View From A Hill - 31st December 2018

This blog is the 31st I've posted in 2018 which is the lowest annual total since the blog started in 2010. I have also managed to post a few articles to the website but not as many as I would have liked. 

There are reasons for this tardiness on my part but it has meant that I have a rather larger backlog of material than is normal. I hope to get around to posting some new content in the next few months. 

And so all that remains is to wish everyone a happy and prosperous New Year

This photograph was taken on 2nd December 2018 and shows a rainbow over the Hill - quite a rare occurrence.

The Springfield Tavern Broomspring Lane Sheffield October 2006

This cutting is from the Sheffield Telegraph dated 6th October 2006 and refers to the The Springfield Tavern in Broomspring Lane Sheffield. As the report says it was the first of its kind in Sheffield

The outcome of the Board's deliberations was that the couple were instructed to install noise abatement equipment

Photo courtesy of Peter Ashworth

The locals who challenged and opposed the granting of a licence to the public house did not have long to wait for a final solution though. The public house was permanently closed in 2010 and is now private rented accommodation.   

Christmas in the Workhouse - Sheffield December 1883

The following is a report that appeared in the Sheffield Independent dated 26th December 1883

"The inmates of the above Workhouse were yesterday provided with their Christmas treat. It consisted, as usual, of the substantial dinner of roast beef and plum pudding. A pint of beer was allowed for everyone except the imbeciles and children. They has coffee, as also did everyone who preferred it. The total number of inmates in the house this Christmas is 1334... after dinner they were briefly and suitably addressed by the Chairman (Ald. Hunter) ....The inmates were then dismissed to their various wards to pass the afternoon in recreation, various friends having kindly sent a quantity of illustrated papers and books for their use. `the old people were supplied with tobacco and snuff and the children with oranges. An excellent tea was given them, and to-day (Wed) there will be a magic lantern entertainment kindly supplied by Mr Rodgers. The Sheffield Pillow Mission sent their usual Christmas present of a letter and illustrated card to each inmate."

As with the previous blog I was going to post a fuller article but found this article about Christmas in the Workhouse which even includes a recipe for a workhouse plum pudding!

But the sentence that shows just how tough life was in the 1880's is this "The total number of inmates in the house this Christmas is 1334" - a staggering total

Marjorie Stewart and Harry Fallows - Castleton Derbyshire January 1927

This cutting is from The Scotsman dated 12th January 1927. I was going to post an article to the site about their tragic deaths but found that there was this article that covered the event. (and others).

The article by Kay Harrison is very interesting to say the least and well worth a read. The couple lived at Hinde Street Moston which is a district in Manchester

The Beatles first appearance in Sheffield - Tuesday 2nd April 1963

This is a copy of a poster that has been circulating for years and has been shown to be a fake

The Beatles did not appear there on that date but did appear on Tuesday 2nd April 1963

There is an excellent blog that explains all about what happened and why But when I was in the Local Studies Library the other day, I found this advertisement in The Sheffield Star dated Tuesday 2nd April 1963,

The show did take place but I could find no report of the event in the following nights newspaper. Of course the typos are quite amusing "Tickets at the Noor" and Mark Stone I believe is "Mark Jones"

But the fascinating act has got to be the "Screaming Howling Horror of Fitzalan Sqaure - Count Linsey 111 and The Skeletons,." I wonder what happened to them? 

Alma Street Brightside Sheffield - August 1867

I came across this report in The Brecon Reporter and South Wales General Advertiser dated 
3rd August 1867. (The National Library of Wales have placed their newspaper archive on-line and is well worth visiting)

The report appeared under the title SHEFFIELD SENTIMENT.

 The other night a commercial clerk, living in Alma- street, Brightside, Sheffield, beat his litttle boy, 11 years of age, with shocking severity. The child had caused his father a deal of trouble by his propensity to lying. On the other hand, the child has been much repressed at home, and very frequently beaten. His mother is dead, and his father has married again. In consequence of the cruel conduct of the father the neighbours communicated with the police, and the chief-constable sent the child to Dr Young to be examined.

