Meetings in 2020-22

Wednesday 23rd November 

Trespassers Will be Prosecuted (Longshaw and surrounding area)

Wednesday 26th October 

The History of Sheffield's Hospitals

Mary Garside from the Sheffield Hospitals’ History Group talked to us about the history of Sheffield hospitals.

There is a Heritage Centre at Northern General Hospital at the top of Herries Drive which has documents, photos and spare artefacts, the items are from the Royal Infirmary and Royal Hospital, the Edgar Allen Institute, Nether Edge and Jessops hospitals.  It is not open to the public, however, prior appointment group visits can be arranged. 

The first hospital in Sheffield was built in 1797. Before this time there was a hospital on Spital Hill, St Leonards, which was built in the 1100s.  Religious organisations were where most people looked for help with their health.

In the 1500/1600s religious alm houses were built, an example is Shrewsbury Hospital on Norfolk Row, the alm houses were often attached to churches.  There was no medical treatment here, if people could afford it they had treatment at home or relied on a local wise woman, barbers pulled out teeth and set broken bones.  There was no knowledge about how disease spread.

By the 1700s there was a better understanding of public health.  The industrial revolution began and people were moving into the towns.  Water supplies were inadequate and there was pollution from the factories  The grinders had asthma, many men didn’t live beyond 35.  Child mortality was high.  Vaccinations were beginning.  It was the start of sanitary inspectors in the workplaces and homes.  There was now great advances in medicine and science and this led to hospitals being built.

Each hospital was an independent charity.  The General Infirmary later called The Royal Infirmary was built in 1797, on Infirmary Road, Upperthorpe.  The Royal Hospital was built in 1832 at Tudor Place.  This was a public dispensary, outpatients treatment, and later moved to Westfield House on West Street.  Midwifery was based here too.  Many of the hospital wards were named after people who had contributed funds to the hospital and in return they got free treatment.  In 1938 the Royal and Infirmary merged.

Jessops Hospital was opened in 1864 on Figtree Lane.  It was a women’s hospital and the original accommodation soon proved inadequate.  In 1874 Thomas Jessop provided funds for an entirely new building on Gell Street/Leavygreave Road.  The Firth Auxiliary Hospital opened as an auxiliary to Jessop Hospital in 1927 in the converted Norton Hall and closed in 1972.  Jessop Hospital closed in 2001 and a new Jessop Wing was opened.

The Children’s Hospital was built on Brook Hill in 1878 and extensions have been built over the years.

Lodgemoor Hospital – Some of the buildings are still in existence and converted to housing.  It was an isolation hospital for smallpox and other infectious diseases.  It closed in 1994.

Middlewood/Wadsley Asylum – The hospital first known as the South Yorkshire Lunatic Asylum was opened in 1872.  For a long time the workhouse in Sheffield provided the main local accommodation for these patients.  In 1915 the patients were evacuated to the West Riding Asylums and it became Wharncliffe War Hospital looking after the injured soldiers.  In 1996 Middlewood hospital closed and patients were cared for in the community.

Winter Street was built in 1881.  It was a hospital for infectious diseases and also cared for the military in the war and then adapted for geriatric care and called St Georges, it is now closed and part of the University buildings.

The Edgar Allen Institute opened in 1911.  Edgar Allen, a wealthy steel manufacturer,  wanted to set up a unit for the benefit of the working class victims of industrial accidents.  It was unique in the country at the time of its opening.  It promoted physiotherapy, exercise and apparatus work.

King Edward VII Memorial Hospital opened in 1916 for children with bone, muscle, joint defects, mainly from TB and later rickets and polio.

All the hospitals were run on charity, rich families funded them, or fundraising, subscriptions, employees and employers contributed from their wages.  There was the penny in the pound scheme, once the NHS began this became the Westfield Scheme.

The Northern General at Firvale was previously a workhouse, as was the Nether Edge Hospital which was the Ecclesall workhouse. The workhouses were built to provide work and shelter for poverty stricken people who had no means to support themselves.  The conditions and treatment of people  in the workhouses was not good particularly for children where families were split up at the entrance gate.  Latterly, the Scattered Homes Scheme was started and children were relocated to foster homes.

NHS Hospitals were introduced in 1948 bringing free care and led to more hospitals being built.  In 1953 the Charles Clifford Hospital was built and the Royal Hallamshire built in 1961, the outpatients department opened first.  Weston Park opened in 1970, this is only 1 of 3 specialist centres in the country.  Funding raising for hospitals is still ongoing, the helipad at the Northern General Hospital being a good example of this.

Wednesday 28th September 

Ancient Suburbs of Sheffield (Part 2)

