting idea with potentially a great deal of publicity potential I would assume that these media people in local newspapers and radio have not yet even heard of Sheffield History as otherwise they would have become members themselves so that they could tap our resources for more than just the occasional story. I have not read The Star for quite a few years now but the Saturday edition always used to have a page of archive (Star archive) photographs from events which had happened perhaps 20 to 70 years previously. Now if they had access to OUR archive of pictures, printed a few with stories AND had to credit US as the source AND then gave us an extra plug for the priveledge then that could help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Old Canny Street Kid Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 An interesting idea with potentially a great deal of publicity potential I would assume that these media people in local newspapers and radio have not yet even heard of Sheffield History as otherwise they would have become members themselves so that they could tap our resources for more than just the occasional story. I have not read The Star for quite a few years now but the Saturday edition always used to have a page of archive (Star archive) photographs from events which had happened perhaps 20 to 70 years previously. Now if they had access to OUR archive of pictures, printed a few with stories AND had to credit US as the source AND then gave us an extra plug for the priveledge then that could help. Best thing to do is to go in and talk to somebody --best to do it by arrangement. First a note asking "is there a chance that we could help each other?" If it looks good, okay, if not, you don't have to take it further. But, anyway, my thought is that if you give them a tip now and then, especially someone like the chap who does the Diary and is looking for good ideas, they will usually respond...esp if you more or less hand them a tale on a plate. Take the Gloops thread and the discussion about the names and biogs of the three men who drew the sketch. Martin Dawes might be able to do something to the effect that "on Sheffield History (www,etc) there is a big debate going on seeking details of the first and the last of the trio of artists who did Gloops...etc" Most of the info he would need is already on the site --he just needs pointing to it. Then he might get some replies from folk who know the answer to the query but hadn't previously been aware of Sheffield History. So he gets a second "story" and History gets some credit and, hopefully, some new followers! All sorts of topics could lead to items in The Star, and if they can give a mention, fine. Re the picture idea, that needs careful thought because of things like copyright and reproduction fees. Best to keep things simple at first, not be too ambitious. It's publicity you want most. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveH Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 Best thing to do is to go in and talk to somebody --best to do it by arrangement. First a note asking "is there a chance that we could help each other?" If it looks good, okay, if not, you don't have to take it further. But, anyway, my thought is that if you give them a tip now and then, especially someone like the chap who does the Diary and is looking for good ideas, they will usually respond...esp if you more or less hand them a tale on a plate. Take the Gloops thread and the discussion about the names and biogs of the three men who drew the sketch. Martin Dawes might be able to do something to the effect that "on Sheffield History (www,etc) there is a big debate going on seeking details of the first and the last of the trio of artists who did Gloops...etc" Most of the info he would need is already on the site --he just needs pointing to it. Then he might get some replies from folk who know the answer to the query but hadn't previously been aware of Sheffield History. So he gets a second "story" and History gets some credit and, hopefully, some new followers! All sorts of topics could lead to items in The Star, and if they can give a mention, fine. Re the picture idea, that needs careful thought because of things like copyright and reproduction fees. Best to keep things simple at first, not be too ambitious. It's publicity you want most. As you said previously Old Canny Street Kid, this is really a job for those that actually run the site so a response needs to come from RichardB / ADMIN / SteveHB / Tsavo or someone else on the Adminstrators team. I think this one also needs an administrator who actually lives in Sheffield that get down to the Star and to Radio Sheffield etc. to discuss it with these people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardB Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 As you said previously Old Canny Street Kid, this is really a job for those that actually run the site so a response needs to come from RichardB / ADMIN / SteveHB / Tsavo or someone else on the Adminstrators team. I think this one also needs an administrator who actually lives in Sheffield that get down to the Star and to Radio Sheffield etc. to discuss it with these people. I agree, unfortunately I agree most with the Sheffield-based comment, which kinda rules me out. The Maps and Pubs and Memorial Rolls are most excellent works, we hope Churches, Cinemas, Schools (and not just "Did you go to ...", we need build dates, Victorian attendees etc), factories, Charities, Trades, more Murders/Suicides/Accidents/Foul Play etc etc follow the quality work we have available on the site. I did visit SheffieldForum for a couple of sessions last week, although their viewings figures are gret, I couldn't personally find anything. Don't suppose it even needs to be an Admin, most of us (me included) are just admins so we can edit existing postings, but I do think a few well-worded pointers to the Star/Radio Sheffield would be great for both them and us. The Pubs bit goes far, far beyond A Pub on every corner and the A-Z of Sheffield Pubs, neither of those fine publications attempted to name but 50 Publicans, we've got lots, so even if you're not into 150 year old boozers (which is a strange thing in its own right) it's a great family history resource. The Maps - well they are just the maps, but a fine effort. The Memorials - truly a great work. I or one would be willing to email the Pubs master spreadsheet to someone from the Star (it is constantly being updated, but my Postings at Christmas were as complete as could be; the Leg of Mutton and Trimmings is a story in its own right; as is the second Tontine - neither mentioned anywhere else in print); the Maps, the Memorials - well those are just out there already which, I believe was my original intention (and I know Dean's intention too). