Hello all!
I wonder if you could help me? I'm a teacher at a primary school in Sheffield and we're doing a play about the history of Sheffield. My class will be performing the 1970s. I wonder if anyone can share any news about what life was like in Sheffield in the 1970s - any major events, etc. (unfortunately I was born in the midlands and have little knowledge on Sheffield history).

All contributions greatly welcomed

Thanks :-)

There was still quite a good deal of manufacturing, especially in steel, cutlery, handtools, etc compared to nowadays and there were still 4 decent breweries ( ahh, the smell), and 2 decent football teams.

can I make a suggestion how about going down to kelham island museum, there you will see all the steel industry you want you will even see the little misters they are they chaps who use the big grinding wheels you will of cause see how steel was made from the early days to the present day. that musuem as got everything in it or you could have a look at magna that was a big steel producing company in the 1970's it is now a museum I think it use to be steel peach & tozer. you cant beat going out on a field trip for all the information you need.

Ideal place Kev and there's the Abbydale industrial hamlet where you can sometimes see em working. If it's still open?

Platform shoes, long hair, spikey hair, skinheads, parkas, mods, girls in monkey boots, T Rex and Marc Bolan, David Bowie and Slade. Led Zeppelin and Deep Purple. Owls in 2nd div, Blades in 1st. Protest marches against steel closures. Hole in the road. '75 & '76 absolutely scorching hot. Boycott's 100th 100. End of cricket at t' Lane. Fargate pedestianised, fountain built.

Forget the museums - it ain't that long ago for chrissake. Zepplin is more on the mark :)

it aint that long ago what like 35 years, where have you been hiding the teacher wants to experiance the 70's so what better way than the museums yes you have got all the things in the seventies like platform boots & the skinheads but where are they now I would think that most of the skinheads would have grown up by now as for the platform they went out with the ark. also the teacher said he wants some help so I gave it to him ok museums might not be your cup of tea but it might help the kids to understand what it was like in 1970's when sheffield steel was the best in the world and it goes the same for the knives and fork people and the people who made the pocket knives. mind you with a reply like that I am supprised you are old enough to remember the 1970's ?

Right again Kev I just checked ironhorses profile he wasn't even born in the 70s he wasn't born till 82

Some good suggestions there and thank you :-) But what was life like in 70s sheffield? Did any major things happen that grabbed local or national news? I know I can look in the archives in the city library but they say the best source are the people themselves... living history :-)

Jadrix29 - In the seventies I went to Nethergreen First and Middle Schools (1975-1981) aged between 6 and in June 1979, those big hairy double figures of 1 and 0. I can only describe my schooldays as 'normal', in that I enjoyed them but it would appear that so did everybody else!

I recall school milk, remember its withdrawal - Thatcher Milk Snatcher - and its reintroduction. I recall swimming lessons at Glossop Road baths where a drink of lime from the vending machine was 7p. Sports days up at Hallam School playing field; walking to school in 1977/1978 due to the enormous amount of snowfall. Better, listening to Radio Sheffield to be told school was closed due to the bad weather (not as often as one would have thought).

I remember the Queen's Silver Jubilee - even Sheffield Transport's all silver coloured bus (way before buses had anything other than their local livery on them). Streets bedecked in bunting, street parties and so on. The summers of 1975 and 1976, the latter inparticular where it simply didn't rain! Being taken out to see the lost villages of Derwent and Ashopton whose ruins and rubble had been been exposed for the first time in years.

Subbuteo players wearing England's 1978 kit; Soda Syphons; Chopper Bikes; Sheaf Valley Baths (see thread) and just about everything that Zeppelin has succinctly stated on here.

Three TV channels, no mobile phones (imagine that?), Virginia Wade, on it goes, and that's not to mention the music.

Sheffield in the seventies, for me a least, incredibly average - but the memories? I wouldn't change them for gold (or a bath with Rachel Stevens).

Some good memories from Ousetunes there.

I also started middle school in the seventies and grew up around Arbourthorne in the modern and futuristic maisonetts.
All of which have been knocked down now, not a great lifespan for a house.

I also spent quite a lot of time down Attercliffe where my Grandparents lived and I remember the back to back houses still being there.

It was a huge estate down there and quite the hub of Sheffield with the popular Banners superstore.

Gradually throughout the seventies these houses were knocked down leaving a wasteland at the turn of the decade, much like the Steel industry it's self.

I see the seventies as being on the cusp of the old and new Sheffield.

The markets, of only one still exists were THE PLACE to do your weekly shopping ( The Meadowhall of it's day. )
My mum who worked there came back more than once with a story of a skinhead who had fell from the balconys stiffing glue.

The town centre did'nt have any pedestrian walkways with Fargate being a open road with a roudabout fountain at it's head.

It also had lots of subways which are all now filled in including the famous hole in the road with it's fish ( SEE THREAD ).

Their was about 4 cinemas in the centre to my recollection, including the Gaumont across from the City Hall where they're was a record breaking cue for Star Wars.

