"Stories of Crookes Cemetery
Saturday 11th October, 3 to 5pm. Meet at Barretts Café (S10 1TF). Chris Hobbs will lead this 2 mile walk around Crookes, with a particular focus on the cemetery and the stories of people who lay there. We will find out about the gruesome Chinese Laundry Murder which caused the papers to tag it "one of the most sensational crimes Sheffield police have ever investigated".
It was the first time I had ever done this type of activity and so I took a fair bit of time planning the route (about 3km or 2 miles). I also wanted to include some information that is on my website and also some which has not yet been posted
These are my notes that I used on the walk. It started outside Barretts Cafe on Crookes near the junction with Springvale Road
422 - 424 Springvale Road - 5 civilians killed on the night of the Sheffield Blitz
HARRISON, Annie (WW2 Civilian War Dead, age 64).
Died at 424 Springvale Road on 12 Dec 1940; Buried on December 30, 1940 in General ground;
Grave Number ~, Section OO1 of City Road Cemetery, Sheffield. Parent or Next of Kin if Available: ~. Remarks: Entered as Unknown' Death Identity 571-574.
HARRISON, Richard Arthur (WW2 Civilian War Dead, age 23).
Died at 424 Springvale Road on 12 Dec 1940; Buried on December 30, 1940 in General ground;
Grave Number ~, Section OO1 of City Road Cemetery, Sheffield.
Parent or Next of Kin if Available: ~. Remarks: Entered as Unknown' Death Identity 571-574.
HARRISON, Robert (WW2 Civilian War Dead, age 38).
Died at 424 Springvale Road on 12 Dec 1940; Buried on December 30, 1940 in General ground;
Grave Number ~, Section OO1 of City Road Cemetery, Sheffield.
Parent or Next of Kin if Available: ~. Remarks: Entered as Unknown' Death Identity 571-574.
HARRISON, Richard (WW2 Civilian War Dead, age 62).
Died at 424 Springvale Road on 12 Dec 1940; Buried on December 30, 1940 in General ground;
Grave Number ~, Section OO1 of City Road Cemetery, Sheffield.
Parent or Next of Kin if Available: ~. Remarks: Entered as Unknown' Death Identity 571-574.
ABBEY, Ada Marion (Widow (killed in air raid), age 77).
Died at 422 Springvale Road on 12 Dec 1940; Buried on December 23, 1940 in Consecrated ground;
Grave Number 8888, Section T of City Road Cemetery, Sheffield.
Parent or Next of Kin if Available: ~. Remarks: Widow of William James Abbey. Identified by Wm Ernest Abbey of 36 Slinn St (Son).
98 and 167 Cobden View Road 2 Civilians
BAXTER, Elsie (WW2 Civilian War Dead, age 47).
Died at Wharncliffe Emergency Hospital, Wadsley, on 24 Dec 1940; Buried on December 31, 1940 in Unconsecrated ground; Grave Number 2684, Section D of Crookes Cemetery, Sheffield. Parent or Next of Kin if Available: ~. Remarks: Injured 12 Dec at 167 Cobden View, Crookes. Wife of Horace Baxter..
TINGLE, Kate (WW2 Civilian War Dead, age 74). Died at 98 Cobden View Road on 13 Dec 1940; Buried on December 20, 1940 in Consecrated~ ground;
Grave Number 77, Section L of Walkley St Marys Cemetery, Sheffield.
Parent or Next of Kin if Available: ~. Remarks: Identified by Kate Ethel Ralsron of 52 Sheard Rd (Daughter).
131 Cobden View Road
Childhood home of Ben Warriss
Cobden View Hotel
The scene of Theresa Unwin's Inquest - 24th October 1888
Jack The Ripper's Sixth Victim!
203 School Road - Childhood home of David Blakely - murdered by Ruth Ellis - Easter Sunday 1955
Dr John Blakely and his trial for murder - February 1934
School Road at its junction with Glebe Road Sewage Gas Destructor Lamp
Wesley Hall - Crookes -
The Chapel had to be enlarged and re-developed several times as the work of the church grew. But it was still too small. Finally, in 1907 the foundation stones were laid for a completely new building, on a new site, that could accommodate up to 1000 people – Wesley Hall.
The new building was designed as an octagonal “Mission Hall”. As one reporter noted: “Wesley Hall looks more like the Hippodrome that a place of worship. And one is thankful for it … it is pre-eminently a place to worship in, to breathe and be glad in.”
