Half submerged Derwent church steeple.

[hotnhi]

If the spire was demolished in 1947, what was it we (me, mum and a friend) saw poking above the water in the late 50s - early 60s? Anyone know? Anything in Howden or Derwent resers?

[hillsbro]

During the drought of 1959, parts of Derwent village became visible again, including an old bridge - here is a link to a photo on the picturesheffield.com site.

[athy]

Hillsbro, I note from a previous post that you're a philatelist. I don't know how long you've been collecting, but you might remember this: when I lived in Sheffield, my Dad became a stamp collector (oddly, he picked up the enthusiasm from me rather than vice versa). I remember that when the family used to go shopping in town on a Saturday morning, he would often leave Mum to her own devices for an hour and go with me to a stamp shop which was somewhere opposite the City Hall, maybe down a side street. I have a vague recollection of a bespectacled, quietly friendly man behind the counter but can't remember the shop's name (which I think was the owner's name also). Can you?

I got rid of most of my stamps years ago as I moved on to other interests, but I do still have the Penny Black which Dad bought me as a birthday present when I was about nine.

[hillsbro]

Hi athy - Ah, memories! This was 'The Stamp Shop' which was at 20-22 Division Street until 1950, then at 42 Division Street until c. 1961 when the property was demolished and the business moved to 9 Westfield Terrace (at the West Street end - it's now Tamper Coffee). Until the early 1950s the business was owned by Mr John Chamberlain, who sold it to Eric Edwards (medium height, bespectacled - a lttle eccentric like most philatelists ). His wife used to help out on Saturdays. The shop closed in 1972 when Mr Edwards retired; by this time the 'Sheffield Stamp Centre' had opened in Figtree Lane. There was also Frank Woore (stamps and secondhand books) in the Norfolk Market Hall, later Castle Market.

Edited January 25, 2017 by hillsbro

[athy]

That's the man, Mr.Edwards, yes - thank you very much. There was always a pleasant atmosphere in his shop.

Dad became a fervent collector, with British & Commonwealth his speciality. When he passed away I inherited the substantial collection, but my enthusiasm had long since waned. I sold them, and they funded the purchase of the arts & crafts long-case clock which is ticking away in my study as I speak.

[Voldy]

In his post a few days ago hotnhi asked about the Derwent & Howden Dams, my recollection is that at the Howden Dam there is a memorial stone to a dog who stayed by his Masters body until they were found. Thought I had a photo taken around 1959 but not found it yet!

 

Surprising what this topic has also thrown up as I too, along with my older brother, were junior members of the Sheffield P S in the 1940's. The first meetings we attended were in the YMCA building (Fargate - Norfolk Row junction) but moved to the Livesey/Clegg building in Union Street opposite the 'Palace'. By 1950 our other interests meant something had to give way to higher education as well as a 'Sociable' life;) Whilst I have maintained an interest, mainly in GB stamps through to 2016, my decision to cease keeping up with the unending stream and increased cost of new issues had to be taken. I well remember Mr Chamberlain and Mr Gabbitas, sadly the neighbour who introduced us to the Society died at a relatively young age.

[hillsbro]

The memorial is to "Tip", the sheepdog who remained by the body of her master, the 85-year-old Joseph Tagg, for 15 weeks during the winter of 1953-54. It stands beside the road near the Derwent Dam wall - here is a photo of the memorial stone, and here is a press report from the "Yorkshire Post" of 30 March 1954.

 

Yes - the Sheffield Philatelic Society met at the YMCA until 1945, then in the Library of the Livesey-Clegg House until 1975. Arnold Gabbitas was President in 1951-52; he died aged 60 in 1961, the same year I joined the Society. Founded in 1894, unlike some local philatelic societies the S.P.S. has survived and nowadays uses a room at the Central United Reformed Church on Norfolk Street. Apparently I've been a member longer than anyone else - but what made me feel really old was when the 2,000th meeting was held in 2011. I was the only member still alive who could remember the 1,000th meeting in 1961.

Edited January 25, 2017 by hillsbro

[Voldy]

Many thanks hillsbro for the details of a story well worth recalling and the location photo. Another "small world isn't it" moment has arisen as I attended the former Nether Chapel (now Central United Reform Church) until leaving Sheffield at the end of the 50's.

[Comet1949]

My dad worked for one of the companies that stripped Derwent Hall (I think) He kept a few momentos for old times sake. Two lovely plaster tiles which unfortunately many years ago he embedded into a fireplace in a bungalow he built. they can never be extracted now. Gave him a lot of satisfaction to have preserved them. Something you can see, according to family history, is the mantlepiece in the buttery in the snake inn, It was either a chunk of wood or stone but I carved the eye of the snake into it. It also came from the hall.

Recycling we call it now.