Buses were 2p for children under 16, the lowest in the country and Rolf Harris did a safety ad at he Sheaf Vally Baths.
He also supplied a painting for the baths.

Phew! once you start it's hard to stop.

Deleted this message.

The Pyjama Jump at the Top Rank. Thousands of students dressed in pyjama's(the girls) and nighties(the boys) descending on Sheffield city centre in a drunken stupour and ending up en masse at the Top Rank.

"Oh what a night!":partyhat: :headbang: :banana: :thumbsup:

Originally posted by drolnhoj
"Oh what a night!":partyhat: :headbang: :banana: :thumbsup:

Late December back in '63? What a very special time for me; what a lady, what a night....,

:clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap:

You could safely go out with your pals all day during the holidays, we'd dam this stream up and make a rope swing over it from a tree, or get a football game going with about twenty on each side, a game would last hours [ you could nip home then come back later and join in again] a pile of jumpers would be the posts.
we'd also play a game called 'spot' against some wall, another game was 'stretch' using a pen knife or bowey, dodgy Tank tops and those shirts with a repeated patern all over, nobody cared about designer gear but fashions came and went.

Originally posted by Jadrix29
Some good suggestions there and thank you :-) But what was life like in 70s sheffield? Did any major things happen that grabbed local or national news? I know I can look in the archives in the city library but they say the best source are the people themselves... living history :-)
One thing i do remember was being in the belleview pub on the wybourn and my mate Vinny Wood bought me a pint, i dont think it was in the Sheffield Star but it certainly sticks in my mind.

The seventies marked the begining of the end of education in England. GCE O,levels still had worth and it was actually possible to use them to get a job. CSE's had just been introduced as a consolation prize for the under achievers. Corporal punishment was used and kids called teachers sir. We kids took six of the best on each hand and still respected and hated the teachers. The begining of the seventies marked the end of school dinners which had cost a shilling all of my school life.
Socially Sheffield was quite promiscuous, guys did the chatting up and "THEY" made the conquests. We went to the Penthouse Genevive's, The Limit, Shades and the club under the Grosvenor who's name escapes me and danced to Roxy, Bowie or Motown. Kids Smoked nutmeg or took asprins and coke. Marijuana smokers were a minority in those days yet it was mainly available at the blues partys in the Havelock square area or on the Burngreave
Fashion was any combination of whatever stired the imagination,Budgie Jackets and loons The smoothies wearing crombies ben sherman shirts, Levi staypressed 'Royals" or Bata brogues bluebeat hat umbrella and red pocket hankie.
The skins wearing "dockers" cherry reds, 10 laceholes, wrangler or LeeRider jeans rolled to the top of boots Wrangler checkered shirt, bracers and all topped with a number one cut.

It was all about Rebellion. The sixtys' saw the "Long Haired Louts" The seventys' saw the extremes colminating in garbage bags and multicoloured hair with the punks. By the end of the seventys' it had all been done.

dont forget the fires on every bit of grass summer 76, the sheaf market being built, the ABC club saturday mornings, real snow in winter that was deep not just slush. getting hit by teachers at school with the slipper, and board rubber and owt that came to hand. they could do with it now...lol

oi coiley did vinny wood go to all saints school?

I remember the Queens visit to Sheffield during her Jubilee year in 1977. I used to live in town and my bedroom window overlooked the parkway and the canal. I waved to her as she drove down in her big black car with the royal standard on top.

We all got a comemorative spoon at school and had a big jubilee party. My mum and dad owned a pub and the whole place was decked out in red white and blue for ages.

I was 7 years old and went to Park Hill Infants. I cut up lots of sugar paper the teacher was going to use for displays so was sent to the office where I received a smack on my bum with a PE slipper! (ouch) I can remember waiting with trepidation outside her office looking at the beautiful old rocking horse we were not allowed to sit on. Teachers never thought twice about cuffing us about the head if we misbehaved!

My mum used to pay me and my brother and sister into the gaumont cinema on a saturday morning and tell us to stay there until she collected us whilst she did the shopping. I think I saw alice in wonderland and the cat from outer space back to back about 3 times!

Huge queues around the ABC to see STAR WARS and Grease. And I remember I used to get a sixpence for sweets at the shop! It was the last coin of the old money that was still being accepted in shops.

I also remember school milk being withdrawn and maybe a little late (1980?) but I vividly remember the steelworkers strike. My dad was one of the strikers and my uncle was sent to coventry because he passed the pickets and went to work. We were living on soup kitchen handouts whilst he was living it up. He sold his wedding ring so I could go on a school day trip to France (£15), we had to go to the co-op with tokens for shoes and coats and suffered the indignaty of free school meals, inthe 70s & 80's everyone knew if you were on free dinners and we were bullied because of it.

LOL - sugar paper. Why was it called that?

Originally posted by Damon
LOL - sugar paper. Why was it called that?

