The Lawson Family of Green Street Sheffield - June 1920

And on the same page that the two unveiling's of the war memorials were reported, there was this report that shows another side of Sheffield after the war

It is from the Sheffield Daily Telegraph dated 28th June 1920

Green Street does not exist anymore - in fact I have been unable to find its location. The report is unequivocal in its description of the filth and sqaulor the family were living in. But what is remarkable is the statement that the head of the household Charles Lawson made in court. He said that this kind of thing, that is "gross child neglect" had been going on for 20 years and blamed his wife for it.

If that is the case and I have no reason to doubt Mr Lawson what were the "lady inspector of nuisances" and the Town Clerk's Department doing in that twenty year period. The report infers that more than one visit was made but it appears no action was taken. A familiar story

And what did Mr Lawson do in that period - nothing according to his statement, it was all his wife's fault. But I do find that difficult to believe! He should have received a far greater sentence as the family was his responsibility and not solely his wife's.

It would be interesting to know what happened to the family. I just hope that the children were not scarred by their childhoods but I think that unlikley    

        

Wickersley War Memorial (Rotherham)

Whilst I was attempting to research the current location of the St Michael's (Neepsend) war memorial (see previous post) I came across this newspaper cutting from the Sheffield Daily Telegraph dated 28th June 1920, In fact(it was adjacent to the St Michael's cutting.

 
But thankfully this memorial is still there and what is more a local historian has posted an excellent article on the servicemen that appear on the memorial.

Neepsend St Michael and All Angels, and Wicker Holy Trinity - War Memorial

At the prompting of a friend, I was asked if I knew anything about the whereabouts of the war memorial that was in the long demolished church of St Michael and All Angels in Neepsend Sheffield.

The excellent Sheffield Soldiers of the First World War site does have a transcription of the names on the memorial that was prepared by the vicar at the time but sadly no photograph

I was able to locate a press cutting from the Sheffield Daily Telegraph dated 28th June 1920 which gives an account of the inauguration of the memorial in the church.

St Michael and All Angels was closed in 1952 and demolished three years later. It is believed that the war memorial was moved to the custodianship of Wicker Holy Trinity..

Wicker Holy Trinity Church still stands at the corner of Johnson Street and Nursery Street but is now The New Testament of God

I contacted the church and asked if they knew anything about the war memorial but sadly they did not.which is not really surprising. According to the National Archives the Wicker Holy Trinity church was merged with Christ Church Pitsmoor Sheffield in 1972.

If anyone can offer any further information on the whereabouts of the memorial then please contact me.