Hi
Is there anybody out there who worked in Stocksbridge when the steel mill was called Sammy Fox and actually employed thousands of people. This was pre-nationalisation which I believe happened in 1966/7.:):)

Been to Canada since then, but always interested in what went on.

Roycey

Sorry I can't help you as I emigrated in 1974 before it happened. So why post? well I thought I'd let you know that I lived up on Hunshelf Park which overlooked Samuel Fox's for six years. Do you remember how everyone used their nurse and first-aid facilities in an emergency? we took our son there when he split his highbrow open, they taped it up while we could get him to the hospital. Good luck in your search for information on Samuel Fox's, doesn't Stocksbridge have it's own website? have you tried posting on there?:thumbsup::)

Hi Roycey, When I worked at British Iron & Steel research Association in Sheffield I visited Samuel Fox & Co (then called BSC Stocksbridge Works - nationalised in 1967) a number of times in the late 60's/ early 70's.
Have a look at this website which gives the history of the works founding by Samuel Fox http://www.bradwellinpeak.f9.co.uk/samfox.htm
Also see this site http://stocksbridge.org/page3.htm
It was only in 2003 when steelmaking was transferred from Stocksbridge to Rotherham - this lost about 300 jobs I think and made Stocksbridge simply a rolling facility - see http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/south_yorkshire/2984303.stm
Sheffield Archives holds all the Samuel Fox & Co archived material from 1847 - 1971 but apparently these have never been indexed - they total 39 boxes.
John

Hi there, I also left the UK some 35 years ago but a lot of my family worked at Sam Foxes eg: grandfather, father, aunts & uncles. I have memories of just about all our neighbours who lived on Spink Hall Lane & thereabouts all working there. (Before the pub was even built on the corner there. My uncle used to live in Shay House which was on the corner of Shay House Lane. Everything in Stocksbridge just about centred around Sam Foxes during the 50s & 60s.Dont know if the Victory Club still stands which I also have happy memories of. Once again you may ask why post, but it sent me on a bit of a nostalgic trip when you mentioned it. I have a short video which my cousin sent me about Sam Foxes I think it came out a couple of years ago. Sorry to have not been much help must be becoming a bit of a rambler in my senior years.

Hi
Is there anybody out there who worked in Stocksbridge when the steel mill was called Sammy Fox and actually employed thousands of people. This was pre-nationalisation which I believe happened in 1966/7.:):)

Been to Canada since then, but always interested in what went on.

Roycey

Hi Rocey. My uncle I think was the Personnel Manager in the 50's 60's he was called Gordon Cumming and I am still trying to see if he is still alive he lived at Stumperlowe Grange, Fulwwod. Aso my ex father-in-law worked there I think he was a Production Manager called Cyril Dimelow has been retired for many years and is now in his nineties. My ex and I immigrated to Canada in the sixties. Love to hear from you. Jan Softly ( Janet Dimelow)

Hi
Is there anybody out there who worked in Stocksbridge when the steel mill was called Sammy Fox and actually employed thousands of people. This was pre-nationalisation which I believe happened in 1966/7.:):)

Been to Canada since then, but always interested in what went on.

Roycey

there is a short black and white movie on DVD
'Stocksbridge .Steel Town'
50's life in S Yorkshire
Media World Market

Hi there my Grandma was a crane driver there and my dad was a blacksmith does anyone know the Kelly family of Stocksbridge?

Hi
Is there anybody out there who worked in Stocksbridge when the steel mill was called Sammy Fox and actually employed thousands of people. This was pre-nationalisation which I believe happened in 1966/7.:):)

Been to Canada since then, but always interested in what went on.

Roycey

Hi Roycey, I worked at Fox's (never got to grips with the BSC thing!) from the late 70's to the late 80's.
When I started, there were over 6000 people there. When I left, it was down to 1500 and now around 600.
The melting was transfered to Aldwarke, although the remelting furnaces are still there. All Stocksbridge is used for now is as a finishing mill.
The scrapyard area is awaiting conversion into building land - houses and / or supermarket. The lowyard area, where the design offices bordered, has outline planning permission for shops etc. A site that might interest you is http://www.stocksbridge.net which is the local forum.

