The Writing on the Wall

[Guest rcolley]

In the 1950s, in London Road, just down from what is now Homebase, there was a house with writing on its end wall facing the road.

I think it was probably a quotation from Revelation. It was in quite a bad state even then. It has now gone completely.

Does anyone recall it, and what it said. I went past it every day on the tram for many years but never got round to reading it.

[DaveH]

In the 1950s, in London Road, just down from what is now Homebase, there was a house with writing on its end wall facing the road.

I think it was probably a quotation from Revelation. It was in quite a bad state even then. It has now gone completely.

Does anyone recall it, and what it said. I went past it every day on the tram for many years but never got round to reading it.

Biblically "The writing on the wall" does not refer to a quotation from the book of Revelations (which the writing on a Sheffield building could well have been) but to an incident in the Old Testament book of Daniel which is told here using my old Childrens Picture Bible.

Mein Mein tekel upharsin was the writing on the wall, which means "You have been weighed in the balance and found wanting"

The writing on the Sheffield wall is more likely to be from the book of Revelations, - to do with the end of the world, the 4 horsemen of the apocalypse, the triumph of good over evil and our final judgement day before God.

Exactly the sort of thing those Bible thumping blokes with sandwich boards who used to stand at the yop of Fargate used to have

The End of the World is Nigh.

Or, "The wages of Sin is Death"

[Guest plain talker]

Biblically "The writing on the wall" does not refer to a quotation from the book of Revelations (which the writing on a Sheffield building could well have been) but to an incident in the Old Testament book of Daniel which is told here using my old Childrens Picture Bible.

Mein Mein tekel upharsin was the writing on the wall, which means "You have been weighed in the balance and found wanting"

The writing on the Sheffield wall is more likely to be from the book of Revelations, - to do with the end of the world, the 4 horsemen of the apocalypse, the triumph of good over evil and our final judgement day before God.

Exactly the sort of thing those Bible thumping blokes with sandwich boards who used to stand at the yop of Fargate used to have

The End of the World is Nigh.

Or, "The wages of Sin is Death"

Mene, Mene, Tekel, Upharsim:-

Number, number, weight division. It's from the story of Belshazzar, just before he went "mad".

[dunsbyowl1867]

In the 1950s, in London Road, just down from what is now Homebase, there was a house with writing on its end wall facing the road.

I think it was probably a quotation from Revelation. It was in quite a bad state even then. It has now gone completely.

Does anyone recall it, and what it said. I went past it every day on the tram for many years but never got round to reading it.

Too young for that one

But as a youth I was intrigued by some painted words on the wall at the junction of Upwell Street & Carlisle Street? which read "THEY'VE GOT THE MONEY - YOU'VE GOT THE VOTE - VOTE NO!

I assume as this was around 1973 would that have been the time of a Euro Referendum? It was there for many years afterwards - long after the issue was dead & buried.

[SteveHB]

Here is a more modern one, on the foudations of the Bridge Inn PH, by the river (London Rd)

The character is something to do with Hungry Horace and an old ZX Spectrum game - apparently -

[dr stanley]

Too young for that one

But as a youth I was intrigued by some painted words on the wall at the junction of Upwell Street & Carlisle Street? which read "THEY'VE GOT THE MONEY - YOU'VE GOT THE VOTE - VOTE NO!

I assume as this was around 1973 would that have been the time of a Euro Referendum? It was there for many years afterwards - long after the issue was dead & buried.

I also seem to remember the slogan "Read the Morning Star" painted in big white letters just before dipping down under the bridge on Upwell Street

[RichardB]

Too young for that one

But as a youth I was intrigued by some painted words on the wall at the junction of Upwell Street & Carlisle Street? which read "THEY'VE GOT THE MONEY - YOU'VE GOT THE VOTE - VOTE NO!

I assume as this was around 1973 would that have been the time of a Euro Referendum? It was there for many years afterwards - long after the issue was dead & buried.

1973 = "The Common Market", so, yup.

[RichardB]

"Hendrix Lives"

Barber Road (lower), next to the newsagents, by the lights - presumably 1970 and onwards past 1980 ?

[Waterside Echo]

In the 1950s, in London Road, just down from what is now Homebase, there was a house with writing on its end wall facing the road.