David Templeman began talking about areas in the southwest of Sheffield, starting with Ecclesall The name derives from “Hecksel” which meant
“witches’ hill/slope”.
Endcliffe is derived from “elf cliff” and Dobbin from “dobby”
(meaning goblin).
Ecclesall was not a village, just an area, but monks built a
chapel, later followed by a parish church, built in 1788, on the
chapel site.
Wilson’s Snuff Mill became a major employer in those early
days.
All Saints Ecclesall Church became the main church replacing
the Chapel of Ease.
The last remnants of Eccles Hall was Eccles Hall Farm, which
was demolished in 1935. A lot of the halls converted to farms
or pubs.
Hunters Bar – was a Toll House where tolls were collected from
travellers coming into Sheffield from the Derbyshire area. The
Toll house was closed in 1884. This was the last toll house to
close.
Ecclesall Woods – The land was owned by Earl
Fitzwilliam. The main occupation was making charcoal, which
was sold to the steel industry, but besoms (brooms) were
manufactured there and there were several other woodland
crafts.
Whiteley Woods – the name derived from “Hwit-Leah-Wudu”,
meaning “a bright fair clearing”. In the woods by the river is
the Shepherd’s Wheel (still in existence) – one of the many
cutlers’ wheels, that were driven by water power, on several of
Sheffield’s rivers. These wheels, and the men who worked
them, made Sheffield famous for its cutlery industry.
Banner Cross Hall – This was the home of the Bright family
until 1748 and much later became the offices of Henry Boot
company.
David also mentioned Charlie Peace, the infamous Banner Cross
Murderer, who was hanged in Armley Prison in 1879.
Millhouses – Ralph de Eccles gave a bequest of a corn mill to
Beauchief, known as Miln Houses or Millhouses. In mid-1880s
it was only 23 houses, a few cutlers’ shops and 7 small pits.
Dore. – in Anglo-Saxon “Dor” means “door or entrance or
pass”.
Dore is a very ancient village and was the place of a famous
treaty. The earliest farmhouse in Dore was circa 1600. Dore
Moor Inn was the pick up point to take people out into
Derbyshire.
In 829AD Dore formed the boundary between Mercia
(conquered by King Ecgbert of Wessex) and Northumbria (ruled
by King Earnred). At a meeting at Kings Croft, Dore Earnred
offered “obedience and concord” to Ecgbert. Through this
treaty Ecgbert became Overlord, or King, of England.
In ancient times the only road through Dore was a packhorse
trail. Most people were employed in agriculture but there were
other trades, such as button maker, saw maker, anvil maker, file
cutter and boot and shoe maker. Dore parish church was at
Dronfield but a chapel-of-ease was built at Dore. A new church
was built in 1829.
Probably the best known resident of Dore was Richard Furness,
the schoolmaster at the Old School House. He was also
overseer, architect, scribe, lawyer, doctor, singer, poet and
surveyor. He had a salary of £18 but in 1841 was criticised by
school inspectors who found his school in chaos, and the
children fighting and squabbling amongst themselves. We were
not sure how he had time to teach with all his various activities.
Handsworth Relates to the Doomsday Book meaning enclosure
belonging to a person called Hand. There were over 13 smithies
in this area when there was only 9 in the centre of Sheffield
during the 13th century.
Bramley Hall still exists. Ballifield Hall dates from 1593.
Handsworth Hall was built in 1577 then became a farm and was
demolished in 1969. George Talbot the 6th Earl of Shrewsbury
spent the last few years of his life here. The only remaining part
of Richmond Hall is the is the gate posts which were the
entrance to the great deer park where Manor Lodge is situated,
the deer park was 8 miles in circumference, the largest deer park
in England.
St Mary’s Church was built around 1170, a small part survives,
it was a Norman church.
The Cross Keys Inn now Chantry Inn was built as a chantry
house in 1250, lovely historical building, it is one of 2 pubs in
England that is built on consecrated ground.
Stannington Location of a base with a stump cross, made of
gritstone and dates to medieval times. The village has grown
from the 2 settlements of Upper Gate and Nethergate, there was
a deer park and manor house. It is an Anglo Saxon name from
Stan of stone or strong. John Talbot was the first owner of
Stannington Hall. There was the great forest of Rivelin with
deer, surname Parker were the keepers of deer parks. Rivelin
chase or Loxley Valley were used to hunt the deer.
Bradfield One of largest parishes, high and low Bradfield, there
was a workhouse here. It has a steep valley with great views
from the top. The Great Flood started here when a dam burst
and more than 600 houses were destroyed or damaged, over 270
people drowned.
There are 3 main catastrophises in Sheffield history, Cholera in
1832, Sheffield Flood in 1860 and the Sheffield Blitz in 1940.
 

Wednesday 27 July

The fall of Saxon England

Mike Kelly talked to us about The Fall of Saxon England.

1066 was the most important year in English history.
At Christmas 1065 the childless King Edward the Confessor was dying which set up a succession struggle between several claimants to his throne.
Three claimants emerged:- Edgar Atheling, was only 13 years old but the nearest blood line. Duke William, claim was weak, his grandfather’s sister had been Queen of England. Earl Harold of Wessex, had a successful record in war and a fantastic leader.
The funeral of Edward the Confessor was held on the 12th day of Christmas at Westminster Abbey which he had built. The same afternoon Earl Harold was crowned King of England.
The England that King Harold inherited was divided into Earldoms controlled by 2 powerful families Harold married into one of these families. Tostig, Harold’s brother, wanted revenge against Harold as he’d been driven out. Norway’s Harold Hardrada, who was not only in charge of Norway but many other Northern countries, agreed to help Tostig, he was a powerful man.
Duke William couldn’t be elected as King as he was a Norman and was illegimate, his motive to attack England was that it was one of the wealthiest countries in the North.
King Harold has a dilemma as there are threats in the North and South so he divides his army. Hardrada was gathering his troops in the Orkney Islands. The Normans spend the summer
building ships in France and Duke William set sail in August though bad weather led to the horses on the boat panicking pulling over the ships and had to retreat back to France to rebuild.
On the 12 September Hardrada sets sail with 30,000 men and 300 ships, leaving the Orkneys in Viking long boats and headed to Scarborough. The Saxons in Scarborough put up a fight so Hardrada rolled fires down the hill giving a warning to people who would resist him. Hardradar now goes south with Toksvig.
25 September 1066 Battle of Stamford Bridge in which Harold defeats an invading army led by Harald Hardrada, king of Norway. Hardrada and Toksvig were killed. 13 October 1066 Harold arrives near Hastings the site of the battle, the English army were in position at the top of the hill. 14 October 1066 The Battle of Hastings. William sends in his army. There were 9 hours of fighting, the Normans were weakened and ran down the hill, the Saxons thought they had won and started chasing them but this leads to the cavalry attacking them. Duke William strikes King Harold and kills him. He had a Christian burial at Waltham Abbey. Edgar Atheling was appointed King. William then started pillaging Canterbury, Dover and then London where he declares victory. Duke William on Christmas day 1066 was crowned William I King of England in Westminster Abbey. All our Dukes and Lords are of Norman ascent and this can be seen in the designs of our crests today, and the England flag. Mike was thanked for a very interesting and fascinating talk. We wondered what England would be like if the Saxons had won. Mike has written a book about this subject which he had for sale at the meeting.t box 

