Havelock Bridge

[Person6]

It was common in the 1960'same (and maybe before) for the bridge over the railway on Myrtle Road at Heeley to be referred to locally as "Havelock Bridge". Was this an official title?

I have a couple of maps from the 1950's and earlier in the century and Havelock Bridge is there but not distinguished by name.

I can remember catching a bus from there in the early 60's and am almost certain that on the destination blind was a shortened version of the name, in smaller text, alongside the proper destination but memory may have distorted.

Anyway, the question is was the title official, and why Havelock? What is the significance of that name and when was it first applied?

[lazarus]

It was common in the 1960'same (and maybe before) for the bridge over the railway on Myrtle Road at Heeley to be referred to locally as "Havelock Bridge". Was this an official title?

I have a couple of maps from the 1950's and earlier in the century and Havelock Bridge is there but not distinguished by name.

I can remember catching a bus from there in the early 60's and am almost certain that on the destination blind was a shortened version of the name, in smaller text, alongside the proper destination but memory may have distorted.

Anyway, the question is was the title official, and why Havelock? What is the significance of that name and when was it first applied?

The bridge is named after an English soldier who distinguished himself in India, Havelock Square is also named after him.

[Voldy]

This OS 1/1250 plan from 1952/3 confirms the name http://www.sheffieldhistory.co.uk/forums/topic/4008-os-maps-of-sheffield-and-district-195039s-over-300-of-them-33/?page=2#comment-22482

[Person6]

Interesting. I have an earlier OS map from which the name is absent. Last night I was talking to a group of friends who live in the area, including two who live on Myrtle Road, and I was describing an incident that had happened on Havelock Bridge and none of them (that's 7 people who live

in an area between Myrtle Road and Valley Road) knew the name or which bridge it applied to.

[echo beach]

I lived in Midhill Road for seven years from 1946 and subsequently visited my grandparents who lived just off Sharrow Lane until the 1970s and in all those years of crossing the bridge it was always known as Havelock Bridge. Having said that I can never remember a road sign to that effect. I expect that it was mentioned as a stop on tram and bus routes though.

Perhaps over the years the name has been used less frequently and I'll bet it's not mentioned on any modern day satnav! With the introduction of its use in the driving test will we have a generation of folks who are unable to read a map and find their way around?

 

echo.

[muddycoffee]

I always thought it was named after "Havelock Works" which may have been alongside the bridge at one time.

Although no mention of anything in 1925 Kelly's directory

[hillsbro]

Perhaps Havelock Works was also named after the soldier mentioned by lazarus, along with Havelock Bridge, Havelock Square and Havelock Street. The late Peter Harvey in his book "Street Names of Sheffield" gave this information for Havelock Street: "built in the 1850s and named after Sir Henry Havelock, English soldier, who commanded a division in the Persian war of 1856 and a year later, during the Indian Mutiny, fought at Lucknow. He died in 1857, around the time this street was being built."

[Jim Hardie]

I lived nearby until I was six years old and can remember walking along the top of the parapet holding my grandfather's hand. He'd probably be locked up these days.

http://www.picturesheffield.com/frontend.php?action=zoomWindow&keywords=Ref_No_increment;EQUALS;s28300&prevUrl=

[trastrick]

I lived in Midhill Road for seven years from 1946 and subsequently visited my grandparents who lived just off Sharrow Lane until the 1970s and in all those years of crossing the bridge it was always known as Havelock Bridge. Having said that I can never remember a road sign to that effect. I expect that it was mentioned as a stop on tram and bus routes though.

Perhaps over the years the name has been used less frequently and I'll bet it's not mentioned on any modern day satnav! With the introduction of its use in the driving test will we have a generation of folks who are unable to read a map and find their way around?

 

echo.

 

You are correct!

 

I lived in Heeley before moving to the Arbourthorne.

 

The name "Havelock Bridge" was as common to our ears as "Pond Street" or "The Moor". Havelock Bridge was the tram AND bus stop that would be used most by United fans as they went to and from Bramall Lane. From there you could catch a bus or tram to Heeley, Arbourthorne, Gleadless, Nether Edge, Ecclesall, Woodseats or to town.

 

The name obviously fell into disuse along with the disappearance of trams and buses as our main mode of travel.

 

(Midhill Rd was also part of my paper route in 1952/3)

Edited April 16, 2017 by trastrick

[me-and-pippo]

Havleock Bridge was mentioned in local newspapers (a rail accident at Heeley station), November, 1876.

'Havleock Bridge' is named on the large scale 1890 OS map and Hodkin and Jones (Havelock Bridge Works), opened June 1900.

Edited April 16, 2017 by me-and-pippo
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