Some questions about old Sheffield.

[Plain Talker]

you are correct, the tram runs along Granville Street, parallell with the back wall of the train station.

 

If I remember what my parents told me, the Corn Exchange was on the lower side of exchange street, where the back end of the old Sheaf Market/ Woolworths was(which is now Wilkinsons) where the new offices are being built. It was behind the Norfolk market hall which stood approximately where the british home stores building is now.

[Greybeard]

An old map showing Corn exchange and markets etc. here...

 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v216/Taidi/CornEx.jpg

[boston]

Hi,

 

The Nunnery Colliery had enormous spoil heaps - right at the end of Cricket Inn Road where it joined Manor Lane.

 

On the opposite corner of the junction was a factory called Stead's. They made small tools: things such as screw drivers with plastic handles.

 

Coming back up Cricket Inn Road - towards town - was an Engineering Company called S.A.Ward and next to them was Henry Matthews Transport.

 

Does anybody remember any of this ?

 

Regards

I can just remember the spoil heaps from the pit, but i think the pit had closed by then. They seemed to dominate the Wybourn area. Was there a pond in the middle? (kershaws pond or something?). As kids sliding down the heaps on cardboard.

[Plain Talker]

An old map showing Corn exchange and markets etc. here...

 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v216/Taidi/CornEx.jpg

 

ah, my apologies, I got the norfolk hall mixed up with the corn exchange.

[Falls]

you are correct, the tram runs along Granville Street, parallell with the back wall of the train station.

 

If I remember what my parents told me, the Corn Exchange was on the lower side of exchange street, where the back end of the old Sheaf Market/ Woolworths was(which is now Wilkinsons) where the new offices are being built. It was behind the Norfolk market hall which stood approximately where the british home stores building is now.

 

Hi,

 

The Norfolk Market Hall is where Wilkinsons is now. it was demolished in 1959 and replaced with a new Woolworths - which then became Woolco and eventually Wilkinsons. (Remember, the empty BHS store was where Woolworths used to be, before they moved down the street to the new store-about 1962). I know, it's all very confusing.

 

Behind the Market Hall (later Woolworths/Woolco/ Wilkinson's) was the Castlefolds wholsale fruit and veg market - before the moved to Parkway.

 

On the far side of Castlefolds market was Sheaf Street and across Sheaf Street was the Corn Exchange.

 

As for the Corn Exchange, this was in on the corner of Broad Street and Sheaf Street. Remember Broad Street used to come right through to the bottom of Dixon Lane, before Park Square was built. I remember the building as a child but it caught fire in 1947(?). Some businesses continued to operate at street level (Kidder's Cafe for one) and they still used the cellars for storage. The rest was really a burnt-out shell was eventually demolished in the late 50's.

 

One thing I do remember is that the Registry Office was in the front of the Corn Exchange Building, facing Sheaf Street and the Market. What a terrible place. The surroundings were just awful and if the Wedding was on a week day, the happy couple would come out to all this terrible noise (yelling and shouting from the market, trucks loading/unloading produce, buses,trams screaching around the corner at Broad Street), etc.). But that's how the SCC used to behave in those days (sound familiar?). Even when the office was burnt-out of the building (I don't think the records were damaged), they only moved to another tumble-down building on Surrey Street. It was the early 1970's before they were moved to the new purpose-built circular building most people will remember.

 

Behind the old Woolworth/BHS building was the Sheaf Market. Better know as the "Rag' n Tag" or "Cloth and Insect". It streached all the way over to Sheaf Street and from Broad Street to Commercial Street. All long gone.

 

Regards

[geocol]

a lot of us used to keep small paraffin stoves in there that were lit, virtually 24/7,

Yours must have been spacious.

We didn't have room to swing the proverbial cat in ours.

[Plain Talker]

Yours must have been spacious.

We didn't have room to swing the proverbial cat in ours.

 

no, was as cramped as any other, the stove was tucked behind the loo, under the cistern, if you weren't careful as you sat down, you could get some unexpectedly rosy cheeks! lol

[bensonhedges]

Hi,

 

The Norfolk Market Hall is where Wilkinsons is now. it was demolished in 1959 and replaced with a new Woolworths - which then became Woolco and eventually Wilkinsons. (Remember, the empty BHS store was where Woolworths used to be, before they moved down the street to the new store-about 1962). I know, it's all very confusing.

 

Behind the Market Hall (later Woolworths/Woolco/ Wilkinson's) was the Castlefolds wholsale fruit and veg market - before the moved to Parkway.

 

On the far side of Castlefolds market was Sheaf Street and across Sheaf Street was the Corn Exchange.

 

As for the Corn Exchange, this was in on the corner of Broad Street and Sheaf Street. Remember Broad Street used to come right through to the bottom of Dixon Lane, before Park Square was built. I remember the building as a child but it caught fire in 1947(?). Some businesses continued to operate at street level (Kidder's Cafe for one) and they still used the cellars for storage. The rest was really a burnt-out shell was eventually demolished in the late 50's.

 

One thing I do remember is that the Registry Office was in the front of the Corn Exchange Building, facing Sheaf Street and the Market. What a terrible place. The surroundings were just awful and if the Wedding was on a week day, the happy couple would come out to all this terrible noise (yelling and shouting from the market, trucks loading/unloading produce, buses,trams screaching around the corner at Broad Street), etc.). But that's how the SCC used to behave in those days (sound familiar?). Even when the office was burnt-out of the building (I don't think the records were damaged), they only moved to another tumble-down building on Surrey Street. It was the early 1970's before they were moved to the new purpose-built circular building most people will remember.

 

Behind the old Woolworth/BHS building was the Sheaf Market. Better know as the "Rag' n Tag" or "Cloth and Insect". It streached all the way over to Sheaf Street and from Broad Street to Commercial Street. All long gone.

 

Regards

 

Excellent post Falls, thank you. I guess I've about got a clear picture of it all now. I think one thing all this has lead to is that, come the better weather, I'm gonna go into town and take photos of everyday things and buildings - it all changes so quickly and I'd like to be able to look back in years to come and remember how it was, and maybe help future me's like you guys have helped me. Cheers.

[Greybeard]

ah, my apologies, I got the norfolk hall mixed up with the corn exchange.

 

Had difficulty remembering the layout myself. That plan though is from 1905 and the east side of Waingate was altered considerably before the 1950s which is the time my memories are from.

 

I worked on the site of the old Nunnery pit when I was with BT. Their Parkway close depot is where the pithead buildings were. In fact I think the Woodbourne road end of Parkway avenue is where the main entrance to the pit used to be.

[Greybeard]

I'm gonna go into town and take photos of everyday things and buildings - it all changes so quickly and I'd like to be able to look back in years to come and remember how it was, and maybe help future me's like you guys have helped me. Cheers.

 

Good idea, but you'll need to be quick. There are big changes afoot on The Moor and Waingate area. The Spital hill area I think will also change out of recognition before very long.