The Pianist at the Marples Hotel, Sheffield - 12th December 1940

One of the first articles I posted to the website nearly 20 years ago was the tragedy that occurred at the the Marples Hotel in Sheffield on the night of 12/13th December 1940 when the Hotel was struck by a bomb dropped by the Luftwaffe

The Hotel is to the left of the photograph

As I stated in the article we can never know for certain how many people died in the explosion that devastated the Hotel. Over the following weeks 64 bodies were recovered from the rubble and the partial remains of six or seven other people were also identified. The force of the explosion and the ensuing collapse of the building meant that only 14 people could be visually identified : the remainder were identified through their personal belongings that had with them when they died. The most accurate estimate is that 77 people were in Marples at the time of the explosion and 70 died as a result of the injuries they received. It was without doubt the worst single incident for loss of life in Sheffield during the whole war.

Last week I received this information from someone who had read the article

"My granny was Mary Ransom (born Dec 1909 died 1998) married to Grandpa Albert 1906-1986/7) I understand grandpa was a fire watcher on the roof of the Childrens Hospital, he had a reserved occupation as a Gas-fitter and plumber.

Granny was an accomplished pianist and I am told that she was due to play the piano on the fateful night in question at Marples. She had to swap with another pianist because my uncle Mike, born 1936, was, poorly and needed to take care of him. It seems an incredible story but likely.Sadly I never thought to question Granny further being only 14 years old hen she died.  I remember asking if she kept her ration book as I was doing a Year 6 project on WW2 and was told quite officiously, "Why would I need to keep it?"

I was fascinated to read the article, sad to see the names of the deceased thinking Granny could have been among the numbers and wondering who the pianist was. I must admit I wish I could find more time to research my grandparents during the war, they are long gone and born probably a generation older than most of my peers grandparents...."

Of course I do not have any idea of who took over from Mary on the piano that night, and I feel it will be nigh on possible to find out. Hence this blog in the vain hope that some reader just may point me in the right direction. It would be fitting to know the name of the unknown pianist

The other side of Fitzalan Square - photo taken 1938 two years before the tragedy

Sheffield City Council Education Offices, Leopold Street Sheffield - 1989

This cutting is from The Sheffield Telegraph dated Friday 6th October 1989.

It relates to the possible sale of one of Sheffield's most historic buildings (There are not many of them).  But looking at this 30 year old cutting is the reason for the sale. Sheffield City Council had severe budget cuts over a number of years and was now facing a cash crisis. Education was in the firing line for these budget reductions and the sale of this iconic building would bring in much needed funds to the cash strapped council.

The last paragraph could have been written at anytime in the last ten years - it goes to show that nothing ever changes when it comes to Conservative governments and state education 

For those interested there is a excellent summary of the buildings history and architecture on the Victorian Web

Photographs 2011 by George P. Landow 

Former School Board Offices. 1880. Leopold Street, Sheffield. The row of buildings originally comprised (a) Central Schools on the left, (b) School Board Offices in the middle, and (c) Frith College on the right. According to Harman and Minnis  the architects unified the separate structures with “single-storey balustraded links” that joined the offices to the college and an arcade — visible in the photograph — that joins the buildings housing the School Board and Central Schools. “The schools end at the corner of Orchard Lane in two blocks, each of three bays, either side of a little bow-fronted link set back between them. The blank wall of the canted block on the corner is relieved by arched niches and delicately carved panels, which include lilies and oak leaves and the emblem of the school board” .

References

Sheffield. Harman, Ruth, and John Minnis. Pevsner Architectural Guides. New Haven and London: Yale University Press. 2004

As you can see, the buildings were sold in the early 1990's and the site was redeveloped into a hotel, offices and bars/restaurants.

Westonville Terrace Sheffield

The following is taken from a 1903 map of Sheffield (west) and shows the area to the north of Weston Park In the centre of the map is Westonville.

I did not know of this area until I came across this photograph of Westonville Terrace that was taken at the turn of the twentieth century, It was taken from Winter Street and at the top of the cul-de-sac is Weston Park. There is a photo on Picture Sheffield that I cannot use for copyright restrictions. That one was taken on 28th November 1966 but the houses were totally demolished soon after, to make way for the University of Sheffield's Geography building. 

There was another road called Salisbury Terrace that was demolished at the same time but there is no record or photograph of the road. The following photograph is what replaced Westonville and Salisbury Terrace.