The doctor found his shoulders, back, and loins covered with bruises and bleeding wounds, so that a finger could not be laid on a sound place. In consequence of the doctor's report the father has been brought before the magistrates, but the doctor not being present the case was remanded.

"I suppose, said one of the magistrates to the father, "that we must send the boy back with you, and I hope you can be trusted not to beat him again before tomorrow. I'll never touch him again," said the father, bursting into tears. Upon this the little boy looked up and began to cry too, and said, taking his father's hand,"Don't cry, father I'd sooner go to prison than you should go."

 Thus weeping, the father and child left the court together." 

These are the only details I have at the moment but it would be interesting to know what happened to the family

John Womersley's house on Bents Drive, Sheffield - April 1967

Just over  a year ago I posted a blog on John Lewis Womersley. John was City Architect for Sheffield from 1953 - 1963 and led the team that planned and designed the mixed high-density housing developments, Park Hill (1957-1961) and the Gleadless Valley estate (1955-1962). He was also involved in the building of the recently demolished Castle Market.  

I came across this cutting whilst I was researching something totally different. It is from The Sheffield Star and is dated April 1967

 Unfortunately the article does not stipulate the number of the house on Bents Drive but the fact that it is a three-bedroomed house with a large secluded garden does seem to indicate that John was not all that taken with the designs and visions of Le Corbusier. 

If anyone could supply me with either the number of the house or a photograph, please contact me. 

Aircraftman 2nd Class George William Rhodes (1916-1940) - Commonside Sheffield

Photograph taken 25th April 2012

Sec. J.J. grave 5603, Sheffield (Crookes) Cemetery.]

The memorial inscription reads

RHODES. Sacred to the affectionate and happy memories of George William Rhodes, 996999, AC2, RAF, only son of William and Amelia Rhodes, killed on active service August 1st 1940, age 24.
"He shall never grow old."
Also the above William, who died June 24th 1963, aged 73 years.

George William Rhodes appears identical to Aircraftman 2nd Class 996999, Royal Air Force Volunteer reserve, died Thursday 1st August 1940, age 24. Son of William & Amelia Rhodes, Commonside, Sheffield. 

And this is how George died. He was based at RAF Upper Heyford with the  16 OTU (Operational Training Unit). There were satellite airfields at RAF Barford St Michael, RAF Croughton and RAF Hinton in the Hedges

On 1 August 1940   a Hereford L6067  Training plane crashed near Souldern which is 7 miles north west of Bicester in Oxfordshire

On board the aircraft were the following personnel - all four died in the crash

Sergeant (Pilot) Oswald George DAY   RAFVR No. 742004

Age 24 and the son of Harold Johnson Day and Gertrude Day of Leicester. He is buried in Sec V Grave 126 Gilroes Cemetery, Leicester

Flying Officer (Pilot) George Holland THEVENARD  RAFVR No. 70668

Age 33, the son of Ernest Frank and Margaret Montgomery Thevenard and the  husband of Jeannie Thevenard of Hull. He is buried in Plot 1 Row B Grave 14 in the churchyard of All Saints Church, Middleton Stoney

Sergeant (Wireless Operator) Sydney Nevil BAKER  RAF No. 645894

Age 21 and the son of S G and Annie Baker of Dordon.  He was the foster son and nephew of Mr H E Thorpe of Dordon. He is buried near the south boundary of the churchyard of St Leonard’s Church, Dordon, Warwickshire

Aircraftman 2nd Class George William RHODES  RAFVR No. 996999 Age 24 and the son of William and Amelia Rhodes of Commonside, Sheffield. He is buried in Sec JJ Grave 5603, Crookes Cemetery, Sheffield

One source states that George was a passenger on the aircraft.

Head Office of D North Homes Ltd 63 - 73 Commonside Sheffield.

In the previous blog I posted a photograph of Commonside, Sheffield dated October 2012

In the centre of the photograph is the Head Office of D North Homes Ltd 63 - 73 Commonside Sheffield.

But whilst the building was there, the company had ceased to exist. I am unsure as to why the firm packed up but pack up it did.
But by July 2015 even the building had gone. It was demolished and replaced by a private residential development that are all the rage in Sheffield at the moment.