Wednesday 22 June 2022

Victorian Cutlery

Nick Duggan, from The Ken Hawley Collection Trust, talked to us about cutlery used in Victorian Dining.  Nick told us about the wide range of objects the Victorians used for all sorts of foods, from sardines to asparagus. Some Sheffield cutlery companies had over 5,000 different entries in their product catalogues.  These were made in Sheffield and shipped around the world.  World War 1 saw a demise in the cutlery industry as many servants went to fight in the war and after World War II the industry never recovered.

The Hawley Collection has the world’s largest collection of historic table knives and kitchen knives built up over 50 years by the late Ken Hawley and holds an estimated 100,000 plus items, nearly all of them Sheffield made tools, cutlery and silverware.  It’s housed alongside the Kelham Island industrial museum in the heart of the city, and although it’s impossible to display the entire collection, themed displays are on show and are changed at intervals. As an example, there are more than 1,000 bread knives alone. 

Eating was a big event for the Victorians, they didn’t like to touch any food due to the amount of germs, illness so they produced many items of cutlery to serve food.  Cutlery means items that cut, other items are called flatware and holware, however, nowadays cutlery refers to all of these items.

In 1851 there were 12,000 people employed in Sheffield in the cutlery industry, the largest group of cutlers in the world.

Some of the cutlers’ names were Joseph Rogers, Mappin Brothers, Atkin Brothers, Roberts and Bell, James Dixon, George Bishop, Henry Wilkinson, Dixons, Walker and Hall.

There was lots of different items of cutlery produced.

Caddy spoons, tea strainers had fantastic workmanship, fish servers, fish knives often decorated with ivory and bone handles, oyster forks, sardine tongs, crumb sweepers for the tablecloth, gravy spoons.

The Victorians liked sugar and had spoons with holes in to sieve the sugar over food or an ornate metal jug to sieve the sugar.

Specialist pieces were produced, grape scissors, ice cream scoop, long spoon for desserts or soda, nut crackers, asparagus server, stilton scoop, oyster spoon, grapefruit knife, orange peeler, champagne syphon that was put in the cork, spoon warmer, cutlery to get snails out of shells, a device to hold a piece of meat to eat.

There were special forks, strawberry forks, forks with 5 prongs for sardines, 3 prongs for bread.  Knives were originally used on their own to stab the food to eat it.

Desert and fruit knives are often nicely decorated.

The Hawley Collection has launched the Sheffield Knife Project.  They have thousands of loose knives and lots have the maker’s name stamped or engraved on the blade – there are at least 800 companies – and they came up with the idea of trying to locate descendants of the family companies that made the knives, and people who worked for those companies and for those retailers who sold the products.  These are available to look at on their website.

Wednesday 25 May

Loxley Valley

Our speaker, Pete Machan, used lockdown restrictions as an opportunity to explore and publish a new book about the Loxley Valley.

His talk took us on a walk through the valley, visiting St. Nicholas Parish Church at High Bradfield (the largest parish in England) with its rare watchtower to prevent grave robbing, then looking at the many impressive houses built by Sheffield’s industrial magnates in the 19C.

The water of the R. Loxley powered industry in the valley but also brought disaster in 1864, when one of the four reservoirs being built to store water for Sheffield burst its retaining dam wall.

Industry has largely move on from this area, leaving unused and abandoned evidence of its past importance, and presently residential schemes seem to be the future for this very beautiful valley.

Despite the intervening years, it is still recognisable as the hunting chase used by the Earls of Salisbury some seven centuries ago.

Our speaker was Pete Machan, who used lockdown restrictions as an opportunity to explore and publish a new book about the Loxley Valley.

His talk took us on a walk through the valley, visiting St. Nicholas Parish Church at High Bradfield (the largest parish in England) with its rare watchtower to prevent grave robbing, then looking at the many impressive houses built by Sheffield’s industrial magnates in the 19C.

The water of the R. Loxley powered industry in the valley but also brought disaster in 1864, when one of the four reservoirs being built to store water for Sheffield burst its retaining dam wall.

Industry has largely move on from this area, leaving unused and abandoned evidence of its past importance, and presently residential schemes seem to be the future for this very beautiful valley.

Despite the intervening years, it is still recognisable as the hunting chase used by the Earls of Salisbury some seven centuries ago.

Wednesday 23 March 2022
Sheffield's Heritage

Our speaker on the evening of Wednesday 23rd March was Sarah Cattell who is employed by South Yorkshire Archaeology Service. Sarah was able to explain the purpose of the Local Heritage Listing Project, which is to give everyone the chance to register their favourite historical artefacts.