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardB Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 200 Grandfathers pocket watch, or Wartime photos, or Aunt Ethels hand-wriiten rhubard crumble recipe thats what we need. Memories of Schooldays pre-war, stories of adventure and "The first time I ever saw ....", "I was there when ...", Granny's knitting basket, old tickets/papers/receipts for travel, shows, appointments, stories of Old Uncle Wilf when he had that unfortunate accident at the pile-treatment clinic I recently proposed a date for a posting from everyone because you never know what will fire off someone's memories/imagination. Whatever that date was, it's now March 11th, my birthday; so, if you've taken something from our collective input - give something to the site on March 11th - the Maps were my birthday present last year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardB Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 The Scotland Street thread might be of interest to the Weston Park Museum, is there an email address for them ? Would certainly chivvy-on their Scotland Street display. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest tsavo Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 This is a link to Sheffield Museums, with email contact facilities. http://www.museums-sheffield.org.uk/coresi...tml/contact.asp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardB Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 This is a link to Sheffield Museums, with email contact facilities. http://www.museums-sheffield.org.uk/coresi...tml/contact.asp Tremendous work me little Portuguese Pal, I'm assuming you are little cuz I'm big If you over 19-stone, I apologise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bayleaf Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 We could easily revive these topics ourselves as dedicated members simply by adding a 2 year belated reply which would immediately bring it right up back to the top of page 1 and add it to the new posts list where it is seen by everyone again encouraging further responses. So yes, I think it is certainly worth replying to old posts even over a year later. Once the Godfrey maps listing is up and running a trawl through the old posts might throw up information buried in old posts to add detail, and in some cases might be worth a link back to the old thread? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveH Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 Once the Godfrey maps listing is up and running a trawl through the old posts might throw up information buried in old posts to add detail, and in some cases might be worth a link back to the old thread? The Godfrey maps project is going to be another one of our crown jewels when it is complete and it will be unique to this site. A great monumental piece of work and many thanks to Bayleaf, Gramps and other contributors to it. Unfortunately to be able to use it, and possibly due to copyright reasons again, it does require you to have access to a set of these maps. I have some but not all of them. They are only about £3 a map but I have no idea how many there are in the full set. Further, the availability of these maps in bookshops is a little unpredictable. Can we have some advice on the maps themselves as well as the index? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Gramps Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 The Godfrey maps project is going to be another one of our crown jewels when it is complete and it will be unique to this site. A great monumental piece of work and many thanks to Bayleaf, Gramps and other contributors to it. Unfortunately to be able to use it, and possibly due to copyright reasons again, it does require you to have access to a set of these maps. I have some but not all of them. They are only about £3 a map but I have no idea how many there are in the full set. Further, the availability of these maps in bookshops is a little unpredictable. Can we have some advice on the maps themselves as well as the index? There is a key to the Godfrey maps in this post as well as the place index. The maps are usually available from the Local Studies library @£2.20 each (and Sheffield Archives may sell them too) or direct from Alan Godfrey Maps... http://www.alangodfreymaps.co.uk/sheffield.htm Sheffield Scene on Surrey street also used to sell them but last time I was in the shop there was very little local history material available. I have also completed a listing of all the churches and chapels (with locations) on the local Godfrey maps but this will need much more work because many of them carry no indication of denomination/affiliation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveH Posted February 4, 2009 Share Posted February 4, 2009 There is a key to the Godfrey maps in this post as well as the place index. The maps are usually available from the Local Studies library @£2.20 each (and Sheffield Archives may sell them too) or direct from Alan Godfrey Maps... http://www.alangodfreymaps.co.uk/sheffield.htm Sheffield Scene on Surrey street also used to sell them but last time I was in the shop there was very little local history material available. I have also completed a listing of all the churches and chapels (with locations) on the local Godfrey maps but this will need much more work because many of them carry no indication of denomination/affiliation. Thanks for that reply Gramps, very useful information and just what I seemed to be missing about these excellent little maps, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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