Photograph taken July 2015

Photograph of a Sheffield Family Commonside Sheffield

I came across this photograph last week that shows a family at the door of a house in Commonside, Sheffield. Unfortunately there are no details on the postcard but given the decorations on the house it must have been for some celebration. Date-wise I would guess circa 1930.

I believe that the house was demolished many years ago. It is difficult to place where the house actually was on Commonside apart from it being on the flatter part. There were some houses demolished at the bottom of Hands Road where it joins Commonside. There is a photograph of the derelict land on Picture Sheffield and that is dated 11th November 1971. And so possibly the demolition took place earlier in the 1960's

If anyone can help please let me know.  

Photo taken October 2012

231 Crookes Sheffield - Paranormal Activity June 2018

Many years ago I posted an article on the Crookes Laundry Murder that took place in 1922 and was to quote the Sheffield Independent

"one of the most sensational crimes Sheffield police have ever investigated"  

Photo taken 2004

In June this year I received this e-mail. It is something I did not expect

"what a fascinating website! I stumbled across it because of a strange occurrence yesterday. I went up Crookes with my friend Sue to browse the charity shops. We started down at the Age Concern shop and made our way up to St.Lukes. When we arrived at the Barnardo.s shop I found a couple of tops I like so decided to try them on. There was a blue vest top and a light chiffon top both on separate hanger so I carried them both into the changing room and hooked them on the inside of the changing room. I tried them both on together, one over the top of the other, then opened the door to show my friend. We both decided it wasn’t me so I proceeded to take them off. I got the hanger and put the chiffon top back on it then picked up the vest top and looked for the hanger but found it had completely vanished I looked all over the 4 ft square changing room but it was just not there. I went to the rail where I had got it from and there were no empty hangers. I told my friend and she agreed how very odd. 

This morning I started thinking about it again and then seemed to remember a story about a murder on Crookes so I googled it and came across your site. I couldn’t believe it when I saw it was that shop. I text a friend of mine who volunteers in several of the charity shops in Crookes and asked him if he’d heard of anything and this was his reply

“Hi, yep the shop is haunted. Think its something to do with the cellar. The manager is called Kim, i used to help out at weekends on till when she was short of volunteers. She mentioned odd goings off in shop. I've seen items fall off rails still on hangers, thats impossible. Weird spooky stuff. I'll pop in after work & get some stories from her. Wouldn't it b eerie if that hanger turned up in ur wardrobe!! “

Have you heard anything about strange goings on?"

I have not heard of anything re paranormal activity at the shop and it does not appear in Valerie Salim's "Ghost Hunters Guide to Sheffield" which is really the standard work on the subject. And so if anyone can throw any light on the matter I would be grateful 



 

Cookridge Haven Home Sheffield September 1922

The attached is from The Manchester Guardian dated 7th September 1922

Superficially it is a case of "nothing ever changes," Nearly one hundred years later, people are still being neglected and abused in adult and children's care homes despite the strict regulatory regimes they operate under, and the governments rigorous inspection schedules(mmm!)

But in this case it appears that four or five old people were accommodated as well as about ten children in this one home in just six bedrooms. The report gives the impression that they did not know how many people were in the home at the time of the Home Office inspection. But what is astounding is that all the children were infested and suffering from malnutrition and the health inspector inferred that "there had never been any permanent improvement."

In other words neglect was the norm. And Eliza King who was matron of Cookridge Haven Home was fined £5 (about £200 in today's money) for running this hovel in a cruel and malicious way. It is almost as if the authorities condoned this state of affairs

To date I have been unable to find anything about the Cookridge Haven Home



    

Gunner James Samuel King R.A. Died Beighton Sheffield 12th February 1942

Many years ago I published an article on the Beighton Rail Disaster 1942 and its aftermath, and since then I have updated it as and when information has become available 

KING James Samuel. Nationality: United Kingdom. Rank: Gunner. Regiment/Service: Royal Artillery. Age: 32. Date of Death: 12/02/1942. Service No: 11264438. Additional information: Son of Samuel and Bertha Grace King, of Westcliff-on-Sea. Plot R. Grave 12050.

