Hillsborough Park

[jseau]

Hello again, been a while since i used the forum

 

I posted a thread a while back asking about history information about Parkwood springs for a university project, and the response was great with an great amount of information from people on this site going into the report, so i will thank you all.

 

I now have yet another project to do this time about Hillsborough Park, i am looking for any information, websites, maps or pointing in right direction on the following-

 

-Its History and any information on what was there before the park?

-Hillsborough and owerton local history?

-Any old maps?

-And if there are any other local greenspaces near the park or the area ( i had a walk around today, but couldn't find any local parks near hillsborough park)

 

Any information would be very grateful

 

Cheers

[hillsbro]

There are a number of books on Hillsborough and Owlerton's history that will provide you with much information. The Local Studies Library (Surrey Street) would be a good place to start; they also have some very good large-scale historical maps

 

Before Hillsborough House (now the library building in the park) was built, there was no village or locality called Hillsborough. It was all farming/grazing land with few buildings, situated between the communities of Owlerton, Wadsley and Malin Bridge. The first owner of Hillsborough House evidently came from Northern Ireland and it is thought that he named his new home after the Hillsborough near Belfast. Hillsborough House was later owned by the Dixon family, who had a large silverware business in Sheffield. They sold off much of the land for development in the late 19th century - hence the name Dixon Road, also Dorothy Road, Wynyard Road etc. which were named after members of the Dixon family.

[jseau]

Thanks i'll have a look in the library

[algy]

The library also has the sale plans from when the Hillsborough Hall estate was broken up and sold off. They give a fascinating insight into the layout of present day Hillsborough too.

And have a look here, and do a search, you'll find loads!

 

http://www.sheffieldhistory.co.uk/forums/index.php?act=idx

[PopT]

Have you had a walk into Broughton Road to see the large Georgian House which I believe was built for Thomas Stead the last Lord of the Manor of Owlerton who married one of the Dixon family.

 

My memory is not what it was but it 's worth the walk to see the house and to read up on the backgound.

 

When I was a chabby the place was used as a school clinic but later was stood empty for years.

 

The old Landlord of thye Victoria Hotel which was pulled down for road widening put a request in to buy the building but was turned down by the council.

 

It was then rented out as an artisans workshops where antiques and paintings were restored.

 

Later it was sold off and is now private property.

 

The house now looks the best I have ever seen it after a terrific restoration.

 

Sadly the public can only stand outside the electronic gates to appreciate the place.

 

I hope these comments from a local lad help you. PopT

[hillsbro]

Here is an interesting Wikipedia article about Hillsborough House: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hillsborough_House

 

Hillsborough House was built by Thomas Steade in 1779, and apparently the original Hillsborough, near Belfast, was named in honour of Wills Hill, a local politician and patron of the Steade family. The house had several owners until James Dixon acquired it in 1865, by which time it had become known as Hillsborough Hall. Sheffield Corporation bought the Hall and 50 acres of land - which became the park - in 1890, and the libary opened in 1906.

[Tooeg]

Whenever I read about the old girls private school in the park, which became Brantwood at netheredge, I assumed it was the library building, is there another building there that I've missed.

[PopT]

Thanks Hillsbro for putting the record straight

 

popT

[algy]

Here is an interesting Wikipedia article about Hillsborough House: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hillsborough_House

 

Hillsborough House was built by Thomas Steade in 1779, and apparently the original Hillsborough, near Belfast, was named in honour of Wills Hill, a local politician and patron of the Steade family. The house had several owners until James Dixon acquired it in 1865, by which time it had become known as Hillsborough Hall. Sheffield Corporation bought the Hall and 50 acres of land - which became the park - in 1890, and the libary opened in 1906.

 

First the Dixon's sold off most of the estate, which was quite extensive, but retained the house and the immediate grounds, and when they finally sold these off the grounds became the park and the house the library.

[hillsbro]

Hi algy - yes, it seems that it was the death of J.W. Dixon Jr. in 1890 that resulted in the family selling the Hall and surrounding land, and Sheffield Corporation bought one of the 14 lots, this being the Hall and what became the park. Wynyard Dixon became a land surveyor in the 1890s, and so in this regard they perhaps had a useful family member - or perhaps it was the disposal of the estate that encouraged him to enter this profession. The Wikipedia article indicates that Sheffield Wednesday Football Club bought the land for their Hillsborough stadium at this time.

 

Here is a rather nice photo of Lennox Burton Dixon, taken outside Hillsborough Hall at the time of his coming of age in 1889: http://www.picturesheffield.co.uk/cgi-bin/zoom.pl?picture=http://www.picturesheffield.com/jpgh/s02840.jpg

 

The lady in the middle is evidently a family servant, and the young lad at the right is perhaps Wynyard, who would have been 15 at the time. By the time of the 1901 census, Lennox Dixon had married Mary Frances Quin and was described as an "electro plate manufacturer" living at More Hall, while Wynyard had married Catherine Anna Burke and lived at Wadsley Bridge in a house calle "The Hagg" which was evidently near Claywheels Lane.