   

Medical and Surgical Home Clarkehouse Road - Southbourne Road Sheffield

This photograph was taken circa 1908 and shows the side of the  Medical and Surgical Home which was on the corner of Clarkehouse Road  and Southbourne Road in Sheffield

Built around 1856 as  The Victoria Park Hotel and Bowling Green it lay opposite the Botanical Gardens It was opened about 1858 or 1859, and the only landlord the place had was Mr. John Law, landscape gardener, formerly the curator of the Botanical Gardens, and who published a few local items dealing with botany and the gardens. This would have be a nice retreat from the town, with possible visits to the nearby gardens

But it only lasted until 1862 when it became a private residence and was named "Rutledge Hall" It was the home of steel manufacturer Samuel Osborn .

In 1893 Sister Emily Mawhood converted it into a nursing home.

Miss Emily Mawhood Private Nursing home 76 & 78 Clarkehouse Road (White's 1919)

Miss Emily Mawhood Matron, Sister Mawhood's Nursing Home Ltd. 76 & 78 Clarkehouse Road (Kelly's 1925)

Sister Mawhood Nursing home 76 & 78 Clarkehouse Road (Kelly's 1925)

 Further information see Graves "Charitable Trust Official Opening of Rutledge House" 22nd Feb 1952 by Alfred Graves. Ref: Local Pamphlets Vol. 191 No.9 042 S. '.

Colonel's House Hillsborough Barracks Langsett Road Sheffield

I came across this photograph of the Colonel's House which was adjacent to the Hillsborough Barracks on Langsett Road in Sheffield

I have never seen a photograph of this house. I have vague recollections of passing it when I was a boy and of the petrol station. But I have no idea of when or why the house (and petrol station) were demolished.

The site is now a transport interchange for the local area

James (Thomas) Storey - Hillsborough Barracks Sheffield July 1869

I came across this newspaper report from the Sheffield and Rotherham Independent dated 24th July 1869. It related to the suicide of a young soldier named JAMES SOREY at the Hillsborough Barracks in Sheffield

 It was a tragic event but what I find the most remarkable is the report itself. Whoever posted the report had detailed knowledge of both the events that led up to his death, and the death itself. It is also noticeable for the graphic and grisly nature of the prose

"A portion of his brains were in his hat, which had been blown some distance away"

"The ball entered the throat some little distance from the windpipe and lodged near the forehead"

The newspaper reports of the time were littered with articles similar to this. The cynical part of me thinks that it was a way of selling more newspapers but another part thinks that they also reinforced the norms of the time. Suicide was unlawful and the church took a hostile view of those persons who disposed of themselves in such a manner,

The article states that James "destroyed himself" in a "shocking case of suicide" "No reason can be assigned for this rash act.." Sympathy was in short supply!

James was buried at St Philips Church on 24th July 1869 age 19 years old. The burial record gives his name as THOMAS STOREY rather than the JAMES STOREY of the article.

 

View From A Hill - 31st December 2019

This blog is the 43rd I've posted in 2019 and the 487th blog I have posted since the blog started in November 2010 

But unlike previous years the number of new articles I have posted to the website has plummeted. I have posted quite a few updates to existing articles but it is not the same as posting original material. This may change in 2020 as I am considering the future of both the website and the blog.

The website has been going over twenty years and I have used nearly 90% of my data allowance with the company that hosts it. I am reluctant to increase the data allowance as this would involve additional costs and so the alternative is either a reduction in the size of the site and/or a restructuring of the material. 

I am also aware that as a sole proprietor of both the website and the blog, there is no successor!   

But on a more upbeat note, a big thanks to the readers who have contacted me in the last year,

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

Hallamgate Crookes Sheffield

I have never seen this photograph before. It shows Hallamgate Road in Crookes, At the end of the road is the junction with Lydgate Lane and the building you can see in the middle of the photograph is the |Old Grindstone public house.

Broomhill Online have researched the history of the road

"In 1850 Hallamgate Road was a country lane connecting Hallamgate House, standing at the

junction with Crookes Road, with Hallamgate Farm, which stood back from the lane roughly

behind where number 28 Hallamgate Road now stands.

Hallamgate House was built for Francis Hoole and family and was occupied by him certainly

in 1790, if not earlier. The house stood out in its locality in terms of scale and had an

ornamental garden complete with ha-ha, which still exists today. Later occupants were:

• Peter Frith, optician, from 1839 - 1844; 
• Charles Hoole, grocer & tea dealer, from 1846 - 1879; 
• Arthur Wightman, solicitor, Justice of the Peace for the City of Sheffield, TownTrustee, Trustee of the Birley’s Charity, Governor of the Sheffield Royal Grammar School,member of the Council of the University of Sheffield, from 1879 - 1924;
• J G.Graves Ltd, wireless manufacturer from 1929-1948, who turned the house into the ‘Hallamgate Works’ and sold it to Plessey Ltd. 
• The site was acquired by the University of Sheffield in 1963 and the house demolished to make way for the student halls of residence.**

At the other end of Hallamgate Road, Hallamgate Farm was the home of the Spooner family

and dated from 1760, so was older than Hallamgate House. The Spooner family had large

land holdings in and around Sheffield and in 1815 Joshua Spooner extended these by

acquiring all the fields between Lydgate Lane and Fulwood Road, purchasing them from the

estate of the Rev. Wilkinson of Broom Hall. The Glossop turnpike Rd (now Manchester Rd),

Lawson Rd, Sale Hill, Tapton Crescent Rd and Tapton House Rd were all built on land once

owned by the Spooners.

