Dancing by Candlelight

[RichardB]

Dancing by Candlelight

One of the most notable additions to the High Street was made at the very beginning of the 18th Century with the construction of the Town Hall in 1700.

This small brick building stood at the top of High Street next to the church gates with its long east side facing down the street. Gosling's map of 1736 shows its position.

The Duke of Norfolk contributed £100 to its construction on condition that he could hold his manorial court hearings there and for much of the 18th century it was where local Justices held their courts.

The building extended some way across Church Street and had a little belfry, surmounted by a gilded ball, in which the Town bell was hung, This was rung on important occasions and must have been a familiar sound throughout the 18th century.

The hall was entered from High Street by a flight of steps from which parliamentary candidates made speeches during elections. Facing Church Street there were shops and in the basement stood three very small, dark and unhygienic prison cells. Prisoners could communicate through a small round hole in the door.

An article in the Gentleman's Magazine described the prison thus :-

"The lobbies under the Town Hall are three dark cells, which open into a narrow passage, the largest 8 feet square and 6 feet high. Each door has an aperture 6 inches in diameter. There was an offensive sewer in the corner of each room and even in daylight a candle was needed to see by."

In the entrance leather buckets were suspended, to be used in case of fire. The hall itself contained a table 13 feet long covered with green baize, whilst its floor was covered in matting. The rooms were lit by candlesticks suspended from chains and at times of public rejoicing candles were put in the windows to provide illumination. In 1704, for example, six pounds of candles were purchased in connection with celebrations for Queen Anne's birthday, and a further six pounds for the 5th November the same year.

Events such as these seem to have been on quite a grand scale if the amount of rubbish accumulated is anything to go by. In 1704 William Carr was paid 5s 6d for taking away a total of 16 loads of rubbish and disposing of it.

There are other tantalizing glimpses of the hall in the records of the Town Burgesses, Evidently plays and dances were staged by candlelight and in 1727 a group of traveling actors paid to use the hall for their entertainment.

In the same year Mr Smith, the dancing master, paid 7s to use the hall for seven weeks, presumably in order to give dancing lessons, whilst in 1735 a group of travelling players paid 15s to hire the hall for their play.

Lectures were given there too. On 23rd August 1786 Mr Groombridge gave a lecture on the "Terrestrial and Celestial Globes" and other astronomical topics.

In 1795 it was the scene of more sombre proceedings as these were troubled years in which great distress was caused by high corn prices, and the authorities were made nervous by revolutionary events in France and a number of riots in Sheffield itself (see Reverend Wilkinson link on this site).

On 29th June 1795 a public meeting was held at which it was resolved that measures should be taken to provide the poor with cheap flour, and by 1st July between four and five thousand people had applied to the committee for relief. On 19th August cheap flour was distributed at the Town Hall and High Street must have been thronged with the poor desperate for help. The next day there were public rejoicings in the town on account of the fall in prices.

One of the jailors at the Town Hall prison in the late 18th century was a town constable and glass and china dealer Sam Hall, and the jail came to be known locally at this time as "Sam Hall's parlour". Sam doesn't seem to have been popular for during riots in Sheffield the rioters took the opportunity to settle old scores and many of his pots were smashed.

No doubt the Town Hall was regarded as a fine addition to Sheffield's architecture when it was first built, but by the time it was demolished in 1808 it was generally described as a disgrace. We can catch a glimpse of what it looked like from an engraving of Sheffield by Thomas Oughtibridge dated 1737.

[RichardB]

Nov 14 1802.

State of Sheffield prisons; prison for the liberty of Hallamshire, property of the Duke of Norfolk,'for

debtors, gaolor, Godfrey Fox; fees in high court, (processes from courts of Westminster,) for commitment

and turnkey, 25s. In the low court, ls.8d. Number of prisoners, 5. Low court prisoners detained

for debts under 40s.

The actions entered in the Sheffield court every three weeks, are, on the average, 300—number of prisoners, 14.

Sheffield Town-Mall; the lobbies under the Town-Hall are three dark cells, which open into a narrow passage,

the largest 8 feet high by 6 feet square;

—Nield's Remarks on Prisons in Yorkshire.

[neddy]

Here's my battered old Thomas Oughtibridge map

[RichardB]

Here's my battered old Thomas Oughtibridge map

I like that !

Now somebody clever (not me) could do something with that; improve it, sharpen the image; work out where modern streets are and superimpose stuff, like pointers to streets and stuff.

How long you had that Neddy ? Is it an original hahahaha.

[neddy]

I like that !

Now somebody clever (not me) could do something with that; improve it, sharpen the image; work out where modern streets are and superimpose stuff, like pointers to streets and stuff.

How long you had that Neddy ? Is it an original hahahaha.

Well I didn't buy it new have had it about 5yrs certainly battered enough to be original, and would think it is, the frame is modern, will have to get round to photographing it a bit better.

[RichardB]

Well I didn't buy it new have had it about 5yrs certainly battered enough to be original, and would think it is, the frame is modern, will have to get round to photographing it a bit better.

Taps his fingers .....

lol

[syrup]

Here's my battered old Thomas Oughtibridge map

Hi neddy I have found the same picture on Sheffield Library Site is this a copy of yours.

http://www.pictureshs11506.jpg

[RichardB]

Tough question time !

There is a dedication on the back of the Gosling 1736 map, what does it say please ?

<Hides>

[Bayleaf]

I like that !

Now somebody clever (not me) could do something with that; improve it, sharpen the image; work out where modern streets are and superimpose stuff, like pointers to streets and stuff.

How long you had that Neddy ? Is it an original hahahaha.

Does this help?

"the view, taken from Pye Bank... shows Sheffield just as it was beginning to expand beyond its Mediaeval limits. The Parish Church is drawn to a larger scale than reality. Behind it is the new St. Paul's. Manor Lodge is shown top left, alone in the former deer park. In the foreground the river Don curves round to Lady's Bridge. The cutlers' grinding wheel (bottom right) was leased by Kellam Homer in the early 17th Century. The goit which powered the wheel and then ran on to the corn mill at Millsands formed an island with the parallel river, hence the name Kelham Island..."

From A History of Sheffield by David Hey

[RichardB]

Doesn't time fly past ... over a year old.

[RichardB]

For newer Members who may have missed it (apologies to the Old Team but it's my favourite).

[RichardB]

What is the lane called that joins Fargate and building number 4 please ? (in the colour 1736 map-chap)