These may not be important enough for Listing as Grade 1 or 2, but nevertheless be known and often loved by members of the local population. Although the list will not have jurisdiction over more formal listings, it will raise awareness and make the contents known to the Council and other bodies, and as a result help to preserve them for future generations. 

Sarah has given us a copy of her presentation, which explains the process in detail (click on the image to start), and is happy to answer your questions: 

Website: https://local-heritage-list.org.uk/south-yorkshire
Email: Sarah.cattell@sheffield.gov.uk

Wednesday 23 February 2022

The History of Book-toys

On Wednesday 23rd February, Ian Alcock talked to us about the history of book- toys. Ian explained that he would be showing us examples of modern novelty books then tracing their production back in time to the origins of each particular style. We were shown many examples, differing greatly in the complexity of their individual construction.

John Locke (1632-1704) was the first person to recognise that no real literature existed specifically for children. The only examples were of ‘horn books’ which were small flat disks illustrating perhaps the alphabet or Lord’s Prayer. Written on (precious) paper, the face was protected by a finely processed film of melted horn. He devised flash cards aimed at making learning more fun and we were shown ornate examples produced circa late 18th century/early 19th century. Some were of bone or ivory, others of card. 

England was not the only country to develop reading material at this time. The French and Dutch very rapidly produced almost identical products, as did the Americans. The quality of continental European printing was superior to ours so that although the design and story would be English, the printing was done abroad. 

Initially stories would be based on religious themes and classical stories and plays. The books had flaps on the illustrations allowing pictures to be altered as they were lifted or replaced: usually 4 flaps per illustration but later 6 flaps were introduced that gave a multiplicity of options.

George Dean (1822-1891) was a specialist in the production of novelty books that often poked fun at adults and authority - something children the world over love to do, e.g. a gentleman riding his fine horse as it passes a young lad. Lifting the flap reveals the lad has whipped the horse, which bolts and unseats its rider. Dean’s scenic 3D peep-show books were popular from the mid 19th century: a concertina of 6-8 pictures held together by paper hinges. They were held horizontally in both hands allowing the user to view a 3D picture through a small aperture in the top card as the remaining pictures dropped downwards.

Ian brought many examples and we saw views of The Champs Elysees, The Great Exhibition, a fox hunt, theatre performances and many others beautiful examples.

Other styles of books included ‘tumbling tablets’, slot books, and hole books (a face on the back page showing right through, with a progression in the picture as each page is turned). Doll-dressing books with either a transferable head that slotted into different bodies, or later paper clothing to attach over a basic body-form, were popular throughout the 19th century.

Even malleable faces were produced so that expressions could be altered. 

Moving pictures were made possible with tabs to pull, and early pop-up 3D pictures came at the end of the century, firstly developing in complexity but later simplified to make production more economical. The production of novelty books has continued into the 21st century, some even claiming to be new innovations, but Ian was able to show samples of similar designs produced 100, 200 and even 250 years ago. 

He is working towards producing a book on the subject but (disappointingly) cannot give a date when this will happen! Ian was thanked for an absolutely fascinating and beautifully illustrated talk.

Wednesday, 26 January 2022. 
Some Ancient Suburbs of Sheffield

On Wednesday 26 January, we welcomed back David Templeman who talked to us about ancient suburbs of Sheffield. This was part one of his suburbs talks with a timeline of the pre-industrial revolution from the 1600s. 

Attercliffe can be traced back to the Domesday Book. It was a beautiful, scenic place with hills and dales. The River Don was well stocked with fish. In the 18th century there were large houses including Old Hall, New Hall, and Carlton House. There were many fine houses with small busy workshops. Benjamin Huntsman, the inventor of crucible steel, was one of the first to have a works here. 

The Old Hall and Chapel dates back to 1629 and was owned by the Spencer family. It was taken down in 1868 but there is still an Old Hall Road. The chapel still exists. Carlton House overlooked a large pleasure ground. New Hall also had pleasure grounds and was ideal for a day out. There were gardens with walks, a large lake and musical concerts were held in the evenings with firework displays. 

The Zion Chapel now has a Friends of Zion Chapel and they have done an amazing job of clearing the site to find the graves including the grave of Mary Ann Rawson, an anti-slavery campaigner. Benjamin Huntsman is buried in the Attercliffe chapel graveyard a couple of hundred yards away. The Friends have open days, details of which are on their website. 

In the 20th century, Attercliffe was a busy shopping centre which included Banner's department store. Attercliffe had one of five windmills in Sheffield at Washford Bridge. The others were at Firth Park near Sicey Avenue (there is a Windmill Lane); Broad Lane near the University; one by the Cholera Monument and one at Herdings, Gleadless. 

Darnall was formerly a small village. A large part of Staniforth Road was called Pinfold Lane where an enclosure for stray animals was located. One of Darnall’s sons was William Walker who died in the 1700s and was reputed to be the executioner of King Charles I. High Hazels was a country house and public park, one of the finest parks in Sheffield. The Darnall cricket ground was laid out in the 1820s but was used for only a few years before being replaced by a ground at Hyde Park which was described as the best in England and, next to Lord's, the largest. Between Darnall and Handsworth, Bowden Housteads Woods were on the edge of the deer park and date from the 1500s. The Sheffield Parkway now goes through these woods. 