The end of Hallamgate Road that joins Lydgate Lane is pretty much the same today as it ever was,

which is why the road is narrow at that end. However moving towards the junction with

Tapton House Road, the route of the road remained undetermined until after Hallamgate

Farm was demolished at the turn of the 20th century. An early ‘indicative’ route that would

have produced a straighter road was abandoned and the change of plan left a curious

triangular remnant of land that was undeveloped until the 1930’s. The footprint of this

‘false start’ is clearly visible on the ground today.

The houses along Hallamgate Road were built at various times over the period 1890 to 1930

and one can follow the pattern of development through the OS maps. There are several fine

Edwardian houses in the road; the Pevsner Guide to Sheffield draws particular attention to

no.20 in ‘Domestic Revival’ style, built between 1901 and 1905. It was the home of Bernard

Hobson, eldest son of John Hobson, in 1912. Hallamgate Farm itself disappears from the OS

map at the same time as nos. 16, 20, 28. 30 and 32 appear for the first time, in the 1905 map."

Note ** the student halls of residence were in turn demolished in the winter of 2014 and the University of Sheffield sold the land to private developers. The site is now occupied by private flats and appartments

Walkley District Municipal Window Box Competition 1913 (Sheffield)

This rather magnificent postcard shows the first and second prizes in the Walkley District Municipal Window Box Competition of 1913

There is no indication of the actual location but given that the row of terraced houses are on the level, and brick-built it would point to the Providence Road area of the district but that is a pure guess,

It is a shame that the card is in black and white as I am sure that the display would have been a riot of colour.

Park Hotel Wadsley Lane Hillsborough Sheffield - a 1950's photograph

I was looking through some old family photographs and came across this one that was taken outside the Park Hotel Wadsley Lane Hillsborough Sheffield

There is no date on the photograph but I would estimate that it was taken in the early to mid 1950's. The man on the middle row third from the left is my wife's grandfather Harry Simpson. Harry lived just up from the hotel on Dunella Road and the Park was his local watering hole.

Park Hotel Wadsley Lane Sheffield 

 

Lansdowne Picture Palace (1914 - 1940) - corner of London Road & Boston Street, Sheffield

On the same page of the Sheffield Telegraph dated Friday 19th October 2007 that gave details of the future of Sheffield's Old Town Hall and Courthouse, there was also a smaller article on a building that I always called the Locarno but I guess that is just a sign of my age

The building started as the Lansdowne Picture Palace which was at the corner of London Road & Boston Street, Sheffield

There is an excellent photo showing the site prior to its construction

 The boy crossing the road is barefooted but thankfully it looks as though it was a fine day


The Cinema Treasures website has his excellent summary of  the Lansdowne Picture Palace

"The Lansdowne Picture Palace was designed by architect Walter Gerard Buck of Campo Lane, Sheffield. It stands at the junction of London Road and Boston Street and opened on 18th December 1914. Brick built, it had a marble terracotta facade in white and green with a Chinese pagoda style entrance with arched windows on the side elevation.

Seating was originally for around 1,250 but by 1940 was reduced to 965 due to cramped conditions. In the days of silent films it had a ‘Bijou Orchestra’ with seven players, later increased to twelve in the 1920’s. A two show a night policy was adopted with matinees on Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

Little seems to be documented about the syle of the auditorium. The Lansdowne Picture Palace closed abruptly following the air raids on 12th December 1940 although damage was said to be negligible. The final film shown was Carole Lombard in “Vigil Of The Night”.

In 1947 the cinema became a temporary store for Marks & Spencers. In the 1950’s it became a Mecca Dance Hall called the ‘Locarno’ later changing into ‘Tiffany’s Night Club’. It had several more incarnations as a night club with different names and the frontage was painted black, its last name being ‘The Bed’.