James is buried in Sutton Road Cemetery Southend on Sea. He is buried in buried in Plot R, outside the hedged perimeter of the War Memorial.

In March 2013 I received this e-mail from James' nephew

"Thank you for the information on your web site about the Beighton Train Disaster. I have always wondered about what precisely happened.
My uncle James King was killed in the crash. From the information on the web sites linked to yours it appears he died on the day after the crash so he must have been one of those taken to Sheffield Royal Infirmary. Jim was a 32 year old single man. He had trained to become a draughtsman. But probably due to the difficulty in finding such work in the depression had joined with his brother Stanley to start in about 1938 a sweet making firm in Southend on Sea. The firm continued into the 1960s still trading as J & S King. My two brothers and I were born after the tragedy but we all knew the outline of the story, that a metal girder/plate had sliced into a troop train from a goods train on the other line and killed my uncle and other soldiers.

You ask whether the facts were kept from the families at the time. I suspect not. My grandfather had copies of the Times report of the Crash and also a copy of the coroners report and a report from the Southend Standard amongst his papers when he died. My brothers and I were regularly taken to his grave when I was younger. I remember being shocked once when my grandfather commented that some of the soldiers on the train had been beheaded."

In October 2018 James' nephew contacted me again and kindly supplied me with a copy of his obituary from the local newspaper The Southend Standard

and also a family photograph that shows Jim's parents Sam and Bertha Grace King standing next to his grave at Sutton Road Cemetery Southend on Sea.

"The photograph was taken probably in the mid 1950s on one of the regular visits of me and my family to his grave. Jim’s parents paid for a private grave plot just outside the official Commonwealth war graves plot of Southend war dead. You can see the official war graves and memorial in the background. Their other son Stanley, my father, survived four and a half years in the army and the fighting in Normandy and across Europe into Germany".

The family are attempting to find photographs of the accident. There were photographs taken at the time of the accident but sadly the ones we have been able to obtain are of poor quality. And so if anyone knows of any good quality photos let me know and I will pass the inforamtion on

George Lambert VC - The Garrison Hotel - 18th June 2018

An article was posted  in the Sheffield Star dated 18th June 2018 about the unveiling of a plaque in the Garrison Hotel to George Lambert VC .

George was the first person to be awarded a Victoria Cross who had a Sheffield connection. I posted the article on George to the website many years ago and over time I have managed to add some additional content, But sadly a photo and or image of George has always proved elusive.

I was invited to the ceremony and manged to take this photo of the event. I am glad that George's bravery and courage are still being recognised today.

 

Deaths under Anaesthetic - Sheffield February 1935

This is the first post to the blog I have done in over six months. There are a number of reasons for this tardy behaviour but the main one is that I would rather sit outside in the summer sunshine reading a good book, than sitting inside posting content to the blog and site.

Nevertheless, material has surfaced over the period, a lot of which deserves publication

The first is from The Manchester Guardian dated 25th February 1935

Bearing in mind that this was the last week in February, the Coroner remarked that he had already officiated in 12 inquests this year where the victim was under anaesthetic at the time of their death. And that 10 of those deaths occurred at the Sheffield Royal Infirmary. He stated that he was "concerned" at the "unusual number of anaesthetic deaths" that had resulted and suggested an inquiry into the methods used.

I would have expected that any sudden death under anaesthetic would have been investigated by the hospital but it is inferred in the report the this was not the case. In fact you get the impression that if the matter had not been raised by the Coroner, no action would have been taken.

Unfortunately I have not been able to find out the reasons for these "unusual number of anaesthetic deaths" and I have not been able to locate any reports

  

Irene Wilson May Queen - Sheffield 1937

This marvelous photograph appeared on Ebay this week but the details are non-existent.

It just states "Irene Wilson May Queen Sheffield 1937"

It would be fascinating to ascertain some further details about the photograph. The photograph looks as though it was taken by a professional photographer and the setting is formal.

