Bomb Sites in Sheffield

[Johnny P]

I can remember my mate talking to an old woman in the 70s & she told him about the bombing of the Marples hotel, She said that the sirens went when she was in Fitz Alan Square and it was a choice of the downstairs bar in the Hotel or the Public toilets in the square, I think she picked the right one ! JP

[Plain Talker]

I can remember my mate talking to an old woman in the 70s & she told him about the bombing of the Marples hotel, She said that the sirens went when she was in Fitz Alan Square and it was a choice of the downstairs bar in the Hotel or the Public toilets in the square, I think she picked the right one ! JP

 

Still a flippin' near-miss, though, Johnny!

 

I've mentioned before, about my granny, seeing them carrying the dead out of the Marples' ruins.

 

My father was only a young child, but he remembers being carried by my grandpa through the blazing streets of Sheffield, after the Blitz. My grandparents lived in the city centre (well, just off west street) and were bombed out of their home.

 

Grandpa carried my father up to Arbourthorne, where my great-grandparents lived, which was thought to be a bit safer (plus, the advantage being at that time, it still had its windows, and the roof!! *lols* )

[JOGI]

As though the raids weren't bad enough, the pain was made even worse by the mocking, traitorous broadcasts afterwards from Germany. Made by William Joyce (Lord Haw-Haw). He made particular references to the East-end and just to rub it in and show his knowledge of Sheffield, he said that the most promiment landmarks in Sheffield, the 7 tall chimneys of Steel,Peach and Tozer would be their guide to more death and destruction. This never happened. After the war finished in '45, he was caught in some German woods and shot in the leg to start with. Then hung in Wandsworth prison, in January '46. I read (in the Star?) that he was captured by a fella who was later to become the owner of the George Hotel in Hathersage.

[bullerboY]

My dad was in Marples on the night it was bombed but decided to go to the Bull and Mouth for a sing song,lucky bugger.My first jobin1957 was at Henry Matthews on Cricket inn rd and we had the job of excavating the site,when we looked in the rubble there were some items which had belonged to the people who had their last drink in there.

[JOGI]

PHi Bullerboy. Iive found your post very interesting' I've always wondered what would be revealed. I'm surprised it was as late as 1957 though. The reason I say this is that my brother and I worked on the finishing of Walsh's (now J.T.Hughes) in the middle of '53. Not sure when the other buildings were cleared such as Burtons and C&A's. probably the late 50's then. I know we then moved onto the moor to re-buiild British Home Stores, Robert Bros.,Woolworths., working for Geo.Longden & Sons. Did you continue in the building trade after Marples.?. P.S. Even after the building collapsed on top of everybody they say that some waiters were sandwiched between slabs of concrete which protected them and they were eventually rescued. PPS. I was watching a digger driver yesterday removing surface asphalt for the new market,bottom of the Moor. I wondered if I could spot the old tram lines being exposed and sure enough theyre there. Wonder how old they are?

[bullerboY]

sorry jogi Iwas a apprentice mechanic in1957 and when the tippers came in to drop their load we would look through the rubble to see what we could find.I doremember the marples site very well as my mother would take me to wilson gumperts next door to it and in summer it smelt terrible.In a book i think its called its a bit lively outside there is a list of names and addresses of everyone who was killed that night.

[bullerboY]

dont know about the tramlines I think they would have been dug up after various road works.I do remember Walsh's when it was a hole in the ground and there was a ice cream van in the middle of it!

[JOGI]

Hi BB. Thanks for your memories. Firstly, what happened to Henry Matthews. It's a name I'd completely forgotten about. Also I remember Wilson Gumperts as a kid, (a toy shop was'nt it?) but can't think where it was. Do you remember this spot after the war. It was between Marples blitzed site and Change Alley. The area had been cleared and some huts had been put on there to serve as shops. I also remember next to Marples, in Fitzalan Square, Fisher Sons & Sibray. They sold garden plants etc. and I believe they had a nursery locally. Cheers.

[bullerboY]

hi jogi

Henry Matthews and sons was at the Manor lane end of Cricket inn rd,in the fifties and sixties they were in direct competition with James childs and son to see who could get rid of Sheffields bomb rubble the quickest.Eventually they found their finances a bit streched paying our apprentice wages they sold out to Northern Strip Mining.There were five brothers,Fred,Len,Harry,Stan,Frank and old Henry who died just after I started there.Wilson Gumperts was a toy shop at the side of Marples.Change alley was were Arundle gate is now,it was only a narrow laneI can remember Marsdens milk bar and Burnett and Hallamshire coal office on there also a pub called Kings head whichb was bombed.I can remember the plant shop but I forgot its name.Ooops Iforgot Fred Matthews is still alive at 95yrs and lives near Manchester.

[sliver]

I did a project on sheffield blitz, i spoke to poeple who were in the blitz,they told me what they did, i went to the library and got a copy of the map where the bombs fell, marples lost was 75 dead, rubble could not be lifted as there was not the equipment around at the time, this i know as i interveiwed a chap that was working to help move the rubble, and lime was put down, at marples, my mums friends brother was also killed when the bomb fell.

 

On the night Marples was bombed, my mum who worked there, had swapped shifts with her cousin, as it was mums birthday. Unfortunately her cousin died. I believe they got most of the remains out, and put them in the mass grave in City road cemetery.