Recently, following three years of closure, the original white marble facade with bands of darker stone has been restored with stained glass windows inserted and the front of Lansdowne Picture Palace is now a Sainsbury’s ‘Local’ supermarket. The auditorium was demolished and a development of student accommodation has been built at the rear of the former cinema"

The following photo was taken after the night of the Sheffield Blitz and shows what was left of the Hermitage public house which was only about 50 yards away from the Lansdowne Picture Palace. the fact that the cinema was shut even though damage was said to be negligible is puzzling to say the least 

.
I am pleased that the frontage of the building has been restored as its "pagoda" style is rather unique in Sheffield but over 90% of the original building was demolished in order that the student development could proceed. I do not think the two structures compliment each other but that is just my opinion   

Christmas in Sheffield - December 1878

The following is from The London Times dated December 1878, 141 years ago

"The distress and destitution among the working people in Sheffield are now far more serious and more extensive than was the case last year.

To give an idea of the scarcity of work, it may be stated that at one place where formerly 1,200 men were engaged only 40 are now employed.

It is also feared that the Government contracts for plates have left the town, inasmuch as the large firms cannot compete with Barrow, Middlesbrough, Swansea, and Newport houses, who have the advantage of carriage by sea.

The last contract for 20,000 tons of plates went into South Wales, and thus £300,000 is lost to Sheffield.

The destitution among the working people is appalling. Hundreds areliving in houses stripped of furniture, without fire, and are dependent upon the generosity of the neighbours. Prompt measures of relief are being taken. Soup kitchens will be opened and children's dinners supplied in a few days."

Merry Christmas, Dec 24 1878

The Prevailing Distress.

With the severe weather which has set in, the distress at Sheffield continues to increase.

The Mayor announced yesterday that it was now so widespread that £10,000 at the very least would be required to meet it.
Up to the present time £2,400 has been spent out of the relief fund at his disposal and he asks for further contributions.
In consequence of the publicity which has been given to the existence of the distress, the Mayor has recieved many letters from all parts of the country enclosing contributions to the relief fund.

One of which comes from the Dowager Lady Stanley of Alderley, expressing great sorrow at the privations to which so many of the working classes in Sheffield are now subjected and enclosing a cheque.
Another comes from a gentleman signing himself "C.D.J." The writer states that although he has no sympathy with the men, believing that the distress was in great measure owing to their own suicidal policy in unreasonably raising the cost of production in every branch of trade by high wages and shorter hours, he could not help feeling for the suffering which the helpless children and wives had to bear for their fathers and husbands improvidence. He therefore, enclosed a cheque for the fund.

In Brightside, where the distress is perhaps the most keen, it is stated that the relief given up to the present time does not exceed 1s. 6d. per family per week, or seven pence halfpenny per head.

This cannot be considered extravagant, as it is considerably less than parish relief.

In consequence of the continuance of cold weather the Executive committee are to consider the question of giving coals as well as food and clothing.

Immediately after Christmas the committee will probably put the unemployed to work breaking stones upon the highways and levelling some recreation grounds.

Ah yes "the workshop of the world"

Crookes Cemetery (Sheffield) - A funeral procession circa 1930

A few years ago I posted an article on the opening of Crookes Cemetery Sheffield and the reasons why the cemetery was opened.

This article that appears below featured in the local Grapevine Magazine that is distributed in the district on a monthly basis. It is written by Jason Heath of John Heath &Sons (Sheffield)

 
It contains a photograph from the firm's archives that shows a funeral procession in the Cemetery taken circa 1930. The layout of the cemetery has not really changed - to the left of the mourners is the consecrated section G which then leads to section H at the top of the path. To the right of the mourners would have been a grassed area but this section is now used for current day burials 

Millhouses and Ecclesall railway station - Sheffield

I was going to post an article on the website about the Millhouses and Ecclesall railway station (Sheffield) based on the following photograph postcard that appeared on a well-known auction site

However Wikipedia have a brief history of the station in their article and so I decided not to proceed. The article does state that it became Millhouses and Ecclesall in 1932 which means that  the  photograph postcard is after that date (the signage)

There is a photograph of the station as it stood on Sunday, 22 June, 2008. It is the view north east towards Heeley and Sheffield. The left hand pair of tracks hav been lifted. Out of view to the far left, the old station house is standing   

  Photo taken by Nigel Thompson

I had a wry smile when the Wikipedia article stated in the last sentence that " In July 2017, it was proposed by the Local Enterprise Partnership that new stations should be built at Millhouses and Heeley as well as new platforms at Dore & Totley. The plans would be part of a call to have better links in South Yorkshire area as well as plans for a new Woodhead Route reopening.