Queen Victoria Memorial Statue - Fargate Sheffield 1905

I came across this photograph of the Queen Victoria Memorial Statue that used to be situated at the top of Fargate Sheffield near the junction with Pinstone Street (Sheffield)

This is the description from the Sheffield Halllam University Sheffield Public Art Website

""The bronze figure of a crowned Queen Victoria holding an orb and sceptre stands on top of a plinth of limestone blocks. The figure is about 3m high. She is attended by two bronze figures representing Maternity and Labour seated on either side of the main plinth, each about 2m high. 'Maternity' is a young woman holding a baby with her left arm around a young girl . 'Labour' is a young man sitting on an anvil with a sledgehammer propped against his left knee. The base of this bronze is signed: "ALFRED TURNER SC. 1904" - the '4' is somewhat indistinct. "

It was moved to Endcliffe Park on 24th February 1930 as part of yet another "road improvement" scheme that has tended to blight the area over the last century.

There are further details of the statue on the Sheffield History forum

The Family of Henry Hughes (1891 - 1918) - Sheffield and Merthyr Tydfil

Henry Hughes was executed by the British Army on  10th April 1918. He was 27 years old

Information on Henry is scarce but the CWGC records show that he was the son of John Charles and Ellen Hughes. 
I was researching the 1911 Census and found this entry


Name: John Hughes
Age in 1911: 52
Estimated birth year: abt 1859
Relation to Head: Head Gender: Male
Birth Place: Sheffield, Yorkshire, England Civil Parish: Sheffield County/Island: Yorkshire-West Riding Country: England
Street address: 25 New St Sheffield Marital Status: Married
Occupation: Hawker Of Hardware
Registration district: Sheffield Registration District Number: 510 Sub-registration district: South Sheffield ED, institution, or vessel: 8 Piece: 27856
Household Members:
Name Age
John Hughes 52
Ellen Hughes 42
James Hughes 12

His wife of 25 years Ellen was born in Merthyr Tydfil and a check on the BMD registers revealed this entry 

Surname First name(s) District Vol Page
Marriages Sep 1886 HUGHES John Merthyr T Volume 11a Page 659 Spouse Ellen Jones

and then there was this entry five years later

Births Mar 1891 Hughes Henry Merthyr T. Volume 11a  Page 671.

Superficially this could be Henry's family but to be certain I would need further information to verify them. I could send of for the certificates and this would undoubtedly help. But they cost £9.25 each at the moment which is prohibitive to say the least.  

Nevertheless three points on the census stand-out - firstly John was unable to read and write - he just placed his mark on the form and someone else must have completed it for him Secondly the family were living in just two rooms and finally their son James was living with them. There was another child that was still living (was this Henry who would have been 20 at the time of the census?) but was not resident at 25 New Street. John and Ellen had eleven children but only two were still living in 1911. 

If Henry was the other son it means that the British Army executed one of their only two surviving children. You are left literally speechless! 

Wingerworth Hall near Chesterfield Derbyshire - April 1924

I came across this cutting whilst researching an article for the site. I was going to incorporate it into an article but I found that there was an excellent website that was devoted to the history of the Hall and its occupants.

The cutting is dated 16th April 1924

Sadly this fine mansion with its many distinctive architectural features was demolished. According to the Wingerworth Hall website

"One of the (Wingerworth Hall) rooms was sold to the St Louis Museum in Missouri. The staircase, drawing room and library were for sale at Robersons of Knightsbridge in 1929, but their fate is unknown. The seventeenth century wing and stable block were subsequently converted and much of the park has now been built on."

And so if anyone comes across this blog and knows the fate of the staircase, drawing room and library please let me know

Hathersage Open Air Swimming Pool opened 1936

The same paper that featured in the previous blog Sheffield Telegraph dated Thursday 17th March 2016 also carried a report about the eightieth anniversary of the opening of the Hathersage Open Air Swimming Pool in 1936 

The pool was made possible by the generous donation of a noted Sheffield industrialist Mr. George Lawrence who lived in the village. I have a great admiration for George and it is marvelous to see that some of the projects he help fund are still going strong today.   