Heeley was first recorded in 1343 as Upper, Middle (Gleadless Road) and Lower (London Road) Heeley. Heeley Parish Church is dated 1848. At this church is the grave of Sir Nathaniel Creswick (1831-1917), the co-founder of Sheffield Football Club, the oldest football club in the world. There were many cottages that are no longer there. The beginning of Heeley is Olive Grove where Sheffield F.C. was formed. Sheffield Wednesday also started here and were the first team in Yorkshire to win the F.A. Cup in 1897.

Heeley Tilt Mill was used to power the cutlers’ wheels from the 17th century. The names of Well Road and Springdale Road are reminders of the importance of water to the area. In the 1770s there were just ten buildings in Heeley which was an area of pasture lands and cornfields. Heeley Toll Bar was at the bottom of Albert Road and, like others, was a target for robbers. 

Crookes lies near the course of the Roman Road and was recorded in the Domesday Book. It was a self-contained village from the 16th century until the end of the 19th century. A turnpike road opened from Sheffield to Manchester in the 1790s running via the southern end of Crookes, spurring development of the area. It was a popular holiday location as it was high up above Sheffield, away from the soot and grime of the factories. Bole Hills has great views. 

Crookesmoor had reservoirs and a racecourse. In the 1700s, water for much of Sheffield was supplied from here and carried in wooden pipes to Division Street where it was transferred to casks and transported by wheelbarrow. There were numerous natural springs in the area. The two reservoirs were located at the Crookes boating lake and near Weston Park Museum where the University Sports Ground is now located. The Sheffield racecourse was at Crookes Moor where there was racing between about 1711 and 1782. The racecourse was at the site of the Hallam Towers Hotel with a wooden grandstand located by Lawson Road.

Fulwood was an Anglo Saxon settlement and part of the massive estate of the Earl Waltheof of Northumbria. Fulwood Hall was one of the first large houses in the area dating from the 15th century and Stumperlowe Hall dates back to 1397. During the Great Plague of 1666, Fulwood Spa became a popular resort for people taking the mineral waters that were fed from natural springs situated in the Porter Valley. Bennet Grange, Harrison Lane, dates from at least 1580 and still exists. 

In the Domesday Book, Wadsley Bridge was wasteland. Wadsley Hall dates to the 15 th century. Near to Wadsley Bridge was a ford across the River Don for cattle and carts with a row of stepping stones for pedestrians known as Lepping Stones; later a bridge was built. This was near the Owlerton side of the Sheffield Wednesday ground. There were six stocks in Sheffield: one of them at Wadsley and another at Fulwood. Owlerton Hall was built around 1534 and demolished in 1930. Burrowlee House on Broughton Road is a great example of Georgian style building. 

There were three main tragedies in Sheffield over a relatively short period of time: the Sheffield Flood (1864), the Cholera Epidemic (1882)  and the Sheffield Blitz (1940). 

David was warmly thanked for another very fascinating talk about old Sheffield as it once was. 

Wednesday 15 December 2021
Totley's Past in Photographs

The aim of our meeting on 15th December was to get together for a chat and refreshments following the long Covid-19 restrictions. However, with the rising Omicron numbers, attendance was lower than hoped. 

Those who came enjoyed some projections of Totley. 'Totley's Story' told the timeline of the village from its first mention in 1086 to the present day. (Click slide to enlarge).

Refreshments of mulled wine and mince pies were shared while a cine-film of the 1960s played showing the Jackson family (Mrs Jackson ran Totley Rise Post Office for many years), a goods train crash on the railway and a bowls match at The Cross Scythes. Their green is now an outside eating area and car park! 

The evening finished with 'Totley Faces post WW2', engendering lots of memories of schooldays, old friends and village characters. Thanks to everyone who has braved the pandemic and returned to our meetings in the Library since September. We hope to see you all in 2022. 

Happy Christmas and a safe New Year. 
THG Committee

Wednesday 24 November 2021

The Bodysnatchers of Yorkshire

On Wednesday 24 November Totley Library was full for a talk by Dr. Rod Amos about digging up the dead - bodysnatching. The 19th century ushered in a new-found medical interest in detailed anatomy thanks to an increase in the importance of surgery. In order for the surgeons and medical students to study anatomy, human bodies were needed. Before 1832, the Murder Act of 1752 stipulated that only the corpses of executed murderers could be used for dissection. The earliest record of bodies being dissected can be traced to the reign of Henry VIII when four bodies were used from hanged felons as a deterrent to people. In the reign of Charles I we know of two bodies that were used. 

By the early 19th century, the medical demands of a fast growing society led to an increase in the size of the medical profession and in medical research. At the same time there was a reduction in the number of executions. In 1815 there was a statutory requirement for people to have training for surgery. New medical schools opened in the provinces including Sheffield in 1828 and Leeds in 1831. Demand for bodies for dissection well exceeded supply from the traditional sources. It was estimated that about a thousand bodies a year were required and the practice of bodysnatching began. 

At first this was on an amateur basis by the medical students themselves but after the first anatomist was prosecuted in 1828, the medical schools resorted to employing professional bodysnatchers. These men worked in gangs to raid graveyards, often paying the local sexton a bribe to look the other way. The penalty for bodysnatching was usually a fine or short custodial sentence. The bodysnatchers broke open the coffins with wooden spades which made less noise than metal ones and took only the body not the shroud or any jewellery so as to avoid a more serious sentence if caught. They received between two and four guineas per corpse. They cleaned up around the grave so there was no evidence of a disturbance and they could then return for more bodies. Bodysnatching soon became rife in this country with an export market to Ireland and France. 

