:help: Can anyone tell me is this place still there and what was it home/ hospital /institution? thankyou,... EE.:)
Have put this into google and now i know it's an actual area ..I do know an uncle of mine was in a home/institution?? there in the 50's and i've always known it as hollow meadows. So is anyone able to tell me if the place is still there or changed to some other ,,Englishedith

As far as I'm aware this used to be a Borstel.
The building is still there but not used as such now.

:thumbsup: Thankyou Phil i'll look into that. EE

If im thinking of the same place I thought it had been developed into private housing in the early 1990's.
As far as I remember it was developed by Keith Vessey (I think thats his name) remember going up there with my dad who supplied them a pumping station for the sewage.

:thumbsup:
Thanks Mega i've asked on another site as well .
a lady who has lived all her life at Stannington says Hollow Meadows is a few houses on the Snake Pass Rd ,
her parents think there used to be an orphanage up there but not sure
And she also says theres new housing.
Many thanks EE.

Originally posted by englishedith
:help: Can anyone tell me is this place still there and what was it home/ hospital /institution? thankyou,... EE.:)
Have put this into google and now i know it's an actual area ..I do know an uncle of mine was in a home/institution?? there in the 50's and i've always known it as hollow meadows. So is anyone able to tell me if the place is still there or changed to some other ,,Englishedith

A friend of ours had a son who used to stay there because of very bad Epilepsy, this was back in the 70 's . It was a kind of institution for people with mental and physical disabilities. As far as I am aware, it was never a " Borstal ", I don't know whether it is still there or not. It was situated on Rivelin Valley Road.
hope this helps
deecee

Deecee is correct, it was a sort of residential hospptal for folks who had "mental handicaps" , as learning disabilities and the like were termed, back in the good-old, bad-old days.

I used to be a "mental handicap" nursing auxiliary, and I nursed a lot of the folk from there, and another place called Thundercliffe Grange, years ago.

I seem to remember that there *were* a few more properties in the vicinity, (rather like the houses dotted along the Snake Pass) :- not exactly enough houses to make up a village, more ofa hamlet, perhaps...?

Hollow Meadows was open as a residential hospital till the early eighties, (approx).

a lot of the patients were moved out to other ospitals and residential homes, as the NHS went over to care in the community etc... That's where I encountered a lot otf the ex-residents.

The building closed as a hospital, and like many places ("King t-Ted's", Lodge Moor, Nether Edge, etc) it was redeveloped into housing.

PT

:thumbsup: Thanks Plain Talker and DeeCee sounds just what i'm after .Apparently he was moved to birmingham area and then to Preston, so i've some research to do
Thanks again folks....EE.

Plain Talker as per gives it to you straight!

I used to run out to Hollow Meadows when I was training for the Sheffield Half-Marathon in 1987 (it was a 10.2 mile run from my parents' house). The drive-way to the old hospital you are asking about was my point for turning around.

It was a hospital for a long time; I recall the white H on a blue background signs along the A57.

It was duely converted into apartments and spruced up - looks quite nice. I'd go along with those who reckon this was done in the 1990s, early, IMO.

The white H signs on the A57 would be for King Edwards and not Hollow Meadows. I beleive the home at Hollow Meadows is at the side of a farm and is very near where the Drummer from def Leppard had his crash. It has now been converted into apartments but these shouldn't be confused with the aprtments that used to be King Edwards.

No, Sanman. There were (in all probabilities) H signs for King Edward's hospital, but I distinctively recall there being some for Hollow Meadows - infact, I could show exactly where one of them was!

Heading out of Sheffield, past where the old Log Cabin used to be (which was on the right after the Norfolk Arms as you come out of the wooded area) on the left hand side of the road it was located about 100 yds further on - quite close to Hollow Meadows itself.

I remember it as a welcoming sign because it told me that I was about to turn round and run the remaining 5 miles home!!

On a slightly different note, does anyone remember the old phone boxes there used to be on the Snake Pass? I believe there were a couple, probably one owned by the AA and the other RAC.

