Fred Holding - A Barnsley Boxer

This photograph fell out of a book I bought at a sale a couple of years back. On the reverse someone had written "Fred Holding Barnsley 9st 0lb." I did not place it on the site as I could not find a Sheffield connection and his boxing record shows that he never fought once in the city

The statistics of his boxing career reveal that Fred could be classed at best as a "journeyman" boxer. He won just 7 of his 23 fights in a career that lasted 13 years. He lost 14 fights, 5 of which ended in knock-outs. He drew 2 fights. And all of those fights were in either in the North or the Midlands - the furthest south Fred traveled was Smethwick Market!!    

Ted Catlin's medals - May 2006

I have just come across this cutting from The Sheffield star - May 2006

 

I was going to  post an article about it but when I checked on-line there was quite a bit of information on Ted and his career  and so I decided to put the cutting on the blog instead

 

After the war Catlin returned to Sheffield and became chief scout for Sheffield Wednesday for a time. He then became a pub landlord, running four pubs in the area, "The Anvil" at Malin Bridge, the "Rose and Crown" at Wadsley, the "Kelvin Grove" at Upperthorpe and the "The Magnet" in the Southey area of Sheffield.[7] He also ran a boarding house in Blackpool for a time. Ted Catlin died aged 80 on 28 November 1990. In May 2006 Ted's 1935 FA Cup winners medal came up for sale at Sotheby's in London and sold for £3,600, also in the same sale was Catlin's first England cap which sold for £1,100

An Elephant on a Pub Roof

I was way on holiday last week in North Norfolk. We have been going there for over 25 years and for what it is worth it is one of the best places in the country, But I'm not sure whether I could live there on a permanent basis. I have lived in a city all my life and so I'm not sure if village life would suit me

But even in North Norfolk you can be surprised. The is a pub on the quayside at Wells next the Sea called The Golden Fleece. It is an old pub which for years served the local fishing community. But recently it has been "gentrified" and re-positioned as more of a gastro-pub for tourists than a pub serving the community.

But on the roof of the pub to the rear of the premises, the owners have positioned an elephant. But not content with that, they have painted a montage of flighty young women on the side of the elephant. The effect is stunning. My first impression was one of stunned surprise at the tackiness of it all. But after a while I began to laugh which can't be bad 

 But why did they put an elephant on the roof when the pub's name is the Golden Fleece, surely a sheep would have been more appropriate!

  

The Wrigley Family - Sheffield

I received  the following e-mail from someone who has read both the site and the latest book
Long Shadows Over Sheffield - Forgotten Voices of the Great War

"Congratulations on your website and also your excellent book "Long Shadows Over Sheffield. I notice you have a chapter on my grandfather's family the Wrigleys of Langsett Road. I thought you might be interested in some more info and a few additional pictures."

Needless to say I responded and thanked him for his kind comments and said I would be delighted to receive any additional information on the family.

John replied and sent me some marvelous photos of the family as well as more details about their lives both before and after the Great war

 

I have  updated the page on the website - John kindly gave me permission to post the photos as well. A tremendous gesture  

 

Events for Walkley Cemetery 2014

This is the calendar for events up to August 2014

Friends of Walkley Cemetery

Herbert Fretwell - Walkley Cemetery

It was our monthly workday at Walkley Cemetery last Saturday (26th April 2014).

We were clearing part of what is called the new section (opened 1922)

Whilst clearing the section I came across the grave of Mary Fretwell who died in April 1930 at the tragically young age of 21. The headstone was laid flat and as I uncovered the stone, I realised that firstly it was a beautiful stone and secondly that Mary's parents were buried with her.

But what struck me was that the headstone stated that her father Herbert was killed at work on 8th July 1941. And so the next time I am in the Local Studies library I am going to see if there is a record of how Herbert was killed.

His wife Eliza died less than two years later in 1943.

Victoria Hall Sheffield Monday 28th April 2014

I did another talk this week at Sheffield's Victoria Hall. It was for the Sheffield Townswomens Guild. The talk was based on our first two books on Sheffield's Shocking Past. I had not been in the Hall for over forty years and it is a great venue with good facilities.

 

The talk centred on material that did not make the books and the reasons why they were not included. It was very well received and the organiser was pleased and so all in all a successful event      

William Domkowicz (a.k.a. Wilhelm, and also Domkowies) 1820 - 1898

In April 2014 I received this information from someone who was researching Walkley Cemetery in Sheffield 

"Just came across your site, looking for information on those who are buried there. I attach a document giving a brief outline to William Domkowicz who was buried in the cemetery on 16 August 1898.

An unremarkable man, but interesting in that he was one of the first 28 refugees to arrive in Sheffield from Hungary in 1851. A newspaper article, to which he has put his name (amongst others) is also shown in the document."

I contacted the sender and he kindly allowed me to place the document on my website. 

In addition Hugh Waterhouse who has access to the records of Walkley Cemetery was not only able to add further information to the document but also locate William's grave in the Cemetery

C section no 444. - William's final resting place - That part of the section is in the most overgrown in the cemetery and as William was buried in a public grave there is no headstone/mi. It is just two rows behind the mostly covered headstone to the right in photos