William Sterndale Bennett (1816-1875)

The following cutting is from the Sheffield Telegraph dated Thursday 17th March 2016 and concerns the composer and musician William Sterndale Bennett (1816-1875).

It was the bi-centennial anniversary of his birth and a series of events were to be held throughout the year to commemorate the event.

But what the article fails to mention is that William Sterndale Bennett is the only person from Sheffield to be buried in Westminster Abbey  I am unsure of the criteria that are adopted that permit a person to be buried in the Abbey, but a recent publication stated that over three thousand people are buried within the Abbey's precincts. For William to be Sheffield's only burial at the Abbey is rather perplexing given the City's prominence in the late nineteenth and twentieth century

Mr Benjamin Unwin (1799-1881) of Cromwell Street North Sheffield

In my family tree, my great uncle George SANBY married a Maud UNWIN on  13 Feb 1916 at St Bartholomew's Church , Primrose View, Langsett Road, Sheffield
 
But just six months later George lost his life due to the wounds he received on the Somme. Maud was the 21 year old daughter of Thornhill  Unwin and it whilst I was researching the UNWIN name I came across this obituary in the Sheffield and Rotherham Independent dated 9th April 1881.
 
AN OCTOGENARIAN GRINDER.

The theory that grinders are never long-lived is not borne out by the experience of Mr Benjamin Unwin, spring-knife grinder, who died a few days ago at the advanced age of 82, after a life spent in pursuit of his calling. He worked at the trade named without any intermission from his youth until a few years ago, and he never suffered from what is commonly known as the grinders' complaint. He was of a cheerful and hopeful disposition, and scrupulously temperate, which may perhaps have much to do with the manner in which he retained his health, and was unaffected by the injurious conditions of his calling.
In politics he was a sincere Radical. He had a great facility for expressing his opinions, and a singularly retentive memory enabled him to recall with precision the great political events of his time.

Quite a remarkable longevity for a Sheffield grinder who life expectancy on average was barely 35 years of age.

Benjamin was buried in Sheffield's Wardsend Cemetery on 7th April 1881

UNWIN Benjamin 7 Apr 1881 Cromwell St Nth 81

As far as I can ascertain he is not related to Thornhill Unwin and his daughter Maud

Private Frank Willetts (1920-1942) - Pioneer Corps

In February 2018  I received this information from a reader of the article I posted many years ago on the Beighton Rail Disaster of February 1942 and the aftermath of the tragedy

"I am getting in touch with you regarding the Beighton Train crash. My Father in-laws uncle Frank Willetts died on the 18th Jun 1942 - as a result of the train crash that happened on the 11th Feb 1942. Would love to know more about it. The family have no information and were never given a reason of his death. Would love to know more"

I checked the FreeBMD site and found that FRANK had died in Worksop, Notts. He would have been in hospital there.

Name: Frank Willetts
Death Age: 22 Birth Date: abt 1920
Registration Date: Jun 1942
Registration district: Worksop Inferred County: Nottinghamshire Volume: 7b Page: 48 

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission had very little information about FRANK just that he was a private in the Pioneer Corps, his Service Number was 13038410 and that he died on 18/06/1942

But when I placed the name in a search engine I came across this information on the excellent Salford War Memorials Site together with a photo of Frank's last resting place.  

PRIVATE FRANK WILLETTS
BIRTH unknown
DEATH 18 Jun 1942
BURIAL Salford Cemetery Salford, Metropolitan Borough of Salford, Greater Manchester, England
PLOT Sec. N. Grave 1364.
MEMORIAL ID 60118914

Frank died four months after the tragedy, and so he will not be remembered as one of the 14 who were killed that night. And it makes you wonder how many more died as a result of the injuries they received in the crash.  