Various methods were adopted to try to stop the bodies being taken, such as: 
- Keeping the body at home until it decayed an became of no use. 
- Keeping the body in a “dead house”. 
- Mort-safe, e.g. railings around the grave or over the grave. 
- A large stone on the grave. 
- Watch towers were built in graveyards to keep a guard on the area. 
- An iron coffin which was very heavy to move.
The more effective methods, however, were only available to the wealthy.

In 1832 the Anatomy Act became law as surgeons wanted change as they were being forced to pay up to ten pounds for each body and were not trusted because of their role in the procurement of bodies. The Act gave free licence to doctors, teachers of anatomy and bona fide medical students to dissect donated bodies. It also allowed the legal possessor of a body to permit it to undergo dissection if there was no evidence of the deceased having been opposed to it during his or her lifetime. As a result the governors of public workhouses were permitted to send the bodies of deceased paupers to be dissected.

Although the Act was an improvement, it did little to quell the public anger and revulsion about bodysnatching. On 26 January 1835, the Sheffield School of Anatomy in Eyre Street was completely wrecked and then set on fire by a mob of more than a thousand people. The nearby Medical Hall was also damaged but not destroyed.

Sheffield University still dissect bodies whilst some other medical schools use demonstrators for training. Rod was thanked for an unusual and very fascinating talk.

Wednesday 27 October 2021

Through Kirton Tunnel (Part 2)

Our speaker on Wednesday, 27 October was Stephen Gay who continued his talk about the railway journey from Sheffield to Cleethorpes. We start at West Burton and go by the Chesterfield Canal for the last time up to Clarborough tunnel, quite a steep hill, this area is a wildlife conservation area. Lincoln Cathedral can be seen and North Leatherton windmill and also the power stations at West Burton which were once the largest until the construction of Drax power stations. Then we go down to the River Trent at Sturton, this station closed in 1968.

We reach Gainsborough Central station which used to have around a hundred staff, with shops and a roof covering. There are many foot crossings over the railway line around here. Many of the stations were not near the communities they served so when regular bus services began the stations sadly closed. Many of the station buildings have been demolished or are privately owned. This includes the many crossing-keeper cottages along the line. From Gainsborough we arrive at Blyton and onwards to Kirton Lindsey station and then Kirton Tunnel. John Fowler of Forth Bridge fame engineered the tunnel which has a lovely frontage, John Fowler was born in Sheffield. 

We are now at the most scenic part over the river near Brigg, the River Ancholme. Brigg station, once again used to have a large staff and roof, shops, refreshments, and waiting rooms. Robey Junction has a tall signal box so the staff could see all the trains approaching. It is now closed although it is still a busy junction today. From this junction we go to Barnetby station and Brocklesby station which opened in 1848.

Stephen then took us down the Barton line to Barton-upon-Humber starting at Ulceby station then Thornton Abbey which has a lovely picturesque gatehouse and is now English Heritage. Then Goxhill station and Marsh crossing and New Holland station where the Yarborough hotel is located, a large prestigious looking building that is now owned by Wetherspoons. Boats dock at the New Holland pier. After this is Barrow Haven and then we reach Barton-upon-Humber which opened 1849 and reached Cleethorpes 18 years later. 

We now go back from the Barton line to Haborough and then Stallingborough which is the longest named rail station in England. Great Coates is the next station over the River Freshney and to Marsh Junction and to Grimsby Docks. Here there were paddle steamers, however, the opening of the Humber Bridge in 1981 spelt the end of their operational life. Grimsby town station still has its overhead roof and the Grimsby dock tower is a grade 1 listed building. Following this is New Clee Station which has the cold stores for the fish. We then arrive at our final destination Cleethorpes, the station buildings date from 1863. We thanked Stephen for a very interesting and fascinating talk.

October 2021

Wednesday 22 September 2021
Through Kirton Tunnel (Part 1)

On Wednesday 22 September, we were delighted to hold our first monthly meeting in Totley Library since measures were introduced to curb the spread of the coronavirus. Our speaker was Stephen Gay with the first of a two-part talk about the railway journey from Sheffield to Cleethorpes. 

In his usual fascinating delivery, Stephen’s talk was full of both railway history and the peripheral and social changes that affected the use of the line. The journey now begins at Midland Station (Pond Street), opened in 1870, but the line was built circa 1849 as the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincoln Railway (MS&LR) and would have begun at the original Midland (Victoria) Station close to the Wicker. Scant evidence remains of original railway buildings, but slides taken by the speaker over a forty year period captured a Goods Office (demolished in 1980s) and many signal boxes that were no longer needed after Powerbox signalling system was installed in 1970s. Slightly strangely, many of the toilets built to serve the needs of the signalmen still survive to this day! 

Rolling stock manufacturers such as Cravens, who built both luxury carriages as well as trains for the London Underground, have all left their mark beside the line. Buildings originally used by manufacturing companies that depended on the close proximity of the railway for both supplies and distribution of their goods may still stand, but with the passage of time have been repurposed for 21st century use. 

There were a number of once important junctions, e.g. Nunnery Junction near Tinsley where many lines crisscrossed. Small branch lines to serve steel works, coal pits and power stations were shown. Many of these branch lines are now disused, ripped up and overgrown, but others are still plain to see, even if now out of use. Tonnes of coal in snaking trains were delivered daily to power stations via such branch lines, seemingly the most important freight for many years, but now all gone. Fresh fish came from Grimsby through to the Midlands and even had its own loop line built at South Waleswood to hasten its journey, the smell letting everyone know it had passed through! 

