Renovations at the General Cemetery, what's happening?

[diksey]

My favourite walk with our dog is to the General Cemetery, I think it's a very important part of Sheffield past.

Earlier this year scaffolding was erected round the Anglian Chapel, that's the one next to Cemetery Road, the old roof timbers were taken out and replaced with new wood.

There the work stopped, it was left open the elements and has been ever since. This building is Grade 2 listed, how can it just be left to go into further disrepair.

Further in the cemetery is the Nonconformist Chapel, assuming the roof is ok this is closed to the weather. This building is also listed. At the Montagu Street entrance a board was erected quite some time ago stating that this building was to undergo renovation, and that the 1st phase will be complete by October 2014, and that it will provide a unique venue for private events. Guess what? They haven't even started yet, funding was to come from Architectural Heritage, English Heritage and the Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation amongst others.

Is the Council responsible for this, or is there some other group dragging it's feet.

There is more neglect all round the cemetery with a large area in the middle that has been fenced off, many gravestones being completely overgrown.

There are some well known people from Sheffield's past, George Bassett of liquorice allsorts fame, Mark Firth steel manufacturer and founder of Sheffield University, his monument is listed as are several others. There are 3 brothers who were the founders of Cole Brothers.

As I wander round with the dog I stop and read some of the inscriptions on some of the graves, as well as their name it can also tell you where they lived or what they did for a living or how they met their fate.

Edward Liddell who died in 1883 was manager of Sheffield Union Bank, I tried to imagine what he was like, I imagined him looking a bit like Arthur Lowe who was the bank manager in Dad's Army.

Then I wondered where the bank was, the only place I thought was the Victorian building on George Street that was occupied by NatWest.

Then there was William Comersall who was Lessee of The Theatre Royal, I seem to remember reading that this place was on West Bar, it was built of wood and eventually burned down.

Near to him is George De Bell who was 2nd mate on a ship named Polestar and was washed overboard off Cape Horn on March 28th 1886, he was 22 years old.

I wondered how a lad from Sheffield was working on ship, did he run away to sea to escape poverty perhaps?

There is the grave of Ralph Baker who died in 1864 left upwards of £500 to the Deakin Institute which helped aged destitute unmarried females.

A large sum of money in those days, but a worthy cause nonetheless.

There are hero's too, like Lieutenant Harold Brooke Forsdike who's family lived in Ecclesall was killed in action on 1st July 1916 aged 20.

Infant mortality was very high in those days, every other grave bears the names of young children.

There is a tomb that just bears the names of William and Amelia Walker, but when I looked on the top it bore the inscription

In memory of our nine beloved children who died in their infancy.

We to maintain this place there is so much Sheffield history.

[bullerboY]

If you see the Tombstone of Ernst Hiller from Kunselsau in Germany he was a pork Butcher who had a shop on South St now the Moor and was a great philanthropist to Sheffield.He came to Sheffield as a young man and set up a thriving business,he had a large house in Nether edge..By sheer coincidence the President of Kunselsau is a friend of mine for many years now Helmut M Jahn and he supports Sheffield Wednesday well someone has too.A contributor to the Forum Hillsboro sent me a book on German Pork butchers in England and in it was a name from Obermassolderbach where i have a friend.When I phoned my friend to tell him it went very quiet then he said to me that is my mothers cousin.We went over that year and he had arranged for this mans relative to meet us and he was amazed at this.I made him a gift of the book.

[diksey]

Hi bullerboy,

Not come across it as yet, but yes I will look out for it as I wander round. Only thing is if it is in the area that is fenced off then not much chance of seeing it, but I'll keep looking.

[bullerboY]

HiDicksey,the monument is near the top near the chapel it is a tall one his wife is also on it and she died in Douglas IOM. its not fat from Mark Firths just to the right.

 

---------- Post added 13-10-2014 at 09:37 ----------

 

Apologies Diksey his name is Louis Hiller put it down to my old age.

 

---------- Post added 13-10-2014 at 09:43 ----------

 

you can get all the info of him by googling the General cemetery news letter.

[diksey]

Ok, thanks for that.

[cookingfat50]

the last time I was up there a couple of years ago there wasn't much going on there no sign of any renovation going on.

may be they should get young offenders, those on community service up there. to clear it up and repair the head stones that have been pushed over. make the grounds nice and tidy cutting the grass pruning and pollarding the trees back, anyone convicted of a crime that includes vandalism, muggings, shop lifting sure there are many more that will punish the, even like the american's do put them in a chain gang, and put a couple of warders on site with shotguns to keep them from hiding or sloping off for a fag or 2 it would save hundreds of thousands and keep the miscreants off the streets