Visiting city of my birth

[Titch66]

I am visiting, a bucket list trip, from NZ in early Oct. I was born at the old Jessop's hospital, began school at Hartleybrooke and lived in the Lane top area. This was all a VERY long time ago! Can anyone suggest where I could stay to wander around these areas,I shall be on foot. Bed and breakfast would be fine. I believe the old hospital wing has been demolished?

Hope I've posted in the right place......many thanks

[lazarus]

I am visiting, a bucket list trip, from NZ in early Oct. I was born at the old Jessop's hospital, began school at Hartleybrooke and lived in the Lane top area. This was all a VERY long time ago! Can anyone suggest where I could stay to wander around these areas,I shall be on foot. Bed and breakfast would be fine. I believe the old hospital wing has been demolished?

Hope I've posted in the right place......many thanks

The whole of Jessops has gone, I hope someone can help you with accommodation, the City has changed for the worse I'm afraid, the City I loved has been swept away under the pretext of improvements.

[Elmambo]

Stay in NZ, would be my recommendation.

[PeterR]

I am visiting, a bucket list trip, from NZ in early Oct. I was born at the old Jessop's hospital, began school at Hartleybrooke and lived in the Lane top area. This was all a VERY long time ago! Can anyone suggest where I could stay to wander around these areas,I shall be on foot. Bed and breakfast would be fine. I believe the old hospital wing has been demolished?

Hope I've posted in the right place......many thanks

 

Hi Titch66,

 

Yes, I believe you have posted in the right place.

 

I lived near your areas in my early days, Grimesthorpe 1943 to 1957 and Shiregreen 1957 to 1962. I have family in Sheffield and visit frequently.

You don't say how long ago it was since you were in Sheffield. If you are prepared to accept that many changes have been made over the years, then you, like me, will be glad that there are many things around that enable you to orientate where the old buildings were. My wife advises me that there is still an old building which was part of Jessops around the back although new buildings are on the bulk of the site. However West Street is easily recognizable after 70 years as well as most other roads. Also many of the old buildings are still there in the town centre such as the Town Hall. Near Lane Top the housing is much the same as when I was a child. The Brushes School has now gone though, but Longley Park is still opposite the site. Also Concorde and Firth Parks still exist.

My wife and I find the value budget hotels such as Travelodge and Premier Inn ok for a night or short break. If you book at least 3 weeks in advance the prices are possibly better than B&B. There are a number in Sheffield. I would suggest that Premier Inn is better although a little bit more cost. However, Travelodge next to the Meadowhall Shopping Centre which was built on the old steelworks site at Brightside is handy for rail bus and taxis. Hope this helps.

Are you aware of http://www.picturesheffield.co.uk for old pictures?

 

Regards, Peter.

Edited August 22, 2014 by PeterR

[beechnut]

Hi Titch66 - welcome to the Forum! I would echo Peter's views; Sheffield has of course changed (just as everywhere else has changed) and many things associated with the Sheffield you may remember have gone forever, but it's still a good place to live. Much of the city has not changed a great deal - as Peter noted, West Street (with its architectural mix of buildings from the 18th century onwards) is much as it was many years ago - it even has trams - and other parts of the city are recognisable. Accommodation in the Travelodge and Premier Inn hotels is good, clean and moderately priced. Some parts of Sheffield have changed for the better, some for the worse, and there have been some disastrous planning decisions (such as building huge blocks of flats and then demolishing them, and building pedestrian subways and then filling them in again) but Sheffield life carries on.

 

Having, during the course of half a dozen visits, travelled New Zealand from Cape Reinga to Bluff (to say nothing of Stewart Island) and knowing how to get milk from Bulls I think you chose a good country to live in, but I'm also sure you'll enjoy your visit to Sheffield. Mrs beechnut and I are quite content to live here...

Edited August 21, 2014 by beechnut

[Daven]

The whole of Jessops has gone, I hope someone can help you with accommodation, the City has changed for the worse I'm afraid, the City I loved has been swept away under the pretext of improvements.

 

Sheffield has moved into the 21st century - it has not got worse it has changed.

Sheffield is a beautiful city if you open your eyes - you need to accept that things have to move forwards.

Edited August 21, 2014 by Daven

[*Belle*]

Also many of the old buildings are still there in the town centre such as the Town Hall and Grand Hotel.

 

I guess its been a while since you visited ?? The demolition of The Grand Hotel has just had its 40th anniversary

[soft ayperth]

Jury's Inn is downtown and rates and breakfast reasonable. But, I've always felt disappointed with the so called "progress" of the place every time I've been back.

[PeterR]

I guess its been a while since you visited ?? The demolition of The Grand Hotel has just had its 40th anniversary

 

Sorry Belle, I seem to have got this wrong.

 

After an evening at the theatre early this year, my wife and I came across an Italian restaurant through an entrance off Leopold Street into what, in the dark, I thought was a courtyard of the old building that was The Grand Hotel. I believed this as I recall that 50 years ago I made several calls around the side or back of the hotel on business. I see from 'picture sheffield' that the hotel was in fact demolished in 1974. I suppose it's possible that part of the old facade on Leopold Street was kept?? Or maybe, sadly, this wasn't considered worthwhile forty years ago. Will have a look when I'm next in the city centre.

 

Regards, Peter.

Edited August 22, 2014 by PeterR

[hillsbro]

...I suppose it's possible that part of the old facade on Leopold Street was kept?? Or maybe, sadly, this wasn't considered worthwhile...

Sadly, it seems it wasn't. This is how the former façade looks now (photo courtesy of Google Earth). But enough of Old Sheffield has survived for Tich66 to recognise the city.