The Marriage of Bernard James Sanby and Margareitta Annie Howitt at St. John's Church, Sandiway, Cheshire - June 1906

I came across this small report in The Cheshire Observer 16th June 1906

It announced that the marriage of  Bernard James Sanby and Margareitta Annie Howitt at St. John's Church, Sandiway, Cheshire was the first to be held in the newly-built church. The church is still going strong today

Photo by Peter Vardy

SANDIWAY. FIRST WEDDING IN NEW CHURCH

The first wedding to take place in the new St. John's Church, Sandiway, Cheshire, was that I celebrated on Tuesday of Mr. Bernard J. Sanby, of Northfield, Knutsford, a well-known Manchester merchant, and Margareitta Annie, second daughter of Mr. J, J. Howitt, of Rosslyn, Cuddington. Fully one hundred guests accepted invitations to the ceremony, which was performed by the Rev. J. Edwards, vicar of Christ Church, Blackpool.

Cheshire Observer 16th June 1906

SANBY is my grans maiden name and over the years I have researched the surname. They all originate from the area known as South Lincolnshire and West Norfolk. Bernard's great grandfather James Sanby was born in Thurlby, Lincs in 1769 and died in Holbeach in 1848. My great (x4) grandfather Joseph Sanby was christened in Holbeach in 1776. There is a link between these "branches" but to date I have been unable to confirm it. 

Within a year the couple had a daughter Kathleen Ewan SANBY

Chester Courant 3rd April 1907

BIRTHS. SANBY On the 31st March at Northfield, Knutsford the wife of Bernard J. Sanby, of a daughter.

But in November 1911 Margareitta Annie Sanby nee Howitt died and was buried at

21 Nov 1911 • Whitegate, Cheshire, England

Bernard re-married three years later. The name of the bride was Margery Yates

The Confession of Ernest Bramham - Sheffield March 1945

Another article I have just completed is "The Confession of Ernest Bramham - Sheffield March 1945"

It is related to an article I posted a few years ago concerning the murder of Eleanor Hammerton on Saturday 13th January 1945 at her shop on Eccesall Road

The Manchester Guardian dated Monday 15th January 1945

In June 1975 the Sheffield Star stated that this was an unsolved murder, and in his book on Yorkshire Murders, the author Stephen Wade referred to the victim as a "Heather Hamilton." Both assertions proved to be incorrect - the police did "solve the murder" and the victim was not "Heather Hamilton." but a Eleanor Hammerton.

   

Sheffield's First Cremation - Eliza Hawley 24th April 1905

I have just posted an article to the site about the first person to be cremated in Sheffield in April 1905, one hundred and thirteen years ago

Her name was Eliza Hawley and she was cremated on 24th April 1905 at Sheffield City Road Crematorium. She was only 46 years of age when she died and was residing at 14 Birkendale, Upperthorpe, Sheffield. But for many years she and her husband were the proprietors of an "eating house" on The Wicker in Sheffield

It was no 114 and was a transport cafe in 1965 when this photograph was taken, It was burnt down in the late 1980's and was later demolished, It was an Indian restaurant/takeaway by then

Eliza has the cremation number "1" but what I would be interested to know is why Eliza chose to be cremated at a time when the process was in its infancy, and why was she the first in Sheffield.

The Marriage of the Rev Frank Yates to Myrtle Robinson Holy Trinity The Wicker Sheffield - July 1926

A few years ago I posted an article to the site concerning the Holy Trinity Church (now The New Testament Church of God) on Nursery Street, Sheffield. It was opposite the Laurel Works where eight people died on the night of the Sheffield Blitz

The Laurel Works

But I came across this real photo postcard by L.D.Swift, 21 St Mary's Lane, Sheffield Yorkshire

On the back of the card in pencil is the 'Wedding of Frank Yates, Vicar of Holy Trinity, Wicker to Myrtle Robinson 1926'.

The wedding was actually on July 20th 1926

According to the directories Frank was vicar at the church in 1919-1920 but I am unsure when he (and Myrtle) left

Intake Tram Terminus Mansfield Road Intake Sheffield

Another old postcard that I have come across featuring the tram terminus at Intake

The Rex Cinema was situated on the corner of Hollinsend Road and Mansfield Road - the Intake tram terminus was situated in the middle of the Mansfield Road just a little further down from the cinema.