Stephen’s vast archive of photographs showed very clearly how the use of the line and rolling stock has changed through the decades. Sections that once boasted two lines each way are now reduced to just one, although with the current increase in freight traffic this may change back again. We saw slides of wooden carriages left to decay in sidings, then finally torched to prevent rough sleepers taking advantage of them. Photographs of trains that looked little more than buses on the line, through to the heavy diesels and the cumbersome weedkiller train that made its annual trip along the line. 

The railway often runs in close proximity to Chesterfield Canal, the transport means it superseded. Its steepest gradient is near Don Valley (1 in 10) with cuttings and tunnels being created in order to traverse small contours in the land. An accident during the building of the Beighton viaduct resulted in fatalities, when the arches toppled like dominoes. An embankment built to carry the railway at Kiveton Bridge was washed away in the 2007 floods, but this time fatalities were avoided when a vigilant engine driver felt a wobble as he passed over the stretch. He quickly reported it and by the time the engineers reached the spot the lines were hanging in space many feet above the wrecked embankment. 

Land once used as part of the railway infrastructure has been repurposed - industrial sites such as those alongside the Parkway, rural areas now being used for recreation e.g. a section of the trans-Pennine trail from Southport to Hull, opening in 2001. Stations have ceased to be staffed since tickets are now bought either from an automatic machine, online or on the train, the deserted buildings sometimes being subject to abuse and vandalism. Station hotels have either been demolished or survived as a B&B, a convenience store - more repurposing. By the time we arrived in Retford we had learnt much about the uses and the changes that have taken place during its 170 year history. 

The second part of Stephen's talk, which will take us from Retford to Cleethorpes, will be on Wednesday, 27 October starting at 7.30 pm. Because of the need for social distancing, Totley Library is restricted in the numbers it can accommodate. We hope that all those who want to attend will be able to do so but, in order for us to monitor demand, we are again asking you to tell us you are coming by emailing us at: secretary@totley historygroup.org.uk

Wednesday 28 April 2021
The History of Holidays

Our speaker on Wednesday 28 April was Pauline Burnett who talked to us via Zoom about the history of holidays.

In medieval times holidays didn’t exist and days away from work would be for holy days, random saints days and seasonal markers of the agricultural year, e.g. Harvest Festival. Sundays were observed as a religious day. Workers worked for the Lord of the Manor for around two hundred days of the year as they had their own land and animals to look after. Pilgrimages took place but mostly for the wealthy as people couldn’t afford to leave their land and animals. Travelling was difficult as roads were non-existent, robbery on the roads was quite common and the distances to travel were vast. 

After the reformation the Protestant Church decreed holy days remained, Sundays, Christmas Day, the Twelve days of Christmas, Easter Day and Ascension day. Aristocracy went on The Grand Tour, often for two years to visit places such as Spain, France, Greece, places with historical significance. Rome was considered an essential destination. They would learn a language and make contacts with people. A portrait would be made to mark the occasion and sent back home. Tourist artefacts were also sent home. 

Late 18th century, early 19th century: Napoleon’s campaign made it difficult to travel and reduced the number of people going on tour. Other types of holidays began to grow, people visited spa towns like Buxton for the water which was believed to benefit their health also coastal towns for the sea water. People had to travel in their own horse drawn coaches so numbers of people were limited. 

The trains made a huge difference in people travelling in the mid 19th century, trains were originally developed for moving of goods but then people realised they could be used for their own travel. Thomas Cook realised the potential of the railways and started to organise leisure trips. He produced guide books, arranged excursion trains and tours e.g. the for The Great Exhibition, it was the beginning of the pre-paid holiday. He invented a holiday coupon which was a way of reducing money to carry so was safer. People were able to go to the Middle East, America, Russia. In 1869 Egyptian tours were popular and he had tours going to Egypt through Europe or cruise to Cairo, these were for the wealthy people. 

For the ordinary folk celebrations were still limited to holy days, random saints days and seasonal markers of agricultural year. The people were working hard all year round and the seasonal days for agricultural didn’t apply to all trades. 

In 1871 the Bank Holiday Act was introduced with four bank holidays: Easter Monday, the first Monday in August, 26th December and Whit Monday. The railways brought easy access to the coast. Promenades were built on the sea front for people to walk along in their best clothes. People chose holidays on what the resorts had to offer and where the train would take them. Sandy beaches, donkeys, evening entertainment, acts, dancing were all on offer. 

Post cards became popular from 1880 as a way to communicate as there were no telephones. The bathing on beaches was segrated until around 1890 and bathing machines were used so that ladies weren’t be seen in their swimsuit. Alternative styles of holiday were developed, camp sites for a more affordable holiday. Thomas A. Leonard founded the Co-operative Holiday Association for men only. These were recreational and educational holidays, cheap for young people. As costs increased due to added services, Thomas Leonard left and founded the Holiday Fellowship. 

1890 to 1910: crop picking began to earn extra money and often accommodation was provided. Examples are picking of the summer fruits, potato picking, hop pickers, the tradition kept going for a long time, it was tough, hard work.

1900 onwards: coast towns were building accommodation for all pockets with B and Bs and hotels. Transport made a difference, charabanc trips were popular and caravans were produced from 1919. Owning a car was expensive. The rail companies would advertise with posters showing places in the beautiful countryside and these posters are now iconic and collector items. 

1920 to 1930s: winter holidays were advertised, such as skiing holidays, these were an extra to a summer holiday. Swimming became popular after it was included in the 1896 Olympics. Pools and lidos were built, e.g, at Millhouse Park, it is recalled that the water was cold! 

