The Bloody History of Leopold Street

[pawa]

The next Street up Church Lane was Solomon's Row (now Smith Street). This Street used to be called Bloody Row. The following circumstance gave it that name. One Solomon Smith and his son going to Chesterfield Races, a Gentleman's carriage happened to be coming from Chesterfield to the Race Common, a little on this side of Stone Gravels (my Father has shewn me the place very often). The son, then a boy, threw a Stone and frightened the Gentleman's horses. The Gentleman ordered his Footman to horsewhip the boy for so doing. The boy got over a wall and run across the fields, the Footman in pursuit after him. There happened to be in one of the fields some old Coal Pits. The Footman overtaking him began of horsewhipping him and drove him into one of these old Coal pits, so that the boy was killed upon the place. The Father had the case investigated into; The Footman was committed to prison to take his trial. The Gentle- man bargained with this Solomon Smith for so much money not to appear against the man at the Assizes, so by that means the man was acquitted.

 

With this money he (Solomon Smith) sold his son's life, for he built Solomon 's Row or Bloody Row, as it was once called (it is now Smith Street). {16} When I was a Boy it was reported that this Street was haunted. My aunt used to live in it for a number of years, and I have heard her and the rest of the family say that they have heard dreadfull noises in the Street at midnight many a time.

 

Smith Street has been swallowed up in Leopold Street. t his story of Miser Smith is one of many. It has been told before but not so fully as here. Local gossip fixed the sum left by Smith at his death at £60,000. He was reputed to have justified the omission of any provision for his housekeeper from his will by the remark: "Why should I :J She has had an easy place, she has earned a good deal of money by sewing at nights, and I found her a candle."

 

quoted from

A DESCRIPTION OF THE TOWN OF SHEFFIELD wrote in the year 1832 at the time the Cholera was raging in Sheffield.

 

BY

 

JOSEPH WOOLHOUSE.

 

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