Herbert Hargreaves "The Worst Lighting Case in Sheffield" - September 1916

 This report appeared in the local press dated 17th October 1916 and related to a case that was conducted the previous day at Sheffield's Police Court. 

The Chairman of the bench was Sir Frank Mappin, one of Sheffield's most prominent industrialists and from his comnents he was clearly incensed by the conduct of Herbert Hargreaves on the night of 25th September 1916. The fine of £20 is the equivalent of over £1200 in todays money which is nothing short of draconian. The usual fine for a breach of the regulations was between 10s and £1 

But Sir Frank had every right to be incensed because Hargreaves flagrant disregard of the blackout regulations occurred on the night of Sheffield's first ever air-raid, a raid that led to the loss of 29 lives.It is no wonder that his neighbours were bitterly complaining about his conduct and some even accused him of signalling to the enemy.

There is no doubt about it Herbert Hargreaves got a lenient sentence that day in the Police Court

The Beighton Doodlebug - Xmas Eve 1944

Last week a reader of my article on the Beighton Doodlebug (German V1 rocket) contacted me and asked the following question - 

"Could you please tell me which part this is? -I'm almost 100% sure that it is off the Beighton V1 as it was given to me about 25 years ago by my late father-in-law (Bill Layne of Aughton) who at the time was a Bevin boy at Brookhouse pit. They were sent to the site to either help carry out the clean up operation and somehow this must have got stuck in his pocket!! As best I can remember he said he thought that it was a part that twisted on impact and caused the detonation.I'm not sure this is correct as an engineer it seems to be overcomplicated for this. Can't help being in admiration for the left-hand spiral tapered milling on the cone-with no C.N.C's in those days it can't have been easy to produce! Object height 24mm/dia.32mm"

My response was as follows

"Well first of all I am not an expert in flying bomb technology and so I am not much help in that respect, But as you may have gathered from my article readers have informed me that by December 1944 the Germans were increasingly cannibalising parts from their rapidly diminishing U-Boat fleets, and I wonder if the part your father rescued, was from a German naval torpedo This may explain the complexity of the machining".

If anyone can assist me further on this item. please contact me and I will pass it on 

Bert Nichols and the Phoenix Theatre Sheffield 27 August 924

 I posted an article to the site a few years ago relating to the Phoenix Theatre in Sheffield.  

Last week a reader of this article contacted me with information that related to his late grandfather, and his appearance at the Phoenix in 1924

"My grandfather, Albert Emmanuel Nicholson was a member of ‘The Strolling Players’ theatre group who appeared at The Phoenix Theatre, Hillsborough and other local venues in the 1920s. The attached poster from I believe 1924 lists him under his stage name of ‘Bert Nichols, Light Comedian’. He lived at that time with his family in Minto Road (where I also lived up until three-years old) opposite Hillsborough Park and worked as a manager with the Brightside & Carbrook Co-operative Association. Interestingly, along with the poster I also have a photograph of The Strolling Players together with a letter to him from the BBC requesting details of fees for The Players to perform.

A lovely well-liked man he was also an active local lay-preacher. I also recall that he was aboard for the very last cruise of the original Queen Elizabeth Cunard liner in 1968. He passed away in 1977 aged 85 and is most-fondly remembered"

He also kindly supplied me with a scan of the poster that advertised the show.