The old Ecclesall library scandal

[andco]

Agree with the above.

 

Also, much of what I learnt of the story came 2nd hand via a SCC worker who didn't agree with the decision. I too was led to believe from this person, who will remain nameless, that there was an element of classism (?) in the decision.

 

To be honest, I wouldn't be surprised if they decided to pull services from wealthy areas first, but that isn't the real issue. The real issue is that they are prepared to ride roughshod over the wishes of a generous benefactor, and the legality and ethics of selling something that is not theirs to sell.

 

 

This is definitely true - it was informally indicated to me that I didnt get any help from Trading Standards on a serious matter because I lived in a 20 room house. My home is actually a flat in a large converted house with 6 flats.

[theripsaw]

I didn't. It's more to do with politics than class.

 

.

 

Indeed! The Labour council built a large council estate at lodge moor and allowed a permanant gypsy camp to be set up in greenbelt land there- why? Because it was a Conservative area and they had nothing to lose by doing it.

At the same time as giving permission for the gypsy camp, they denied permission for the farm down the road to expand its caravan site on the basis it was in greenbelt land.

[theripsaw]

Prince Naseem's off Winco and he's done OK for himself.

 

You're getting money mixed up with class. A pig in a fur coat is still a pig.

[oldrowley]

Reading about the unfolding scandal developing with SCC wanting to sell off part of Graves Park, reminds me of the story of the old Ecclesall library.

 

Does anybody have a better memory of events than me? My knowledge of events is 2nd hand, so can you correct or add any details as I think there were? Briefly as follows:

 

Despite being the most used library after the Central Library, and against much public disgust, SCC decided to shut the old Ecclesall Library at the bottom of Knowle Lane.

 

(I wouldn’t be surprised if the thought process went something like this; “We need some money, what can we sell?” “I know Ecclesall Library, those rich buggers in S11 can afford their own books, and the land is worth a fortune.”)

 

Anyway the property was duly sold. It briefly became a pub/restaurant, before being sold to developers.

 

Meanwhile the upset residents, on further investigation, discovered that the land had been gifted by a wealthy entrepreneur, in trust to the people of Sheffield such that it should remain for benefit of the people of Sheffield. Oh dear, SCC have illegally sold something that doesn’t belong to them.

 

At this moment you can imagine the sense of victory the residents must of felt. But it was a hollow victory. The library had gone, and developers had bought land in good faith. Any legal victory against SCC would only ultimately be paid for by the people of Sheffield themselves.

 

In the end a compromise was reached. A new library was built, and a damn good one at that. But lets not forget the actions of SCC as we now fight for public opinion over the sale of more gifted land. Let's not forget what we lost, a beautiful old library building in lovely gardens, and the eyesore we have in its place.

 

As I said, my knowledge of this story is sketchy, I've tried to google for info but not found anything. So further details please. For example, does anybody know the name of the wealthy benefactor?

 

TIA

Whilst the name of a benefactor isn't specifically given, I have posted below a couple of references from the Images of Ecclesall book compiled by the Ecclesall Local History Society and published in 1998 which may be of interest.

 

"The house which many years later became Ecclesall public library, was built in 1858 to rehouse the boys' school known as Stone Grove in the Glossop Road area of the city. The principal, Dr John Munro and his wife Catherine ran the school together and renamed it Ecclesall College. After the doctor's death in 1866, his widow continued as proprietress with Samuel Downing Roome as headmaster. The college closed in 1880."

 

Another reference reads;

 

"It was originally Ecclesall College but when the school closed in 1880 the building was purchased by a Mr Crossley who renamed it 'The Knowle'. He lived there until 1892 when it was bought by a steel manufacture, John Kingsford Wilson, who called it Kingscote. The next owner in 1907 was Sir William Ellis, managing director of John Brown & Son. He gave the house the name 'Weetwood'. After his death in 1945 it was sold to Sheffield Corporation and opened as Ecclesall Branch Library. However, in 1995 in the face of fierce local opposition, it was sold and converted into a pub and restaurant."

 

Sadly, we are all too aware of the recent history

[00Soul]

That's simply not true.

 

The property, like many of the jewels of Sheffield, including Weston Park, Graves Park and much of the content of our museums was given in trust for the benefit of the people of this city. Largely given by wealthy people who wanted to leave Sheffield a better place - the Council did not own this property in the same way they do not Graves Park nurseries. They are responsible for looking after it in trust for all of us and have abused that trust. The result of their greed and incompetence mean that no one in their right mind will ever bequeath anything in the future and we will all be the poorer.

 

On a slight tangent, I recall some leading nob in the Labour Group at the time of the library disposal pointing out that the library's closure was due to Tory cuts so those who had supported them (Hallam was Conservative at the time) should be aware of the consequences of their actions. There was definitely an element of class war and "s#d you toffs can buy your own books" in the decision to close the second best used library in the city.