I think it was probably a quotation from Revelation. It was in quite a bad state even then. It has now gone completely.

Does anyone recall it, and what it said. I went past it every day on the tram for many years but never got round to reading it.

Most, if not all the writings on walls in the early 50s were of a political or military theme. CUT THE CALL UP, BRITAIN OUT OF CYPRUS, KEEP BRITAIN BRITISH, etc, etc. If a serviceman was coming home after serving overseas or had been demobbed this would usually be anounced to all friends and locals alike by painting it on the walls in the street were he lived. The A B C streets and surounding areas off Penistone Road are just ones of many that spring to mind. W/E.

[DaveH]

Mene, Mene, Tekel, Upharsim:-

Number, number, weight division. It's from the story of Belshazzar, just before he went "mad".

Died not long after he had the vision of the writing appearing on the wall.

Well done plaintalker, not many people these days would be able to place such an obscure old testament extract.

[DaveH]

Too young for that one

But as a youth I was intrigued by some painted words on the wall at the junction of Upwell Street & Carlisle Street? which read "THEY'VE GOT THE MONEY - YOU'VE GOT THE VOTE - VOTE NO!

I assume as this was around 1973 would that have been the time of a Euro Referendum? It was there for many years afterwards - long after the issue was dead & buried.

There were 2 General elections in 1974, one in February and one in October. Labour won both.

The E.U. or "common market" as it was always known at the time became a referendum issue in 1975.

(Are you in favour of Britain remaining in the European Union (Common Market), - vote either "Oui" or "Non")

However, at the time of the 1975 referendum Britain was already a member of the EU, having being taken into it by the pre 1974 Conservative Government of Edward Heath.

Britain officially became the 7th member of the E.U. on 1st January 1973 which matches your date of "around 1973" but it predated the proper referendum by over 2 years.

Joining the E.U. was a very unpopular move carried out by the Conservative Government, the new Labour Government wanted to give people afree choice on it hence the referendum.

I think this is the only time in my life I have ever voted on a referendum issue, or that one has been put to the vote.

[DaveH]

So what about this writing on the wall?

Its written on the end of the Sheffield Hallam University building and is very prominent but I have never bothered to read it.

It probably says "Don't drink in the Howard Hotel, the beer's crap!" lol

[vox]

So what about this writing on the wall?

Its written on the end of the Sheffield Hallam University building and is very prominent but I have never bothered to read it.

It probably says "Don't drink in the Howard Hotel, the beer's crap!"

O travellers from somewhere else to here

Rising from Sheffield Station and Sheaf Square

To wander through the labyrinths of air,

Pause now, and let the sight of this sheer cliff

Become a priming-place which lifts you off

To speculate

What if..?

What if..?

What if..?

Cloud shadows drag their hands across the white;

Rain prints the sudden darkness of its weight;

Sun falls and leaves the bleaching evidence of light.

Your thoughts are like this too: as fixed as words

Set down to decorate a blank facade

And yet, as words are too, all soon transferred

To greet and understand what lies ahead -

The city where your dreamling is re-paid,

The lives which wait unseen as yet, unread.

Link - Andrew Motion

[DaveH]

O travellers from somewhere else to here

Rising from Sheffield Station and Sheaf Square

To wander through the labyrinths of air,

Pause now, and let the sight of this sheer cliff

Become a priming-place which lifts you off

To speculate

What if..?

What if..?

What if..?

Cloud shadows drag their hands across the white;

Rain prints the sudden darkness of its weight;

Sun falls and leaves the bleaching evidence of light.

Your thoughts are like this too: as fixed as words

Set down to decorate a blank facade

And yet, as words are too, all soon transferred

To greet and understand what lies ahead -

The city where your dreamling is re-paid,

The lives which wait unseen as yet, unread.

Link - Andrew Motion

A complete piece of poetry on a Sheffield wall.

So its not just some comment on the state of the beer in the nearest pub then lol

[Waterside Echo]

Anyone living or traveling in the Hemsworth area of Sheffield in the 1960s may remember a Mr Jeffcock, he lived opposite the water tower. There was always something controversial written on his garage door, it was not unusual to see depicted someone hung from the gallows, along with a few words of wisdom. On occasions the police would pay him a visit, but as he never used obscenities as far as I can remember no action was needed or ever taken against him. W/E.