What was there before the Parkway was built ? And Park Square roundabout?

What was the closest coalmine to the city centre (in living memory)?

Where did the Goodwin fountain go to? And who was Goodwin?

How did you manage with outside toilets in this sort of weather?

:) him8,would guess the nearest pit to the city centre would be the nunnery pit,down attercliffe-darnal way [highhazels] then spreadin out a bit there was orgreave-treeton & canklow.think b4 they built the parkway etc there were a lot of wharehouses for the river traffic [not sure].hope this helps,willo.

:) p.s. outside loo, see my posts on the any 1 from attercliffe thread,about uninvited lodger usin it.

Re Outside Loo- We had a paraffin heater in ours.Stopped the pipes freezing and lovely and warm in there in cold weather

Goodwin- Was a steel magnate. Neepsend Tool and Steel company was one of many companies he was involved in.

Goodwin Fountain- As far as I know it was just demolished.It suffered from vandalism and was often out of action.

What was there before the Parkway was built ? And Park Square roundabout??

fields and allotments. there's a pic, in one of the old sheffield books of a chap walking on the newly completed parkway, before it was opened to traffic!

What was the closest coalmine to the city centre (in living memory)??

Nunnery is just the other side of the parkway, I think that'd be the nearest.

Where did the Goodwin fountain go to? And who was Goodwin?? Sir Stuart Goodwin was an Alderman (big-wig) in the city, (like J G Graves) I can't remember... Did the council transfer the name of the Goodwin fountain to the water feature in the new peace gardens?

How did you manage with outside toilets in this sort of weather?
:hihi: we just were as quick as we could be! :hihi:

a lot of us used to keep small paraffin stoves in there that were lit, virtually 24/7, just to stop the water in the loo cistern from freezing up. it was a bloomin cold trip across the yard, in winter, I can tell you! Thank goodness for indoor sanitation.

I had a boyfriend that worked for a concrete firm when the Parkway was being built...

I went on one trip with him, in his talli-hoist and he let me pull the lever that made the cement come out....

My claim to fame therefore has always been that I helped to build the parkway.:hihi:

I'd love to see some pictures of the Parkway prior to its opening.

I vaguely recall going down there with my father one evening just before it was opened. I think we must have been on Cricket Inn Road or something and it was very impressive.

Would I be right in thinking that the dual-carriageway from Prince of Wales Road to Park Square roundabout was the last phase to be built? Wasn't the section from POW Road to the M1 already dual-carriageway and had been for some time?

Someone must have some photos.

What was there before the Parkway was built ? And Park Square roundabout?



The Sheffield Corn exchange stood on the site where the Parkway and Park Square now stand. Broad Street came down the right hand side of it and there was a pub on the opposite corner. The Corn Exchange was gutted by a bad fire (I think this was in the 1940's) but the ground floor on the front was kept in use - one of the business's was a cafe which was used by a lot of the Market workers. I used it about 1957 / 1958. I believe The Corn Exchange was finally demolished in the 1960's.

Hi,

Nunnery was the last (and nearest) operational colliery to the city centre.
It was at the end of Cricket Inn, close to the junction with Woodburn Road. You could also get to it from the end of Broad Oaks.

There also used to be a bit of the Nunnery Colliery machinery on Sheaf Street, across from the bottom of Commercial Street. Where Park Square is now. In its later days, I believe it was a pumping station ( it looked a bit like an old oil rig) for draining the Nunnery and pumping water into the Sheaf. There may have been a pit shaft there at one time. There was also a bunch of very, very old cottages. All very quaint. The machinery, and the cottages, disappeared about the time that the Nunnery closed (late 50's is my guess)

The first section of the Parkway opened when the Wholesale Fruit and Veg Market moved to the Parkway from Castlefolds - late 50's -early 60's. The first section (one lane each way) ran from Manor Lane to Handsworth. There was no underpass at Prince of Wales Road (PoW) or flyover at Handsworth Road.

The connection between Handsworth Road and the M1 was opened (four lanes) late 73 or early 74. In case you are wondering, the M1 had already reached Tinsley in 1968-89 but SCC didn't seem to have found out for some time.

Can't tell you when the PoW- Manor Lane section was twinned but it was still two lanes when I left town in 1974. Of course, the connection to Park Square came later -much,much later.