 

Sorry can't find a link but it was possibly the first time I realised that the administration of Sheffield was rotten to the core. I hadn't been here long at the time.

 

Totally agree with this post. I was led to believe that the council are responsible for maintaining such bequeathed public land and buildings. There is a world of difference between maintaining and owning.

[muddycoffee]

Does anyone know how the status of the new library building compares to the old one ? For instance, the old one was apparently protected by a bequeathment to the people of the city. But it was broken by the council when they sold it off, but they replaced it with a new one in a slightly different location.

 

If you suppose that the bequeathment has lapsed and become invalid because the old building has gone and new library is a different premises. There would be nothing to stop the council from knocking the new one down in a few years, because by stealth they managed to get around the original agreement.

 

Crafty!

[andco]

Does anyone know how the status of the new library building compares to the old one ? For instance, the old one was apparently protected by a bequeathment to the people of the city. But it was broken by the council when they sold it off, but they replaced it with a new one in a slightly different location.

 

If you suppose that the bequeathment has lapsed and become invalid because the old building has gone and new library is a different premises. There would be nothing to stop the council from knocking the new one down in a few years, because by stealth they managed to get around the original agreement.

 

Crafty!

 

Dont you mean by THEFT they managed to get round the original agreement????

[past times]

Whilst the name of a benefactor isn't specifically given, I have posted below a couple of references from the Images of Ecclesall book compiled by the Ecclesall Local History Society and published in 1998 which may be of interest.

 

"The house which many years later became Ecclesall public library, was built in 1858 to rehouse the boys' school known as Stone Grove in the Glossop Road area of the city. The principal, Dr John Munro and his wife Catherine ran the school together and renamed it Ecclesall College. After the doctor's death in 1866, his widow continued as proprietress with Samuel Downing Roome as headmaster. The college closed in 1880."

 

Another reference reads;

 

"It was originally Ecclesall College but when the school closed in 1880 the building was purchased by a Mr Crossley who renamed it 'The Knowle'. He lived there until 1892 when it was bought by a steel manufacture, John Kingsford Wilson, who called it Kingscote. The next owner in 1907 was Sir William Ellis, managing director of John Brown & Son. He gave the house the name 'Weetwood'. After his death in 1945 it was sold to Sheffield Corporation and opened as Ecclesall Branch Library. However, in 1995 in the face of fierce local opposition, it was sold and converted into a pub and restaurant."

 

Sadly, we are all too aware of the recent history

 

I was looking for some information regarding the pub, formally the libary that was Weetwood house, I worked in the Weetwood house when it was first turned into the pub, we opened the pub in the november but was employed to recruit the staff and get the place ready for the opening etc before hand.

 

during the time before we actually opened, when the builders were finishing the snagging work, we were continually approached by the council about the work what we could and could not do, why well we were informed that the building and the land were left to the people of sheffield and as such would have to kept within keeping of the area, we were not even aloud to landscape the gardens, just keep them maintained, no cutting down of trees etc, to put this in context if we ever had problems with people in the gardens we were not allowed to asked them to leave, due to the people of sheffield owning the land, not something we advertised at the time though, saying that i don't think in the time i worked there i ever had any problems.

 

it's a shame that lovely building has gone, i have a lot of great memories of my time working there and was planning to visit soon.

 

shame

 

oh, the person who got married there hope you enjoyed yourself!

[Greybeard]

Does anyone know how the status of the new library building compares to the old one ? For instance, the old one was apparently protected by a bequeathment to the people of the city. But it was broken by the council when they sold it off, but they replaced it with a new one in a slightly different location.

 

 

According to the quote in post#34 the council bought Weetwood from the executors of Sir William Ellis. were the council only allowed to buy it conditionally ? ie - provided it was preserved and used for amenity. We'll probably never know, 1945 is a long time ago and councillors of that era were perhaps a little more honourable than they are these days....whatever their political affiliations.

 

It wouldn't be the first time SCC have purchased property and allowed it to fall into such a state of bad repair that it had to be demolished on 'grounds of public safety'.

[Zebra]

It aggravates me enormously that bequeathed land becomes controlled and then absorbed into ownership by SCC. It was one of the first things which occurred to me when I heard about the St Lukes debacle.

I would normally be in favour of supporting St Lukes but this land issue doesn't sit with me.

One person I mentioned it to said that JG Graves probably wouldn't mind, which I think is rather blinkered because of their own high riding feelings regarding St Lukes.

SCC should be forced to make full declarations of all land which do not belong to them as a company and the public should be notified of all such land in order to protect it from the capitalist pigs who deem themselves suited to selling it on as they see fit!