1. Above HL Brown Jewelers at the top of Fargate is what looks like tube sticking out of the building and next to it says "1 'o' clock time signal". I noticed it a few years ago, and a couple of years ago finally heard it go off (its like a siren) a couple of times and when it did the majority of people around there at the time wondered what the hell it was - so most people have never noticed it or never heard it, which is strange cos surely most people have been in town at about 1pm.
So I was wondering, what exactly is the purpose of it and does it go off every day?

2. I noticed some sort of crane in the courtyard of the old City School/education buildings on Leopold Street and there was a bit of scaffolding. Surely they're not knocking it down? It looks such a nice building - although it wouldn't surprise me if its in such a bad state after being empty for years. Anyone know what's happening?

hi,
I've heard the siren go off when I've been in town and wondered the same!
Sorry I can't be of more help but as far as I know it does go off everyday at 1pm.

The siren goes off at 1pm everyday to remind office wrkers that its time to go back to work. And yes, they are knocking the Leopold Street buildings down.

Mysteries solved. Ta.

Originally posted by slh73
And yes, they are knocking the Leopold Street buildings down.

What the........?

Another beautiful building bites the dust, to be replaced by what?

Not another glass and concrete monstrosity with a shelf-life of 10 years, ...........please!!!!

:loopy:

Here is a description of the development from the Sheffield1 website http://www.sheffield1.com/heart_leopold.html

Located close to the City Hall, the Leopold Street complex is a fine collection of Grade II listed buildings which originally housed Sheffield Boys' School and later the Council's education offices. These lovely stone buildings are designed in the Renaissance Revival style and form an important part of Sheffield's architectural heritage.

Last year a consortium of ASK Property Developments and MJ Gleeson plc was appointed as the City Council's preferred development partner to refurbish the buildings as a high quality mixed-use project. Detailed design work is now substantially complete and planning and listed building applications have been submitted, with work due to start on site early in 2003. The £20 million project will include a quality 134-bedroom hotel, 37 apartments around a small private courtyard, a comedy/live entertainment venue, café-bars, good restaurants and a health and fitness club.

The centrepiece of the development will be a new public square inspired by the vibrant urban spaces of Barcelona. The square will be created from the former school playground, providing an attractive pedestrian link and outside dining and seating areas for the restaurants. It will be designed to the highest quality with natural stone, water features and trees.

The sensitive and innovative conversion of these magnificent buildings will help to draw life and activity right into the city centre and will bring important private sector investments and new jobs. The new hotel and restaurants will attract additional spending power and economic activity.

Originally posted by Andy C
Here is a description of the development from the Sheffield1 website http://www.sheffield1.com/heart_leopold.html

Located close to the City Hall, the Leopold Street complex is a fine collection of Grade II listed buildings which originally housed Sheffield Boys' School and later the Council's education offices. These lovely stone buildings are designed in the Renaissance Revival style and form an important part of Sheffield's architectural heritage.

Last year a consortium of ASK Property Developments and MJ Gleeson plc was appointed as the City Council's preferred development partner to refurbish the buildings as a high quality mixed-use project. Detailed design work is now substantially complete and planning and listed building applications have been submitted, with work due to start on site early in 2003. The £20 million project will include a quality 134-bedroom hotel, 37 apartments around a small private courtyard, a comedy/live entertainment venue, café-bars, good restaurants and a health and fitness club.

The centrepiece of the development will be a new public square inspired by the vibrant urban spaces of Barcelona. The square will be created from the former school playground, providing an attractive pedestrian link and outside dining and seating areas for the restaurants. It will be designed to the highest quality with natural stone, water features and trees.

The sensitive and innovative conversion of these magnificent buildings will help to draw life and activity right into the city centre and will bring important private sector investments and new jobs. The new hotel and restaurants will attract additional spending power and economic activity.
That's good to hear and one of Sheffield's good ideas - if it all goes to plan that is.

Originally posted by karenjane39
hi,
I've heard the siren go off when I've been in town and wondered the same!
Sorry I can't be of more help but as far as I know it does go off everyday at 1pm.

Didn't you lot watch Camberwick Green as a kid - you would remember the train which got to the factory as the siren went off and all the workers came out. Or something. I only remember the song!

Originally posted by Andy C
Didn't you lot watch Camberwick Green as a kid - you would remember the train which got to the factory as the siren went off and all the workers came out. Or something. I only remember the song!
Gosh! I hadn't realised that was filmed in Sheffield ;) :hihi:

Reading that, it appears the facade will stay intact. If that's the case, I'm all for it.:thumbsup:

Originally posted by slh73
The siren goes off at 1pm everyday to remind office wrkers that its time to go back to work. And yes, they are knocking the Leopold Street buildings down.

Wow does any other city have this facility - I have not seen it in London or Manchester. Do sheffielders really require to be reminded to go back to work in this day and age - and what if you take your lunch break from 1 to 2 pm ?

Originally posted by Patrick2000
Wow does any other city have this facility - I have not seen it in London or Manchester. Do sheffielders really require to be reminded to go back to work in this day and age - and what if you take your lunch break from 1 to 2 pm ?
Then you'll be late:cool:

Maybe no-one knows how to switch the damn thing off!

There's probably a royal charter governing the thing

PS - Edinburgh fire a cannon at 1pm every day, but that's the nearest thing I can think of. In Liverpool there's the midnight foghorns on the ships at new year.

Sounding of sirens used to be a regular thing in areas of rural Cambridgeshire and Lincolnshire, where the workers in the sugar beet factories were alerted by the siren 10 minutes before work was due to start in the mornings, and ten minutes before the end of the lunch hour.

For details of the Leopold Square development check out:

http://www.leopoldsq.com/intro.html

"Like the vibrant spaces in Barcelona." Brilliant. Every time I arrive back at the station I think, yep, how like Barcelona..

Originally posted by tom_fordo
"Like the vibrant spaces in Barcelona." Brilliant. Every time I arrive back at the station I think, yep, how like Barcelona..

It's that sort of mindset that holds Sheffield back.

What a good idea to save an old architectural quality shell of a building and build a modern interior.

I'm afraid we are about 50 years late in this thinking.

Whilst we have seen a lot of our heritage pulled down over the last years Germany, Poland, France, Czechoslovakia and other european countries have completed their's years ago and are very proud of their cities.

We have finished up with a load of ill matched buildings that were never built to last, you've only got to look at The Moor, ex Norfolk, Claywood, Parkhill and even buildings in the very centre.

It is only in this last few years that someone has started to think but you can forget our heritage of buildings they an only be seen on archive photos.

Sad day!

Well said Pop. :thumbsup:

And if people would look ABOVE the modern shop frontages in the city centre, they'd notice just how attractive some of these older buildings were architecturally. North side of High Street, some of Fargate and Norfolk Street to name just a few.

It wasn't until I read a book that I noticed all the features above the shops on Fargate, like the cow and pig above WHSmith, because that used to be a butchers.

At least they're keeping the frontage of the building at the top of Fargate that they're currently messing about with.