Sir Stuart Goodwin was a benifactor and the Chairman, or certainly a major player, in Neepsend Steel and Tool Corporation. NSTC was a big city employer at one time. Think the fountain opened in Oct 62 (plus or minus a year) but could be wrong. Because of its location, it could not have existed before the trams came off in Oct. 1960. Don't know when it was removed.

Over the years, SCC have had so many go's at "tarting up" the Town Hall Square that it makes your head spin. The fountain was just one.
Regards

Just for interest, before living memory there was a coalmine at the bottom of 'The Moor'.

There may have been others which left tunnels raised in another post on the forum.

Happy Days!

The sheffield parkway was built on land which was reserved from building for decades before, because they knew there would be a big road planned in the near future. Adjacent housing estates, Manor/Handsworth/parkhill were built long before the road was built.

However it was originally planned to go to Aston where junction 31 of the M1 now is, because they thought that the M1 would carry on north where the M18 now is. ....................now mosborough parkway is built along the old original reserved route.

Just for interest, before living memory there was a coalmine at the bottom of 'The Moor'.

There may have been others which left tunnels raised in another post on the forum.

Happy Days!


There are literally hundeds of unmapped and forgotten coal mines, and other mines all over the area. When they built the M1 they had to sink cores every few yards to check for hidden fissures and mineworkings long forgotten, to prevent later erosion.

<snippitty>
The first section of the Parkway opened when the Wholesale Fruit and Veg Market moved to the Parkway from Castlefolds - late 50's -early 60's. The first section (one lane each way) ran from Manor Lane to Handsworth. There was no underpass at Prince of Wales Road (PoW) or flyover at Handsworth Road.

my uncle worked on the concreting of the roundabout at POW rd in the very early 1970s

Just for interest, before living memory there was a coalmine at the bottom of 'The Moor'.

There may have been others which left tunnels raised in another post on the forum.

Happy Days!

Hi,

There must have been quite a few pits in town. Cambridge Street was only rename to mark a visit by the Duke of Cambridge (One of Queen Victoria's sons) in the late 19th century. Before that, it was called Coal Pit Lane.

I was told that for many years, buildings in Sheffield were restricted in height (and obviously loading) because nobody was quite sure what was down below. Exploratory drilling wasn't around then.

Before the University Arts Tower was built, a lot of core samples were taken to ensure good conditions ie. no collapsed or partially collapsed mine workings underneath or other geological anomalies.

Regards

Nunnery must have been the mine my dad worked at pre 39 came fm some mine near Worksop, move to Sheffield and down a Sheffield mine,the war changed everything because he went on to building crane's for the rest of his career.even Adolf did some good

How did you manage with outside toilets in this sort of weather?

Most people had outside toilets.Some of the older generation pre 1930s actually didn"t like the idea of an inside loo.Not even in the porch like ours was. They thought it was very unhygienic,So much so that some refused to have them for many years,saying,"I"m not "avin that muck in MY "ouse!"

The obligatory Picture Sheffield links!:

Parkway (Old):

http://www.picturesheffield.com/cgi-bin/picturesheffield.pl?_cgifunction=form&_layout=picturesheffield&keyval=sheff.refno=s18591

Nunnery Colliery (I think the parkway is now on the right of the white wall, could be wrong!):

http://www.picturesheffield.com/cgi-bin/picturesheffield.pl?_cgifunction=form&_layout=picturesheffield&keyval=sheff.refno=u03294

Nunnery Colliery:

http://www.picturesheffield.com/cgi-bin/picturesheffield.pl?_cgifunction=form&_layout=picturesheffield&keyval=sheff.refno=v01872

:)

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

Here's a scan from my 1961 OS map of the area from Sheffield to Handsworth:

http://s192798389.websitehome.co.uk/files/map.jpg

There's also a good street map here of the area around Park Square:

http://www.subbrit.org.uk/sb-sites/stations/s/sheffield_victoria/sheffield_victoria_map.gif

Here's a scan from my 1961 OS map of the area from Sheffield to Handsworth:

http://s192798389.websitehome.co.uk/files/map.jpg

There's also a good street map here of the area around Park Square:

http://www.subbrit.org.uk/sb-sites/stations/s/sheffield_victoria/sheffield_victoria_map.gif

Thank you so much for those - that's exactly what I wanted to see, as I couldn't really imagine where the streets where that were swept away to make way for the new layout. I take it that Granville Street, behind the railway station, is where the tram runs now? Also, where on that map was the Corn Exchange?

