Can anyone help solve a mystery?

A photograph found beneath the floorboards of a disused methodist chapel in Filey, North Yorkshire in year 2000. It appears to feature a Sheffield steelworks scene.

Clues:

The railway wagons feature the words 'Tinsley', 'Sheffield', '& sons ltd' and 'Thos'.

The arched windows at the rear of the scene are very distinctive.

The plant on the right - What is it?

The 'logs' the guys are sitting on - What are they?

I have done a little research into this and I think it may be a scene from either Thos. Ward & Sons Ltd or Thos.Firth & Sons Ltd. I personally favour Thos Firth, as I think the top line on the board that is being held by the lad at the front of the picture may say 'Firths', but it is almost impossible to make out clearly.

Also, can anyone date this photo?

Sorry, but image tags appear to be disabled on the forum. Follow the link to view the photo.

http://groups.msn.com/photodump/shoebox.msnw?action=ShowPhoto&PhotoID=5

I have the full resolution image, which I am willing to send by e mail to anyone who thinks they may be able to id this photo.

cant help you much but the bars at the mens feet look like 1/2 inch round bar,one of the men is holding furnace tongues and some have sweat towels on their necks,the cabinet on the left has 1/2 hoops that were used to hold bars or pipes, just a guess but id think it was a rolling mill or bar mill,lots of old victorian mills and steel works had the same shaped windows to allow as much daylight in as possible. the logs could be to put the large billetts on,this allowed the crane chains to be slung underneath for lifting.
the large billets were drawn out into different diameter bars or wire after heat treatment

I like the York Flood pic. Mr strix lived in the building just beyond the bridge in the background at the time. My sister went to a job interview in a flooded building with no lights or phones, and they were worried they wouldn't be able to get out if the interview went on too long! She got the job.

The windows look like Samuel Osbournes on Rutland Road, not sure if the building has been there that long though.

Welcome to the Sheffield history section Stevo, looks like you will be a good contributer to this section.
Myself, Timo and the gang will look forward to some good postings.
We are a good crowd on here, always full of interesting memories.:thumbsup:

Weren't Thomas Wards at Tinsley?

I believe Thos. Ward was at Tinsley. Where was Thos. Firth? Did they have a Tinsley deopt?

The scan I have of the photo is larger and reveals more detail, however the surname of the Thos. in question is obscured.

Does anyone know wher I can source external shots of Firths or Wards.

There's nothing hanging on this other than I would like to id the location and possibly the date.

Theres a pic of the outside of Thos. Wards on :

www.picturesheffield.com


Under W for wards. Don't know if this can help?

Stevo,
I don't know if this will help, but why not check out the two books published by the Star newspaper. I think they are Memories of Sheffield and More Memories of Sheffield; they contain external and internal photos of various steelworks. Good luck, the photo is an interesting and intriguing find. By the way, I back Cycleracer's comments to the hilt.

Spring street in town ce

Supergary, can you elaborate a little?

:)

tommy wards was ,nt at tinsley.it was in between wicker arches and norfolk bridge.what is now known as the 12 oclock corner...

just some feed back on the tommy wards,yes tommy wards was at the wicker but what about tommy wards scrap yard that is where the other meadowhall retail park now stands because you had to walk up lock house lane pass the tinsley hotel to the canal and the footbridge that went over the railway lines you could see right into tommy wards scrap yard from there also I think it was edgar allans rolling mills that was in front of tommy wards and at the other side of it was the gec works.

Moss and Gambles at the bottom of Foxhill Road had windows like that.

I would say it is more than likely Thos Firths, as Wards had TWW on their wagons, Firths was on the site of Meadowhall and was flattened for the greater god of all women(shopping) in about 88/89 ish, try Firth Rixson Forgings, I believe this is the same company and they may have some old photos, I have some old maps(V large scale) and shall dig them out and have a look

Yes Speeder. My hunch is Thomas Firth's also. I've visited the picture Sheffield archive, but i just cannot find an external photo of Firth's that shows those distinctive windows.

may be meadowhall steel works, who built railway engines in the late 1860's this is located on the left side just before the north bound M1 junction from meadowhall north
see my website, http://www.photodays.co.uk
for more pictures, these are not fully titled but gives details of the derilict steel works, which is now in the process of being demolished.

hope this helps
john

My Son is wizard with image enhancment or what ever it,s called and he's going to give the photo the works and find out what it says on that board...I'll let you know the results of the test later.

is that the largest foto u have? and can u enhance it anymore??

if you scanned it could u try and flatten it out and make it as large as poss??

No, I have a larger resolution scan which I will e mail to anyone on request, who will supply their e mail address, which I will keep confidential. I do not have the original, as it does not belong to me.

If you want the full scan e mail your request entitled 'Mystery steelworks photo' to

stephen.eblet@virgin.net


The photo is in fact a double exposure. The steelworks image is the more prominent image, but there is a small group portrait at 90 degrees to the main image and underlying it.

Apparently this may be result of the cost of the glass plates used to make the images, being expensive and therefore they were untilised more than once.

Was going to try and get you a picture of the works i thought it was but went past the other day and they have pulled it down

Oh well.

I'm kind of hoping that someone will produce some photos of the Thomas firth works.

the windows look like Firths on Carlisle street. They have large arches. Let me introduce myself.I'm Gwen and I used to live in Grimesthorpe. Let me know what you think? Is this a possiblity.? Noticed Speeder said something about Firths being where meadowhall is. I thought that was Hadfields?