The problem with postcards is that there is rarely a date on them - at best you get just a title and a publisher. All I can say is that it was taken prior to 1936 and judging by the dress it was more likely to be the early 1920's. The tram was no 248 and its destination was "City" 

Tapton Cliffe and Lodge 276 Fulwood Road Sheffield

I came across this postcard of Tapton Cliffe Residential Hotel which was situated at 276 Fulwood Road Sheffield

When I checked I found that the residence is now up for sale at a mere £1.75 million. This agents who are dealing with the sale gave a brief history of the property

"History Tapton Cliffe was constructed around 1864 by JohnYeomans Cowlishaw, a well-known Sheffield Cutler. The house was occupied as a private residence until 1920 when The University of Sheffield purchased the building as a hall for female students and this use continued until 1934 when Tapton Cliffe was converted to a residential hotel.

In 1948 the property was sold to the Secretary of State for Social Services and became the Royal Infirmary Sisters’ Home until 1963. The property remained in the ownership of United Sheffield Hospitals and NHS until 1985 when Tapton Cliffe became a private nursing home turning to Tapton Cliffe Clinic in 1990. Since 1995 the building has been occupied by Guide Dogs for the Blind Association and Blind Veterans UK."

There is a summary of the Cowlishaw Family History on the above link but it appears that John Yeomans Cowlishaw had a tragic end

Sheffield Local Register

23 Jan 1895 Mr. J. Y. Cowlishaw, of Tapton Cliffe, Fulwood Road, shoots himself: Verdict of coroner's jury," Suicide while temporarily insane."

28 Aug 1895 Tapton Cliffe, the residence of the late Mr. J. Y. Cowlishaw, sold to Mr. J. J. Saville for £4500.

25 Oct 1895 The real and personal estate of the late John Yeomans Cowlishaw, of Tapton Cliffe, Sheffield, proved at £63,879.

The sale in 1895 of Tapton Cliffe would be approximately £530,00 at today's prices which gives a good indication of how property prices in the last 120 years have outstripped inflation

Haywood Road Pitsmoor Sheffield

I have just received this photograph from a person who was born in Pitsmoor Road in 1947

They also provided me with the following information

" It’s a photograph taken from Pitsmoor Road looking down Haywood Road . On the right is the old chapel that ran from Pitsmoor Road down to Fowler Street . We lived on Pitsmoor Road towards Pitsmoor Church . We entered on Pitsmoor Road and down a set of stairs out of another door down into a yard down some more steps onto Fowler Street. Called cellar kitchen house.

Looking down on the left side of the photo about half way down .  Behind these houses was Grove Street and further on Marshall Street. The pub at the bottom was the Fowler Hotel on Fowler Street. It’s about where the new road is just before it goes round the corner.    Round the corner down the Street from the pub was my mums house about 20 yards down a left turn up to Grove Street. The first house on the right was where Patricia died . Just higher up on the other side left was another bomb site taking perhaps four or five houses. In the distance on the photo is Woodside Lane and the chimney was a firm on Wood Fold" 

The reference to Patricia relates to a girl who died on the night of the Sheffield Blitz. Patricia Lee was a three year girl who was sheltering from the bombing with her grandparents in the cellar of 70 Grove Street. No-one survived. I have updated the article with the details 

John Hope (1949-2016) - Sheffield United goalkeeper

Well this is the first post of 2018. Such was the nature of the television programmes that were screened over the Xmas and New Year, I spent some time looking at some old Sheffield United programmes dating from the glory days of the early 1970's.

One I came across was from Saturday 3rd April 1971 and it was a game against Norwich in Division 2 at Bramall Lane. The cover featured one of the Blades all-time greats scoring the winning goal against Bristol City a week earlier

But inside the programme was a profile of the United goalkeeper at the time John Hope.

John sadly passed away in 2016 at the age of 67. I was going to add some more information on John but there is this excellent article on View From The John Street blog which sums John's life at the Lane up perfectly. I simply could not better it.

By the way, in the match John kept a clean sheet in a 0 - 0 draw and his, and the teams efforts were rewarded that season with a deserved promotion to the old First Division. In fact the team never lost a game after the  draw against Norwich. And they only conceded two goals!