Does anyone remember Stephensons Restaurant?

[John1940]

Does anyone know where Stephensons restaurant was . I know it was in Sheffield during WW1. It may still be in existence under a new name.

Any ideas?

Thanks

[kingfisher]

I believe (but am not certain) that it was over the top of where the Cannon Pub and the Coop is on Castle Steet

[hillsbro]

The 1905 directory has an entry:

 

William Stephenson, dining rooms, 3-7 Exchange Street (shown on this photo, just to the right of the Royal Hotel, above the "Maypole Dairy" shop; the Castle Market is now on the site). Another photo is taken from Castle Street, where the "dining rooms" evidently moved to, because the 1925 directory has:

 

William Stephenson (Sheffield) Ltd, Exchange restaurant & café, 20 Castle Street.

 

This was a bit nearer to Angel Street than the Cannon (next door but one by the numbering). The address does not feature in the 1942 directory, while the Cannon is still there (could the restaurant building have been destroyed in the bombing of December 1940?)

 

On this photo the Cannon is in the old building on the left with the three-arch roof - here is another photo. I imagine the restaurant was, as kingfisher wrote, on an upper floor of the Cannon or an adjacent building. Depending on which building housed the restaurant it may have been destroyed in the Blitz. In the latter case the site of the restaurant would have been on the left of this photo, perhaps just out of sight.

 

William Stephenson is shown in the 1911 census return as a 58 year-old restaurant proprietor of 19 Victoria Road, Broomhall. It would seem that some time between 1905 and 1925 he moved his business a few yards from Exchange Street to Castle Street. The move might have taken place prior to 1911, as on the census return sixteen people are shown as living at No 20 Castle Street, at least eight of whom were restaurant staff and the rest either "stillroom maids" or domestic staff.

 

My guess is that during the First World War, Stephenson's "Exchange restaurant and café" was at 20 Castle Street.

[John1940]

Thank you both-Kingfisher and Hillsbro- for the helpful info