Albert T Smith
05-08-2007, 19:05
THE LOSE HILL VIEW FINDER.
Our old moor walloper and teaser of gamekeepers, Harry Bragg, who, from 1931 to 1947, until he retired, was manager of the largest steel foundry in South Africa, at the South African Steel Corporation plant, Vereeniging sent me £50, in memory of his happy hours with the Sheffield Clarion Ramblers on Peakland hills and moors, and with the intention that the first View-Finder in Derbyshire should be fixed on the summit of Lose Hill.
After long delays, and hurried final arrangements, the circular bronze plaque View Finder was made, to the design of Frank Shearstone, showing the outline of hill and dale and naming all the principal features (73) of the fine view from this twin central summit in the Hope Valley and NW. part of The Peak District-the other being Win Hill.
The Lord Mayor of Sheffield, Ald. W. E. Yorke, climbed the hill-and my wife-, and met a jolly party on the top. In declaring the View Finder open for public use and enjoyment, he said he had never used his badge of office to better purpose than, after 30 years, in climbing Lose Hill again and performing this ceremony ; and he urged ramblers to continue to fight reasonably for the freedom they desired. Mr. Noel Norton, who had worked assiduously in making the preparations and arrangements presided, and Mr. W. Bragg (a foundry foreman, “Harry's” brother), Frank Shearstone, and myself also addressed the meeting.
The Lord Mayor gave me a good story about the cheeky pressmen who, during the week, had been pestering his office by 'phone for "exclusives ", or the splashy stuff which now passes for daily news ! One man
asked if the Lord Mayor's macebearer was taking the mace up Lose Hill, and Ald. Yorke said " Of course he is ! He’s taking the mace under one arm, and the Town Hall under the other." At least one man ‘ got what he asked for.’
And now let it be recorded that Messrs. J. L. Basford, W. H. Baxby, G. Baxby, P. Crofts, N. Norton, F. Rodgers and F. Travers spent long and heavy-if joyous service-hours in carrying and conveying the stone and cement-up the hill from Lose Hill Farm, 550 ft. below.
The unobtrusive round pedestal, on which the View Finder rests, was built by Mr. Bingham, an Edale mason, who, very recently, removed to Bradwell and Mr. Wilson, of Yew Tree Farm, Aston, near Hope, fixed the View Finder.
The next View Finder in Derbyshire will probably be on the Lantern Pike summit, now dedicated to the memory of Edwin Royce.
G.H.B.Ward.
He donated the summit of Lose Hill to the National Trust. Now named ‘ Wards Piece’.
Was the Founder of the Sheffield Clarion Ramblers.
And a Founder Member and the first Secretary of the Sheffield Labour Party.
Our old moor walloper and teaser of gamekeepers, Harry Bragg, who, from 1931 to 1947, until he retired, was manager of the largest steel foundry in South Africa, at the South African Steel Corporation plant, Vereeniging sent me £50, in memory of his happy hours with the Sheffield Clarion Ramblers on Peakland hills and moors, and with the intention that the first View-Finder in Derbyshire should be fixed on the summit of Lose Hill.
After long delays, and hurried final arrangements, the circular bronze plaque View Finder was made, to the design of Frank Shearstone, showing the outline of hill and dale and naming all the principal features (73) of the fine view from this twin central summit in the Hope Valley and NW. part of The Peak District-the other being Win Hill.
The Lord Mayor of Sheffield, Ald. W. E. Yorke, climbed the hill-and my wife-, and met a jolly party on the top. In declaring the View Finder open for public use and enjoyment, he said he had never used his badge of office to better purpose than, after 30 years, in climbing Lose Hill again and performing this ceremony ; and he urged ramblers to continue to fight reasonably for the freedom they desired. Mr. Noel Norton, who had worked assiduously in making the preparations and arrangements presided, and Mr. W. Bragg (a foundry foreman, “Harry's” brother), Frank Shearstone, and myself also addressed the meeting.
The Lord Mayor gave me a good story about the cheeky pressmen who, during the week, had been pestering his office by 'phone for "exclusives ", or the splashy stuff which now passes for daily news ! One man
asked if the Lord Mayor's macebearer was taking the mace up Lose Hill, and Ald. Yorke said " Of course he is ! He’s taking the mace under one arm, and the Town Hall under the other." At least one man ‘ got what he asked for.’
And now let it be recorded that Messrs. J. L. Basford, W. H. Baxby, G. Baxby, P. Crofts, N. Norton, F. Rodgers and F. Travers spent long and heavy-if joyous service-hours in carrying and conveying the stone and cement-up the hill from Lose Hill Farm, 550 ft. below.
The unobtrusive round pedestal, on which the View Finder rests, was built by Mr. Bingham, an Edale mason, who, very recently, removed to Bradwell and Mr. Wilson, of Yew Tree Farm, Aston, near Hope, fixed the View Finder.
The next View Finder in Derbyshire will probably be on the Lantern Pike summit, now dedicated to the memory of Edwin Royce.
G.H.B.Ward.
He donated the summit of Lose Hill to the National Trust. Now named ‘ Wards Piece’.
Was the Founder of the Sheffield Clarion Ramblers.
And a Founder Member and the first Secretary of the Sheffield Labour Party.