Three possible manifestations of the same institution ?! -

from Pawson & Brailsford's Illustrated Guide to Sheffield (1862) -

"In 1849 the Guardians leased from the Duke of Norfolk about 50 acres of moorland, at Hollow Meadows, about six miles from the town, with a view of reclaiming it by pauper labour. Nearly the whole of the land has been brought under cultivation, and sub-let to farm tenants. The Farm, as it is called, is still retained by the Guardians, and a number of the able-bodied men who require relief in times of bad trade are sent to labour at it. The undertaking has been so successful that at the time we write (February 1862) the Guardians are in negociation for the leasing of further land."

from White's Directory 1901

"THE TRUANT SCHOOL, at Hollow Meadows, was established in 1879 as a means of discipline for recalcitrant children, and will hold 90 boys."

from White's Directory 1919/20 -

"The SHEFFIELD EDUCATIONAL COMMITTEE INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL is at Hollow Meadows, about seven miles from the City, on the main road to Manchester, and provides for 90 boys, the average number of inmates being about 80. The boys are largely employed in market-gardening. Superintendent, Mr Isaac McHardy."

(note: the 1901 Directory of Sheffield (http://tinyurl.com/76gg3) is an excellent online source of historical information)

Hugh in Walkley

:thumbsup: Thankyou everyone for your replies i have a few leads to follow now. Goodnight God Bless.EE.

Thanks for that Hugh W.

I think I can remember, when in the 1970s we seemed to go over the Snake Pass nearly every Sunday, my mum referring to the place as a 'Bad Boys Home' or a 'Naughty Boys School'. Something like that!

Interesting stuff posted, mate!:thumbsup:

My gggrandfathr Robert Randall was born at Hollow Meadows in 1810. This must have been in a cottage I think because the institutions mentioned ( Borstal or mental hospital ) would not be the sort of places where children were born. The road up to Snake Pass was not built until 1820 so I assume that in 1810 there was not much but a hamlet there accessed by a track. Are there cottages of that vintage still there and are they just a handful? What work would there have been - shepherding? Any information please?

Gerard

Some really interesting stuff.

I've heard (can't remember when) that Hollow Meadows hospital was once used for people suffering from TB - the theory being that the best cure was plenty of fresh air. More likely they'd get pnumonia up there IMHO.

Originally posted by Longcol
Some really interesting stuff.

I've heard (can't remember when) that Hollow Meadows hospital was once used for people suffering from TB - the theory being that the best cure was plenty of fresh air. More likely they'd get pnumonia up there IMHO.

Are you getting confuddled with Lodge Moor hospital? I believe that became an isolation unit for the likes of folk suffering from TB.

It's brass monkeys up Lodge Moor and one place guaranteed to give you a cold (for those not used to it, ofcause!).

But I could be wrong, or too young.

I prefer the latter.

Originally posted by englishedith
:help: Can anyone tell me is this place still there and what was it home/ hospital /institution? thankyou,... EE.:)
Have put this into google and now i know it's an actual area ..I do know an uncle of mine was in a home/institution?? there in the 50's and i've always known it as hollow meadows. So is anyone able to tell me if the place is still there or changed to some other ,,Englishedith

Yes it has been converted to lovely houses. my friends parents lived.

Originally posted by Ousetunes
Are you getting confuddled with Lodge Moor hospital? I believe that became an isolation unit for the likes of folk suffering from TB.

It's brass monkeys up Lodge Moor and one place guaranteed to give you a cold (for those not used to it, ofcause!).

But I could be wrong, or too young.

I prefer the latter.

Lodge Moor was indeed an isolation hospital, for such conditions as TB, and Scarlet Fever. in fact most infectious diseases of that ilk, which required isolation nursing were treated there. (the other isolation hospital being "Winter Street" aka "St Georges" which is opposite the University Arts Tower.)

Lodge Moor had a Spinal Injuries Unit, which had a fantastic sports centre, and facilities there.

A friend of mine had a son who was born with Cystic Fibrosis, and he was treated at Lodge Moor.

My father had a hernia repaired there, and most of my freinds with Spina Bifida were under the care of LMH.

When I was nursing we used to take our patients to the swimming pool at Lodge Moor, for hydrotherapy.it was a lovely flattish area, and had stunning views over the moors. I thought it was a great pity that it was converted into housing, rather than remaining the flagship spinal unit , pretty much second-only to Stoke Mandeville Hospital.