Hi there, I also left the UK some 35 years ago but a lot of my family worked at Sam Foxes eg: grandfather, father, aunts & uncles. I have memories of just about all our neighbours who lived on Spink Hall Lane & thereabouts all working there. (Before the pub was even built on the corner there. My uncle used to live in Shay House which was on the corner of Shay House Lane. Everything in Stocksbridge just about centred around Sam Foxes during the 50s & 60s.Dont know if the Victory Club still stands which I also have happy memories of. Once again you may ask why post, but it sent me on a bit of a nostalgic trip when you mentioned it. I have a short video which my cousin sent me about Sam Foxes I think it came out a couple of years ago. Sorry to have not been much help must be becoming a bit of a rambler in my senior years.

Hi Janet, the Victory Club building still stands, but it has been transformed into "The Venue". An all purpose community based building, where various clubs and groups can meet up.
If you need a "fix" of the happy valley :hihi: try this site http://www.stocksbridge.net , its still in its infancy, but might whet your appetite!

Hi Roycey, I worked at Fox's (never got to grips with the BSC thing!) from the late 70's to the late 80's.
When I started, there were over 6000 people there. When I left, it was down to 1500 and now around 600.
The melting was transfered to Aldwarke, although the remelting furnaces are still there. All Stocksbridge is used for now is as a finishing mill.
.


The remelting furnaces and rolling mill are still in operation and they are producing some top quality steel product for the aerospace industry too. I'll try and find a picture or two...

Have a look here for some pics from earlier this year... under the Stocksbridge Rolling Mill set.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/beckelina/

My uncle I think was the Personnel Manager in the 50's 60's he was called Gordon Cumming and I am still trying to see if he is still alive he lived at Stumperlowe Grange, Fulwwod. ( Janet Dimelow)
Hi Jan,

Gordon was a long time acquaintance of My Mum and Dad through Church activities. Mum tells me that unfortunately she is pretty sure that he passed away a year or so ago. Sorry to use the forum for this message but you have no other contact detail.
She recalls that after his Stocksbridge Steel days he became a teacher.
There might be Church contacts who could put you in touch with his relatives.

The remelting furnaces and rolling mill are still in operation and they are producing some top quality steel product for the aerospace industry too. I'll try and find a picture or two...

Sorry, I should have said that they don't melt there any more.

Hi Jan,

Gordon was a long time acquaintance of My Mum and Dad through Church activities. Mum tells me that unfortunately she is pretty sure that he passed away a year or so ago. Sorry to use the forum for this message but you have no other contact detail.
She recalls that after his Stocksbridge Steel days he became a teacher.
There might be Church contacts who could put you in touch with his relatives.

My father was George Cutler, Metallurgist at Foxes; I recall when I was small (early 60s) we had to watch out for Gordon, who picked up my father (Fulwood) when his licence was temporarily suspended - Gordon Cumming?

Would that be Gordon Cumming who managed the training facility at Belmont House?

Anyone remember my friend Melvyn Jordan - works at Fox's (drawing office I think) in late 50's and early 60's - he will be about 72 now. Left in early 60's to live with and then marry his girlfriend who's famioly had moved to Falmouth to take over a small hotel. Melvyn lived with his parents and sister on Wordsworth Avenue, Parsons Cross. Now lives in Truro, Cornwall
Regards - Grey Eminence - Subang Jaya - Kuala Lumpur - Malaysia

Hi there my Grandma was a crane driver there and my dad was a blacksmith does anyone know the Kelly family of Stocksbridge?
I went on the induction course and to college with a Wayne Kelly, no idea where he ended up, I know he was mad on horse racing and spent a lot of time in the bookies during our time on the 2 year training course they had back in 1975.

My parents in law - George and Nora Dyson lived on Spink Hall Lane and George worked, as did all his family, at Samuel Foxes.

You must have married Peter then?
He was one of my playmates when we were kids living on Spink Hall Lane. They lived in the end house at the top.
Give him my regards & ask him if he remembers Janet & Clive

Yes, I'm Petes wife. He says he remembers you - wasn't your name Dyson also? And did your brother become an airline pilot?

Hi
Yes our surname was also Dyson but not related to Peter. My brother became a hairdresser but I think Peter is thinking about my cousin John (Dyson) who was in the RAF for many years. Give Peter my regards & could you please tell him I was in the UK this year & met up with Maggie Davies also from Spink Hall. It was lovely to revisit.
Regards
Janet

Gosh, so many Dysons!! Not many left in Petes family now.
He sends his regards. Maggie Davies is a close friend of his cousin Jennifer. I met her at his Auntie Barbaras funeral at the beginning of this year. Jennifers mum Jean passed away a month or so ago.

DVD mentioned earlier in the thread.