The decision to build a new church was not just based on the need for more accommodation. It marked the beginning of a new phase in the church’s mission to the people of Crookes. Since the Wesleyan Chapel was first built in 1836, Crookes had been transformed from a village into a densely populated suburb. The vision for Wesley Hall was that it would be “a church where rich and poor, ignorant and cultured, would all be welcomed, and the Christian cause would be exalted.”
St Thomas Church Crookes
Appeal 1837
"The district of Crookes, including Tapton,Steven Hills,Crookes Moor Side etc.at this time contains a population (which is rapidly increasing) of 1500 souls, nearly destitute of Pastoral superintendence and instruction. To provide for this lamentable destitution, a few friends of religion and The Established Church commenced a subscription for building a Small Church..."
The trustees who gave the Church the original £1,350 were
Miss Harrison of Weston
Miss Rawson of Philadelphia
Reverend W.H.Vale of Ecclesall
Joseph Wilson of Clifford
George Younge of Sheaf House
The church is a classic Victorian church with a square tower and gothic arch stained glass windows
The foundation stone for the Church which incidentally given by local quarry owners was laid on 30th August 1839 by a Henry Wilson of Westbrook. Local farmers did much of the work for free. The Church had a nave,south aisle and porch, sshort chancel and west pinnacled tower. In fact St Thomas's had the same design as the smaller Christ Church Gleadless which was built two years earlier. (The latter church was the one I was married in ). St Thomas's Church and the adjacent Burial ground were consecrated on October 1st 1840 by the Archbishop of York and the Church soon began rectifying the "lamentable destitution" that had occurred in the Parish
BAPTISM - the first christening in the Church Register occurred on December 6th 1840 when Joseph Dixon (born October 23rd 1840) the son of Joesph and Mary Dixon of Broomhill was baptised. His father Joseph's occupation was that of Groom
BURIAL - On March 23rd 1841 the first burial occurred in the Churchyard. Charles Joseph the infant son of Mr Fairbank of Mount Pigsah near Crookes
MARRIAGE - the first marriage occurred over 16 years after the Church was first opened. On January 1857 Andrew Smith a draper aged 40 of Victoria Street and the son of John Smith a farmer married Mary Brookes aged 30 of Crookes Road. Her father James was a manafacturer
CONFIRMATION - the first confirmations occurred on April 1st 1908 included 48 persons from St Thomas's and seven from St Timothy's. All were aged between 12 - 21
Crookes Cemetery (Headland Road Entrance)
It was opened in 1906, and covers 29 acres (120,000 m2). Over 29,000 burials have taken place since its opening.
Graves of
Sir Stuart Goodwin
Sir Stuart Goodwin (1889-1969) founder of the Neepsend Steel and Tool Corporation was born at 120 Upperthorpe, he was one of Sheffield’s top industrialists in the inter war period. He later became one of the City’s most renowned patrons, funding Sheffield’s Christmas illuminations for many years and the Goodwin Sports Centre, he is commemorated by the Goodwin Fountain in the Peace Gardens
Henry Boot
John Maxfield
George Chandler and David Piper - Beighton Rail Disaster 11th February 1942
Doreen's last resting place
Corner of Stannington View Road and Mulehouse Road - Sewage Gas Destructor Lamp
Down Mulehouse Road to it's junction with Crookes
Crookes Picture Palace
The Crookes Picture Palace opened its doors on 2nd December 1912. The building was primarily a brick building with a cement frontage. Above the entrance to the cinema were some embossed decorations and the name "Crookes Picture Palace". The front of the building was flush with the adjoining shops and a blind alley ran down one side of the building to accommodate the queues waiting to see the films. From the small foyer a door on the right gave access to the stalls whilst a series of steps lead up to the rear of the auditorium. The auditorium was a single floor with the audience only sitting in front of the stage. A heavy red curtain covered the screen when not in use. A raised section at the rear had a steeper rake than the rake in the stalls. The overall capacity of the cinema was 660.
The proprietors of The Picture Palace were Hallamshire Cinemas Ltd. In 1931 a Western Electric Sound System was installed. The cinema remained open until 2nd April 1960 when it shut its doors for the final time. The last film to be shown was the Brigitte Bardot classic "Babette Goes To War" and "Senior Prom" with Jill Corey.
231 Crookes - site of the Crookes Chinese Laundry Murder 1922 http://www.chrishobbs.com/crookesmurder.htm
I thoroughly enjoyed the walk and although rain was threatened, it held off until the walk had finished. There were 25+ people on the walk which was a lot more than I expected. It also demonstrated that there is still quite a lot of interest in the history of Crookes which is heartening to say the least!
Thank you to everyone who took part
Only missed this by 7 years :-)
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