Historical architecture stolen by The Blitz 1940

[inthehills]

Myself and the better half have spent the last few weeks navigating our way through the Rivers, Canals, Towns and Cities of the Midlands and the South East of England, I feel somewhat privileged to have taken in some fantastic and rather awe inspiring architecture.

 

However as a proud Sheffield'er in my late 30's I couldn't help but think about how our fine city would look had it not been for the devastating impact of the second world war, in particularly The Blitz of 1940.

 

One evening we sat with a glass of wine and had a google which brought us to several sites focused on Sheffield history and whilst the search was fairly brief, it was quite obvious as to just how widespread and devastating The Blitz actually was. In addition to this we stumbled upon numerous videos on a well known website, many of which were pre-war and show some fantastic architecture which is no longer.

 

Whilst my initial feelings towards the tragic impact of The Sheffield Blitz were those of feeling humbled and saddened, I also feel that as a result (and I mean this in a completely unselfish manner) that I have been denied some fantastic architecture and buildings in our fine City as well.

 

I know that we still have some fantastic old buildings in Sheffield however in modern times these seem few and far between, with quite uninspiring concrete creations scattered amongst them.

 

Am I being narrow minded here and walking around with my eyes half closed? I know that our City still has it's fair share of wonderful old buildings and architecture however I can't help but wonder how much of it was taken away from us during the war and how it would all look now had it never happened.

[Fogey]

Yep,you're being narrow minded. You're stuck in the mistaken belief that Architecture is only valid if it is old and consists of carved stone or has 'beams' on the ceiling e.t.c.

 

I genuinely worry more about the buildings from the modernist period that have been lost through shortsightedness, poor maintenance and inconsiderate alterations.

 

Just think about the millenium gallery, when it was first completed it was a beautiful, bright vibrant piece of Architecture. The last time I visited it the generous circulation spaces were gradually being completely filled with shop/cafe displays, awful signage had been added, the large pieces of generous glazing were being masked/blotted out by graffiti style window decals. Can you imagine anyone doing that sort of thing to the Town Hall or one of the Cathedrals? Is it any wonder people look at modernist architecture and don't understand the quality or aesthetic?

[focemal]

Good architecture is alas prone to the vagaries of fashion. I admire fine buildings irrespective of the age. Architecture should evolve and not be preserved in aspic.

[GleadlessLad]

Many nice old Sheffield buildings which survived the bombing were then torn down by the planners in the 1960s & 1970s.

 

I remember the big, imposing bank which used to stand on Commercial Street on the corner of Fitzalan Square, where Cooplands is now. Plus the Norfolk Market Hall on Pinstone Street. Just have a look at this little film (1960) to see the buildings at the top of the Moor / bottom of Pinstone St for example, which survived the blitz but were then demolished in the '60s & '70s in the name of "progress".

 

Edited April 7, 2017 by GleadlessLad

[TORONTONY]

Many nice old Sheffield buildings which survived the bombing were then torn down by the planners in the 1960s & 1970s.

 

I remember the big, imposing bank which used to stand on Commercial Street on the corner of Fitzalan Square, where Cooplands is now. Plus the Norfolk Market Hall on Pinstone Street. Just have a look at this little film (1960) to see the buildings at the top of the Moor / bottom of Pinstone St for example, which survived the blitz but were then demolished in the '60s & '70s in the name of "progress".

 

 

Yes the bank was Barclays, I think, and right next door on Commercial Street, was the King's Arms Hotel another imposing building. In fact I am not sure here, but were the two buildings actually attached?

[Robin-H]

Many nice old Sheffield buildings which survived the bombing were then torn down by the planners in the 1960s & 1970s.

I remember the big, imposing bank which used to stand on Commercial Street on the corner of Fitzalan Square, where Cooplands is now. Plus the Norfolk Market Hall on Pinstone Street. Just have a look at this little film (1960) to see the buildings at the top of the Moor / bottom of Pinstone St for example, which survived the blitz but were then demolished in the '60s & '70s in the name of "progress".

 

 

We don't need to go back to the 1960s and 70s to see beautiful buildings that survived the bombing being torn down (although I agree that those decades were particularly bad for that).

 

The Edwardian Jessop's Hospital Building was torn down just a few years ago to build the 'Carbuncle Cup' nominee that is the 'Diamond'.

[Daven]

We don't need to go back to the 1960s and 70s to see beautiful buildings that survived the bombing being torn down (although I agree that those decades were particularly bad for that).

 

The Edwardian Jessop's Hospital Building was torn down just a few years ago to build the 'Carbuncle Cup' nominee that is the 'Diamond'.

 

The old Jessop building was an eyesore and well past it's sell by date. It's demolition was well overdue.

[Robin-H]

The old Jessop building was an eyesore and well past it's [sIC] sell by date. It's demolition was well overdue.

 

It was left derelict. That by no way means that it was past its sell by date, or else you could say the same about the Victorian part of that building (which is now the music school). Do you think that should have been demolished, or refurbished (which it has been)?

 

The University previously stated that it had reserved funds to restore and integrate the Edwardian building into a new design.

[GleadlessLad]

I remember the plan in the early 1980s to pull down St Paul's Parade - the red sandstone Victorian block situated opposite the Town Hall, on the other side of the Peace Gardens near to where the no. 51 bus currently stops. There was a lot of public opposition - & fortunately, by then, the planners had started to listen.

[Yorkshire 53]

There's a saying, " Older generations built to last, today we build to rebuild within a generation."

 

Since the war,the council has done more damage than the Blitz, look what's been and gone in that time. Modernist 'architecture' has been revolutionary, not evolutionary, beginning with Soviet 'brutalism' which the council, after a visit there, imposed on Sheffield with the monstrous Park Hill flats etc..

 

Why do you think classic villages attract tourists, and calendars and chocolate boxes show old scenes ? It's because people have a 'tradition soul' which modernist 'art' ignores. Nations had distinct architecture, you could tell from a photo where it was taken, now, many world cities are looking the same, and why do these modernists have to place their creations deliberately next to iconic old buildings, hoping some glory will rub off ? The glass pyramid blighting the Louvre being one example, the delicate 'feminine' glass dome on the masculine German parliament building being another, they just love it !

 

Stockport and Halifax councils woke up in time, stopping further 'developer rape' which has paid benefits by drawing in admiring shoppers to both these traditional towns.

 

Modern architecture is cheap-and-easy-throw-away by comparison, but that's the thing, traditional buildings cost money and time, but it was money and time well spent because they endure and continue to please, hence the developing move back to where we left off.

 

Modern 'art' is the same, easy, no great skill needed, a monkey can, and has, done some ! The art establishment wide-boys promote this splodgy rubbish with big prices to get the "Oh, yes, I can see what it's supposed to be now " 'connoisseurs' to buy, whilst behind the scenes they're stashing the real art away in cellars. But we can't hide our buildings away, only demand they keep their 'projects' well away from them and let them stand or fall on their 'merit'.