It's on Ebay right now

Steel Town-Stocksbridge 1950s life in SouthYorkshire UK
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Steel-Town-Stocksbridge-1950s-life-SouthYorkshire-UK-/380397195479

There's a short clip embedded on the page.
Interesting stuff

Ian

Thanks Ian, I've just watched that short clip and it brought back some fond memories. It mentioned Gentleman's Row, when I lived on that row of houses it was called Hunshelf Park.

Hi Roycey:
Would that be Royce Low? I worked at Samy's for 35 years mostly in the melting shop.
I have been in Hawaii for 17 years.I get back to Stocksbridge about every 3 years, I still have family there Just cousins at Midhope.

Brian Roberts.

Hi there, I also left the UK some 35 years ago but a lot of my family worked at Sam Foxes eg: grandfather, father, aunts & uncles. I have memories of just about all our neighbours who lived on Spink Hall Lane & thereabouts all working there. (Before the pub was even built on the corner there. My uncle used to live in Shay House which was on the corner of Shay House Lane. Everything in Stocksbridge just about centred around Sam Foxes during the 50s & 60s.Dont know if the Victory Club still stands which I also have happy memories of. Once again you may ask why post, but it sent me on a bit of a nostalgic trip when you mentioned it. I have a short video which my cousin sent me about Sam Foxes I think it came out a couple of years ago. Sorry to have not been much help must be becoming a bit of a rambler in my senior years.


xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Hi
Is there anybody out there who worked in Stocksbridge when the steel mill was called Sammy Fox and actually employed thousands of people. This was pre-nationalisation which I believe happened in 1966/7.:):)

Been to Canada since then, but always interested in what went on.

Roycey

Hi,

I grew up in downtown Sheffield but we had relatives in the area, so were frequent visitors to Stocksbridge. Back then, the works were part of the United Steel Co. but everybody knew it as "Fox's or Sammy's".

Back then, it had a massive labour force. People came from far and wide to work there. It even made its own (coal) gas. The gasworks were close to the main road and the big concrete coal bunker, with the name: "Simon Carves' on top, was something of a landmark. Does anybody remember this?

Years went by, the gasworks disappeared and so did all the railway tracks that used to be at the bottom of the hill, near the offices. But on my first visit inside the works, the hot mill was still being driven by a steam engine. That was a sight to be seen.

Some time between that visit (1963) and 1969, when I went to the works full time, the mill engine had been replaced by a electric motor. By now its was British Steel Corporation.

One other bit of history. In the year I worked at Stocksbridge, they stopped making a number of products, including the Paragon(?) umbrella frames.

All a long time ago.

Regards

My mum worked in the offices on Hunshelf Bank in the mid-late 60's, Dad drove for most if not all of the hauliers that ran out of Foxs' from 60's till mid 90's on and off. Dad passed away 18 months ago, but I'll find out more about Mums job and come back to you.

I have mentioned this before on a similar thread, years ago before fully independent suspension on autos was the norm, Sammy Fox made the rear leaf springs for Rolls Royce cars and get this, they were encased in stitched leather. One imagines this was too keep the grease from oozing out after it was loaded between the leafs thus facilitating a smooth and quieter ride.

My late Uncle and Aunt both worked there. Jane and Horace Herbert.

Check out this Website for a history of the Steel Works and the surrounding area

stocksbridgehs.co.uk

Sedgie

My late Uncle and Aunt both worked there. Jane and Horace Herbert. I remember Jane very well. I worked in Metallurgical Department from 1966 to 1979. Jane worked in the Met Dept library for Len Pryce. I remember she collected our savings for the annual departmental Christmas celebration. I took over some of her routine tasks after she retired. Happy days.

I joined Fox's back in the early 70's but it was BSC then, I worked as a floater, between the switchboard, the telex room and the post room. My sister worked for Joint Consultation as it was called in those days. She was a secretary to the personnel dept and also did work in the Newspaper office.

Those were the days when companies looked after their staff, we had day release at Stocksbridge College, we went on Outward Bound Courses, we had visits from the works Vicar, and for those who needed it, a great medical service including physio and other treatments that you would normally have to travel to hospital for.

I remember Jane very well. I worked in Metallurgical Department from 1966 to 1979. Jane worked in the Met Dept library for Len Pryce. I remember she collected our savings for the annual departmental Christmas celebration. I took over some of her routine tasks after she retired. Happy days.

Sadly both are gone now. Jane passed away about 9 years ago.