Dunno, its still called sugar paper :loopy:

I guess it is. I just associate with my seventies school days, that's all. And I can't have been the only kid who just HAD to taste it...

Originally posted by Damon
I guess it is. I just associate with my seventies school days, that's all. And I can't have been the only kid who just HAD to taste it...

ROFLMAO :hihi: yeah I might have guessed as much.. good question though WHY? is it called sugar paper. Maybe our thread leader the teacher knows!

And why was school milk always so warm?

Oh had to come back I had a flashback to my youth again.

The green cross code man! He came to my school, we were all sat crosslegged in the hall and this big green giant with a funny voice loomed over the top of us. We all had to recite the 'code' over and over again. I was petrified and it stuck in my brain. My kids keep ranting on about the cool hedgehogs but I still quote it to this day.

Do you remember when alvin stardust did the cross code campaign?

Ha, I met darth vader. Cool or what!

Every summer holidays in the 70's, there used to be a scheme which we called 'The Hut' in Meersbrook Park. The hut was a large shed that was put onto the bandstand. This was run by young people - students I believe. All the local children used to go every year. Inside the hut were play equipment - bats, balls, stilts and craft stuff like poster paints and easels. In those days, we didn't have rain in the Summer holidays. They also organised outings. I can remember having tours of the Express Dairy on Broadfield Road (remember the fresian cow in the window ?) and a tour of the fire station which was very exciting as they had just got a new state of the art appliance known as the snorkel.

We also had a Whitsuntide Parade - marching bands, boys brigade, brownies, guides, cubs and scouts would all march through the streets with banners and arrive in the park. You could hear the boom-boom of the band coming from miles away. It was always a hot day with plenty of ice cream vans. Everyone wore their party dresses and smartest clothes. For some reason, it was also traditional for my mum to put my hair in curl-rags the night before (which was very uncomfortable).

Meersbrook Park is also the best sledging park for miles around. Some years, there was even a dry ski slope there in the summer.

I also remember The Tufty Club at the Abbeydale Cinema (the building with the big white dome that became Drakes Office Supplies).

Originally posted by gillianbc
I also remember The Tufty Club at the Abbeydale Cinema (the building with the big white dome that became Drakes Office Supplies).

Around Christmas each year - usually in the week leading up to New Year - we used to go to a big Tufty Club thing at the ABC cinema. You'd have a load of road safety films, and various policemen would come up on stage and do something or other, award prizes or something. And I think the main feature was usually a Children's Film Foundation type movie, usually about a gang of kids (fat one, brainy one, daft one, little one etc.) who managed to foil a gang of rather unthreatening villains.

And of course, there was always a LIVE appearance by Tufty the squirrel himself who had to be led onto the stage by the aforementioned copper so that he didn't accidentally plunge over the edge.

Very festive it all wasn't, but it seemed entertaining at the time. And I've never been run over, so I guess it worked!

Aye - tha's reight. But tha can still get swizzels necklaces though I 'ant seen black jacks or Bazooka Joe bubblies for yonks.

I don't know if you've had enough yet Jadrix29, but I'll put my 2ps worth in!

In the early 70s I remember moving into a brand new maisonette at Norfolk Park, which we all thought was the future. There was loads of greenery around for us kids to play in, and the views were spectacular.

My grandma moved into a multi story nearby, as she lived at Hillsborough and was part of the slum clearance that was happening all over Sheffield at the time.

By the lat 70s things were starting to change. Norfolk Park estate started to become a rough area, and my parents were desperate to move. House prices were going mad, so, like many other Sheffielders, they got on the property ladder while they could. They were saddled with a huge mortgage, and my mum had to go out to work as well.

Meanwhile us kids had to entertain ourselves by playing on the road, grumpily moving for the occasional car, going to the park and eating lots and lots of sweets.

I've got the fillings to prove it!

Anyone remember adventure playgrounds? The one I recall was on waste ground just off woodbourn Road, seemed to consist of loads of rope, old telegraph poles and a few students making sure no-one died! It would cause nightmares for todays nanny state wrapped in cotton wool society.

Monkey boots, with proper soles (non of that biscuit tread rubbish).

Those open back driving gloves with black and white check pattern on the back and Velco fastening.

Rally Jackets or a bit later lumber jackets.

Chopper bikes, or cow horn handle bars on any other old bike.

Trollies made from four old pram wheels and a few bits of wood... how we never go run over by cars I will never know. The estates of Sheffield were full of lads who had the capability to beat Jensen Button even in those days ;)

Long hot summers, long cold snowy winters.

School heating which was on all the hottest days, particularly during exams, but failed during the first snow which always fell about the first week in October.

Falling/being pushed into any of the watery bits in any of the public parks. I was on intimate terms with the fishies in Arbourthourne pond by the end of every summer holiday.

Waiting in casualty at The Childrens to be repaired after something went wrong.

Never complaining about having nothing to do, we made our own entertainment even if it was highly dangerous or got you taken home by the local bobby.

Ah happy times