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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

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.

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 :blush: :hihi:

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.

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.

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.

Great thread, gives me an excuse to browse more of PictureSheffield.

This one is pretty good (for the Park Square bit) as it shows many recognisable buildings which are still standing.

View from current Park Square, looking towards the Hotel Ibis (http://www.picturesheffield.com/cgi-bin/picturesheffield.pl?_cgifunction=form&_layout=picturesheffield&keyval=sheff.refno=s13793)

Hi,


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

Hi Falls,

I remember the Sheaf Market as the Rag and Louse.

Was there not a pub in the Corn Exchange group of buildings? I forget the name but Norfolk Arms seems to ring a bell. It was used by market workers and was known colloquially as The Manche. I think it had an all day licence.

It had a large concert room and I remember, one Christmas eve about 1957 or 8, our band, the Gloryland was booked to play for a lunchtime session. The clientelle in the room split into two distinct sections with market workers on the one side and students on the other and an impromptu singing contest developed. I don't remember the outcome but there was lots of bonhommie and a good time was had by all. We stayed all afternoon and then went on through the evening session too. I seem to remember having trouble getting home to Richmond with my double bass afterwards but then, twas ever thus.

Regards,

Mike

Hi Falls,

I remember the Sheaf Market as the Rag and Louse.

Was there not a pub in the Corn Exchange group of buildings? I forget the name but Norfolk Arms seems to ring a bell. It was used by market workers and was known colloquially as The Manche. I think it had an all day licence.

It had a large concert room and I remember, one Christmas eve about 1957 or 8, our band, the Gloryland was booked to play for a lunchtime session. The clientelle in the room split into two distinct sections with market workers on the one side and students on the other and an impromptu singing contest developed. I don't remember the outcome but there was lots of bonhommie and a good time was had by all. We stayed all afternoon and then went on through the evening session too. I seem to remember having trouble getting home to Richmond with my double bass afterwards but then, twas ever thus.

Regards,

Mike

You're right, there were a couple of pubs in the Corn Exchange building. The Mauche was one. If I remember correctly, this was on the corner of Sheaf Street and the street that used to go to the canal wharf (a sort of extension to Exchange Street). In fact the streets that ran around the back of the exchange were always called "The Maunche". Nobody used the proper names: most people probably never knew the real names and I can't remember them.

Most of their business was from the Market people. In my childhood, they had very little trade in the evenings and on weekends, they were almost dead. They may only have had six-day licences at one time.

Regards

The Sheffield Corn exchange stood on the site where the Parkway and Park Square now stand. Broad Street came down the right hand side of it and there was a pub on the opposite corner. The Corn Exchange was gutted by a bad fire (I think this was in the 1940's) but the ground floor on the front was kept in use - one of the business's was a cafe which was used by a lot of the Market workers. I used it about 1957 / 1958. I believe The Corn Exchange was finally demolished in the 1960's.The only job Jimmy Childs lost money on the walls were very thick and welded together, built t o last eh !

Cambridge Street was only rename to mark a visit by the Duke of Cambridge (One of Queen Victoria's sons) in the late 19th century. Before that, it was called Coal Pit Lane.
There was a Coal Pit Lane in Wadsley, as well - it's now called Aldene Road. In fact come to think of it, there's coal under my house - if I get hard up I might start to mine it. There must be lots of former miners who'd like to be back in harness...

There's a Coal Pit Lane out at Stocksbridge, too.

Nunnery pit was the nearest I can think of I worked down the nunnery pit and also Handsworh 1948 it was possible to walk from Handsworth pit and come up at the Nunnery Good wages then 5 pound a week for 5 shifts not bad eh? I certainly remember Steads and Henry Mathews and his Bedford T K lorries painted dark blue I think they carried a lot of ashfelt, tarmac ect always immaculate turned out

Before the construction of Park Square, the Park Cinema stood in the middle of what is now the roundabout.

