Alan Woodward 1946 - 2015

Very sad to hear about the death of Alan Woodward whilst I was on holiday. But what was really strange was that when I returned I started sorting some of my old Blades programmes. The first one I picked up was United against Watford, a Division One game that took place on Saturday, 13th January 2001. And in this programme was the following article on Alan

 

To much of a co-incidence. And the game against Preston NE that Alan saw when he was back in Sheffield ended up in a 3-2 victory for the Blades 

Barber Nook Crookesmoor Sheffield

From the Sheffield Telegraph dated 1st June 2007

It appears it must be one if not the oldest houses in the district dating back to 1732.

Pte Hugh Dronfield - 1st Grenadier Guards

The following is from The Yorkshire Telegraph and Star dated 8th November 1915

The recipient of the wound Hugh Dronfield lived in the house next to ours one hundred years ago. He did recover from the wounds he received and returned to the Western Front. Less than a year later the same photograph appeared in the local newspaper (14th October 1916) - Hugh had been wounded for a second time!

He must have recovered from these wounds and was sent back yet again to the Front.  His medal card details read Grenadier Guards Regiment No. 17958, Private, Royal Engineers WR/273095,Royal Engineers 276042 both Sapper.It gives his medal details RE/102 B36 Page 4002 (twice) and Star (15) RE159 page 197. He entered France on 16.3.1915.

It is believed that Hugh transferred to the RE in mid 1916 - first to the Waterways/ Railways section of the RE and then to the Light Railways section shortly afterwards which may account for the two RE numbers less than three thousand apart. It was, however, definitely before February 1917.

Hugh was born in Sheffield on 9.February.1892. He was home on furlough on 18.8.1918 when he got married.

A basic outline of the Guards Division can be found here: http://www.1914-1918.net/gdiv.htm

1911 Census

First name(s)     Hugh
Last name     Dronfield
Relationship to household head     Son
Marital condition     Single Gender     Male
Age     19  Birth year     1892
Birth place     Yorkshire Sheffield
Occupation     Shaping And Planning Machine Hand
Address     103 School Road Sheffield
Parish     Ecclesall County     Yorkshire, Yorkshire (West Riding) Country     England
Registration district     Bierlow
Registration district number     509
Subdistrict     Ecclesall West Central Subdistrict number     2
Enumeration district     17 Piece number     27737 Piece Number Suffix     -
Schedule number     200 Schedule Suffix     -
Census reference     RG14PN27737 RG78PN1588 RD509 SD2 ED17 SN200
Record set     1911 Census for England & Wales
Category     Census, land & surveys
Subcategory     Census
Collections from     Great Britain

His next door nieghbour in Spring Hill Billie Thomas did not return from the war. He was killed on 7thOctober 1916 and is honoured on the Thiepval Memorial

Charnwood Hotel Sharrow Sheffield

I remember going to a couple of wedding receptions in the Hotel quite a few years back but did not know that the building and adjoining coach house had listed building status

And it is now over ten years since the hotel closed down. The following is from The Sheffield Telegraph dated 9th December 2004

A Refusal to Obey Orders - Sheffield December 1916

It has been a rough week on the Hill. On Wednesday it was the funeral of my dear mother in law Mary who sadly passed away on 23rd April 2015 at the age of 87. Mary was the last of the Simpson family to die and so her passing represents the end of an era. We will miss her.

And then yesterday the Hill witnessed another dreadful second half display by the Blades in the League One Play-Offs. And then to cap it all the Party of the Toffs, despite all predictions, are set to govern my life for the next five years.

And then when you think things could not get worse I find out that my Great Uncle Albert was prosecuted for failing to do his duty in World War 1


The following is from the Yorkshire Telegraph and Star dated 14th December 1916

He was brought in front of Sir William Clegg in the Sheffield Munitions Court for refusing to obey orders. Refusing to obey orders however unreasonable was deemed to be a dereliction of duty to one's country.

Sir William obviously took a dim view of the workers conduct and fined them the equivalent of £185 in today's money which seems rather punitive to say the least. But on the plus side at least Albert was not in France serving in the British Army. If he had refused orders there he would have in all probability been court-martialed and then executed

This has not been the best week in my life!