When I passed over the bridge the other day, work on the station had not yet started. mmm

The Old Town Hall and Courthouse, Waingate, Sheffield

Talk about co-incidence. Yesterday I came across this old cutting from the Sheffield Telegraph dated Friday 19th October 2007. The article voices grave concern over the fabric of building that had not been used since 1996.
In fact this Grade 2 listed building was placed on the Victorian Society's list of most at-risk buildings in the UK that year. 

But sadly this fine historic building (Sheffield does not have too many of them) was left in the hands of private sector developers who proceeded oversee a further marked deterioration in the fabric of the building. Sheffield City Council who sold the building to the private sector kept a serious eye on the  increasingly dilapidated "landmark" building but that was about the extent of it.

There were talks, consultations, studies you name it but the building remained unoccupied until yesterday when it was announced that plans have been approved to redevelop the former courthouse in Sheffield and create "pod" hotel rooms and apartments. Sheffield City Council planners have said the building can be developed while "preserving it as much as possible".

I think the last statement remains to be seen. Sheffield does not have a particularly good record when it comes to restoring historic buildings in a sympathetic and meaningful fashion!       

Crookes Valley Park Crookesmoor Sheffield - Twentieth Century Postcards

I came across these three postcards on a well known auction site the other day. All are images of  Crookes Valley Park Crookesmoor Sheffield  dating from the early twentieth century 

The first is circa 1914 and focuses on the bowling green that is still there to this day, 

The second photograph was possibly taken after the first world war, possibly circa 1927 whilst the third and final photograph was taken circa 1935

The park really has not changed in terms of layout since these photographs were taken. The main  difference is that the trees and shrubbery have grown especially around the perimeter of the park. On the third photograph you can clearly see the backs of the houses on Harcourt Road but these nowadays are partly obscured especially in summer 

Rock Cottage and Nadin Cottage Crookes Sheffield

I came across these two postcards on a well known auction site the other day

The postcards were clearly taken at different times and from a different perspective - the first is more distant and shows the wall of the building to the right in its entirety. And is also features a lot more Crookes residents.

But the main difference is in the title of the postcards - Rock Cottage and Nadin Cottage Crookes. Picture Sheffield does have copyrighted photographs of Rock Cottage and states that the Cottage was demolished in October 1904. So these cards predate 1904

It was situated just before the left hand turn into Toyne Street which still exists. The Cottage would have stood in the middle of  the main road in Crookes 

The other point to note is that both cards shows on the right the chimneys of the old Punch Bowl public house. This photograph was taken circa 1920

Lance Corporal Arnold Luttrell (1897 - 1917) - Oughtibridge Sheffield

Arnold Lutterell, is a name which appears on the Oughtibridge Parish Church Roll of Honour in the parish of Bradfield near Sheffield. The 1901 census shows he is aged 4 born in Oughtibridge, living with his parents, Thomas & Mary.

The CWGC site doesn't list anybody called Lutterell as a casualty but there is an entry for an A Luttrell

Name: LUTTRELL
Initials: A
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Lance Corporal
Regiment: York and Lancaster Regiment
Unit Text: 2nd Bn.
Date of Death: 07/04/1917
Service No: 17682

Arnold is buried in Barlin Communal Cemetery Extension with the grave refrence I. G. 65.

He enlisted in Sheffield and from The Sheffield Daily Independent we know that he was gassed in June 1915

But what the records do not show is that his aunt, nieces & nephew were murdered in White Croft Sheffield in 1884 and that his uncle Joseph Laycock was executed the same year for the murders of his family.

Full details can be found on my website

Lieutenant George Lambert VC (1819-1860) - An Update

I received this information this week from the Chair of The Friends of Wardsend Cemetery (Sheffield)

"Yesterday (Tuesday 19th November 2019) The Victoria Cross Trust visited Wardsend Cemetery to clean the memorial and tidy the area around the grave of our forgotten VC George Lambert.

At 10.45 am on Saturday 14th December 2019 we will be holding a short memorial event to mark the 200th anniversary of his birth in Markethill in Ireland. Next year the Victoria Cross Trust aim to repair George's memorial and reinstall the stone in an upright position.

A reporter from The Star was present yesterday and you can read the report here: and you can  also read more about George Lambert on our website. There are also links to other sources"

George was one of only seven holders of the Victoria Cross that had a "Sheffield Connection"

The Earl of Arundel and Surrey Hotel Queens Road Sheffield

I came across this old photograph the other day - it was in my late mothers photo album. When she was a child she used to live across the road from the Earl. The house she lived in was demolished in the 1980's to make way for yet another dreary retail park

 
It must have been taken at the turn of the C20th. You can still make out the firm "John Atkinson Milliners 88 - 90 Sheffield Moor " which is still Sheffield's longest serving department store. It opened its doors in 1872