You're right, there were a couple of pubs in the Corn Exchange building. The Mauche was one. If I remember correctly, this was on the corner of Sheaf Street and the street that used to go to the canal wharf (a sort of extension to Exchange Street). In fact the streets that ran around the back of the exchange were always called "The Maunche". Nobody used the proper names: most people probably never knew the real names and I can't remember them.

Most of their business was from the Market people. In my childhood, they had very little trade in the evenings and on weekends, they were almost dead. They may only have had six-day licences at one time.

Regards

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

Wasn't the Pub on the corner of Exchange St And Sheaf Street called the Indusry Inn (The old Dustbin ) ?? Think so

Great thread, gives me an excuse to browse more of PictureSheffield.

This one is pretty good (for the Park Square bit) as it shows many recognisable buildings which are still standing.

View from current Park Square, looking towards the Hotel Ibis (http://www.picturesheffield.com/cgi-bin/picturesheffield.pl?_cgifunction=form&_layout=picturesheffield&keyval=sheff.refno=s13793)

Isn't this a photo of Dixon Lane looking towards Waingate?

the ibis hotel is sited in the old warehouse building, at the rear of the chinese buffet isn't it? next door to the pub on the corner of dixon lane/ Shude hill?

the photo shows the old rag-n-tag market, on the left, (sigh, memories) and it is indeed taken with one's back to what is now the park square roundabout.

Isn't this a photo of Dixon Lane looking towards Waingate?

Yeah, pretty much, but most people have heard of Park Sq, and the big hotels.

Although it's labelled as Broad St on the site, the main bit in the picture has now been named Broad St West.

to Plain Talker You say in your comment, the pub on the bottom corner of Dixon Lane,and Shude Hill. I have to disagree Dixon Lane Quite right But Shude Hill was a short street that ran from behind the old Post office buildings down to the bottom of Commercial St It came outby the side of the old Electric Light Comany officers The Wybourn and Woodthorpe buses came down that way

shude hill ran under the commercial street bridge, beside the gas board offices, not the electric light IIRC?

was the pub on the corner the Norfolk? I seem to think it was, but it's been so long since I was down that way.

Just for interest, before living memory there was a coalmine at the bottom of 'The Moor'.

There may have been others which left tunnels raised in another post on the forum.

Happy Days!

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

tBut Shude Hill was a short street that ran from behind the old Post office buildings down to the bottom of Commercial St It came outby the side of the old Electric Light Comany officers The Wybourn and Woodthorpe buses came down that way

Are you thinking of Shude lane which joined with Wheel hill and came out at the bottom of Commercial street onto Sheaf street ? Shude hill was as PT says - running from the bottom of Dixon lane to bottom of Bakers hill where you would turn left onto Shude lane.

I'm looking at a 1905 street map but I don't think much had changed by the 1950s apart from the joining of Flat street to Pond street and the steps on Bakers hill when the new PO was built.

Yes friend, you are perfectly right. I was wrong in my remarks I was not aware that Shude Hill carried on past the Gas comany (stores) to the bottom of Dixon Lane My excuse ?? I was working from memory and it ai'nt so good these days I'ii check on the name of the Pub and let you know

Just for interest, before living memory there was a coalmine at the bottom of 'The Moor'.

There may have been others which left tunnels raised in another post on the forum.

Happy Days!we unearthed the mine working tunnels in 71 / 72 while digging the footings for sainsbries,the coal strike was on and the contractor said any coal belonged to him,we still took lumps of it home though,longdons did most of the work on that site at the bottom of the moor

the ibis hotel is sited in the old warehouse building, at the rear of the chinese buffet isn't it? next door to the pub on the corner of dixon lane/ Shude hill?

the photo shows the old rag-n-tag market, on the left, (sigh, memories) and it is indeed taken with one's back to what is now the park square roundabout.

The Ibis is a brand new building. The warehouse was demolished prior to The Ibis being built. The pub on the corner is The Norfolk Arms. Before I retired I worked in the Head Post Office.

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.

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

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

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 (http://www.sheffieldmarkets.co.uk/sheffield-markets-20century.php) and it may explain.

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

Just guessing mind. ;)

Edited to say that I've just found THIS (http://www.sheffieldmarkets.co.uk/sheffield-markets-20century.php) and it may explain.

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

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

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.