Some questions about old Sheffield.

[AKADOK]

Nunnery pit closed in 1953. The last remaining bulidings stood until the seventies, exactly opposite William Cook's offices on Parkway avenue. We used to play around them. The last of the slag heaps was cleared away in about 1970, and was situated where Makro now stands.

 

The last pit inside the Sheffield boundary was Handsworth, which according to Peter Harvey, closed in 1967. Not sure exactly where it was but someone will know.

[milted]

The Pit at Handsworth was situated off Hansworth hill A pub called the Norfolk Arms ( I think,long time ago you know)on the left going towards the church Take the first left that was what we called Pit lane, led straight into the pit yard I was there in 19 48, just as the pits were nationalized 59 years ago Where have all the years gone ? X Bevin Lad

[Nigel Womersle]

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

 

Falls, you may be able to help me. When I was a kid c1950, there was a crater in the area where the Castle Market is now. You walked across a bailey bridge, over the crater and into a part of the market (fish market I think). I know the Coop was gutted in the air raids (Blitz Dec.1940). Was that what stood where the crater was, or was it part of the market? Hope you can help and put my mind at rest. Kind regards - Nigel

[saxon51]

Falls, you may be able to help me. When I was a kid c1950, there was a crater in the area where the Castle Market is now. You walked across a bailey bridge, over the crater and into a part of the market (fish market I think). I know the Coop was gutted in the air raids (Blitz Dec.1940). Was that what stood where the crater was, or was it part of the market? Hope you can help and put my mind at rest. Kind regards - Nigel

Maybe these were excavations of the castle ruins prior to redevelopment?

 

Just guessing mind.

 

Edited to say that I've just found THIS and it may explain.

[Nigel Womersle]

Maybe these were excavations of the castle ruins prior to redevelopment?

 

Just guessing mind.

 

Edited to say that I've just found THIS and it may explain.

 

Thanks Saxon 51. The image was/is so vivid in my mind, I knew I wasn't imagining it.

[hazel]

There was a mine between the Manor and Woodthorpe. This has been documented in many other threads.

 

There is a Pit Lane going down by the side of the Fire Station at Manor Top.

 

There were spoil heaps either side of Mansfield Rd where the Territorial Army place is now-- which I would creep past as a chld thinking they were volcanos-- and where the Fire Station is built so does anyone know which Pit that would be .

 

hazel

[lazyherbert]

You're right Falls, it's fullname was "The Maunche Hotel", and its was on the corner of Sheaf St. and Exchange St. (Exchange Street crossed Sheaf Street and finished at the Canal Wharf at that time).

But what was the name of the Pub at the back of, and underneath the Norfolk Market Hall?, the old memory banks are on the blink!!

 

regards Capricorn_11

I think the pub under the Norfolk market hall was called the "stables"(nickname) & it was a right dive by all accounts.