1938 was the first time workers got holiday pay, before this time there were holiday saving clubs and these continued to save for spending money. The unions had been campaigning for twenty years for holiday pay. Butlins opened in the 1930s to provide affordable holidays. YHA was founded and open to any person from any background to have rest, often used for people on cycling or walking holidays. 

After WW2 holidays became more popular. The aluminum technology gained from plane production in the war was used for building caravans and also static caravan holiday sites opened for people to rent. The east coast resorts continued to be popular, they had entertainment, food and the beach. Coaches were used for UK tours and overseas. National Express took over a lot of the companies in the 1970s. 

In the 1950s people starting going overseas, a plane journey to Spain involved refuelling en route. Jet planes changed the industry and no need to refuel en route, UK tourism suffered. In 1970 Thomas Cook acquired the 18-30 holiday company for young people who had lots of spare money and these were very popular. 

In the 1980s tent technology progressed, now framed tents with waterproof nylon and bespoke equipment made for camping. There is now a huge amount of self-catering options available. Cruising was expensive but has become cheaper in recent times. The huge ships have food, entertainment, guided tours arranged and cater for all age groups. All holiday businesses have been affected by the pandemic in 2020/2021, it is an important industry and hope it will soon return. 

Pauline was thanked for an interesting and informative talk.

Wednesday 22 January 2020

The Shepleys of Woodthorpe Hall

Our speaker on Wednesday 22nd January was Dick Shepley who talked to us about The Shepleys of Woodthorpe Hall. 

Dick’s grandparents, George and Emma Shepley, moved to the hall in 1926. They had four sons: Seymour, Rex, Frank and Douglas and a daughter Jeanne. A fifth son Peter had died as a child. They were attracted to the area as George was a co director of 2 companies in Sheffield, one of these still exists today. He also loved cricket and rugby and the hall is close to Abbeydale Sports Club. They paid £3,484 for the hall and Dick still has the receipt! 

The house at this time was a farmyard and was a tenanted farm. Before the Shepleys arrived the ground floor was where the cattle lived, some windows were blocked up and only part of it was habitable. The Shepleys restored it to be all habitable and put in central heating that is still used to this day. The Holmesfield Park Wood belonged to the Duke of Rutland and in 1920 there was a big sale and it was sold to a timber merchant who wanted to cut the trees down. His grandfather complained to the authorities and he purchased it and planted it up, this wood is mentioned in the Domesday Book.

Tragedy first struck the Shepley family in the early months of the war. Early in 1939 Jeanne had set off on an adventurous journey travelling by land and sea to India. On the outbreak of war Jeanne was determined to return home as soon as possible and she sailed on the SS Yorkshire from Rangoon. The ship arrived safely in Gibraltar and on 13 October 1939 it sailed for England as part of an unescorted merchant convoy. On 17 October the ship was off the coast of France when it was struck by a torpedo and sank with the loss of 25 crew and 33 passengers, one of whom was Jeanne Shepley who was last seen helping other passengers to the lifeboats. 

On 31 May 1940 the Shepley family sustained a second loss when Rex was shot down and killed whilst flying his Westland Lysander. He had been undertaking a series of missions to drop essential supplies to the troops who were grimly defending the port of Calais as the British Expeditionary Force were being rescued from the beaches of Dunkirk. 

In the early summer of 1940 Douglas Shepley had married Frances "Bidy" Linscott, a young nurse from Sidcup in Kent. Douglas was a Spitfire pilot in 152 Squadron stationed at Warmwell in Dorset and was one of "The Few" who fought in the Battle of Britain. On 12 August the squadron was scrambled to defend Ventnor radar station on the Isle of Wight. Pilot Officer Douglas Shepley was last seen pursuing enemy raiders and was shot down over the English Channel, south of the island. His body was never recovered. 

Devastated as the family were after losing three of their children, in the first year of the war they decided to do something positive. Emily and her daughter-in-law Bidy set about raising £5,700 (over £300,000 in today's terms) to buy a new Spitfire. The people of north Derbyshire and south Yorkshire rallied round magnificently organising whist drives, concerts, dances and various other events. There were collections in local cinemas, pubs, theatres and shops and within 15 weeks the money had been raised. 

The Shepley was first flown on 1 August 1941 and was issued to 602 (City of Glasgow) Squadron on 16 August. Shepley moved on to a Polish squadron and then to a New Zealand squadron before eventually becoming the personal aircraft of Group Captain Victor Beamish DSO DFC AFC, the Station Commander at RAF Kenley in Surrey in 1941. Sadly he too was shot down over the English Channel on 28 March 1942. 

Dick’s parents moved to the hall in 1963 on the death of Dick’s grandparents, his parents had 5 children. Seymour was his father. Seymour had five children, Dick moved to Woodthorpe in 1987 as the eldest living son and began to look after the hall, the first job was re-roofing the hall. 

In 1978 a Nottinghamshire brewery, Hardys and Hansons, built a new public house on Mickley Lane. A competition was held to find a suitable name and the brewery chose that suggested by Seymour Shepley of Woodthorpe Hall, which lies a few hundred yards away in the parish of Holmesfield. 

Bidy Shepley married a Canadian soldier at the end of the war and went to live in Canada. Dick kept in touch with her and received a telephone message in early 2019 saying it was her 100th birthday and had he any memorabilia he could send. Dick was so delighted about this he went to Canada and attended the party and reminisced with Bidy about all the family which she could still recall. 

Woodthorpe Hall today hosts up to 8 weddings a year and produces cider, which can be found for sale at The Chatsworth Shop. Dick was thanked for a very enjoyable and interesting talk.