PT

I share your sentiments PT.

Whilst there's no doubt that the housing development is a nice (and indeed costly) one, I still wish it was the hospital, I think more out of nostalgia than anything else.

It obviously served its purpose and had superb facilities (I'd forgotten about the swimming pool). It was, to all intents and purposes a flagship hospital.

I can see the clock tower from my house and run past it nearly every day. I'm an old romantic and find the building charming, a local land-mark and at least David Wilson saw sense in keeping and upgrading the tower. (I believe it too, to be a private dwelling now, one commanding outstanding views.)

I was and remain puzzled into why the place was closed down. No doubt the words 'cut backs', 'budgets' and 'rationalising' will come to the surface.

One final point, the 51 still terminates just beyond (what was) the main entrance to the hospital. All these new houses have at least two cars each, and unless you're the lonely soul catching the bus for a walk up Redmires (or a session in the Three Merry Lads) then it seems well and truly an unused and isolated terminus. (Who knows, the now redundant ghosts that once haunted the corridors of the hospital might be the bus's only travellers?!!)

Originally posted by Ousetunes
[B]I share your sentiments PT.

Whilst there's no doubt that the housing development is a nice (and indeed costly) one, I still wish it was the hospital, I think more out of nostalgia than anything else.

It obviously served its purpose and had superb facilities (I'd forgotten about the swimming pool). It was, to all intents and purposes a flagship hospital.



people forget that Stoke Mandeville, Hexham , Pinderfields and most of the othr SIUS are 'on site' at General hospitals of various sizes. LMH as a site is remote from the other hospitals ain Sheffield and there was a huge over provision of hospital beds in Sheffield


I was and remain puzzled into why the place was closed down. No doubt the words 'cut backs', 'budgets' and 'rationalising' will come to the surface.



how about safe and approrpaite clinical care on a site with 24 hour major speciality medical cover ,anaesthetics and theatres , as well as ITU, imaging , labs etc.

you could not provide this at LMH, king teds etc

this is why LMH etc was closed and moved to a state of the art facility on site at the NGH

this is why other specialist hospitals such as Killingbeck (Leeds ) were closed and their services transferred to specific provision on site at main hospitals (LGI in the case of Killingbeck)

Originally posted by zippy
how about safe and approrpaite clinical care on a site with 24 hour major speciality medical cover ,anaesthetics and theatres , as well as ITU, imaging , labs etc.

you could not provide this at LMH, king teds etc

this is why LMH etc was closed and moved to a state of the art facility on site at the NGH

this is why other specialist hospitals such as Killingbeck (Leeds ) were closed and their services transferred to specific provision on site at main hospitals (LGI in the case of Killingbeck)

I would disagree mildly with your assertions, Zippy. The LMH hd an excellent surgical unit, and also had speciality units such as the spinal injuries/ spinal conditions side. There was nothing wrong with the hospital, that it should have been closed down. it was a nice, level site, the grounds were landscaped in a pleasant way, and the views across the moors were absolutely astonishing.

There was a wonderful wheelchair sports club (Now based at the new unit at NGH) and a brilliant wheelchair gymnasium, which had god-all knows how much spent on it from specific fundraising, to give the facilities... the new spinal unit was built at the NGH, admittedly it is a lovely unit, bit, it hasn't the soul that LMH had, and the surroundings are nowhere near as lovely as LMH, too. As for the terrain, ther, it's horrid and hillyin the grounds of NGH, especially from the Barnsley Eoad entrance, it's nigh on vertical ( ;) ) not exactly welcoming to a person with a spinal injury who may very likely have to resort to using a wheelchair, IMO.

PT

Originally posted by Longcol
Some really interesting stuff.

I've heard (can't remember when) that Hollow Meadows hospital was once used for people suffering from TB - the theory being that the best cure was plenty of fresh air. More likely they'd get pnumonia up there IMHO.


Yes I was told it was last used as an isolation hospital

:D

Hi

I know the new development of houses at the site of the Hollow Meadows hospital well. It was completed in 1985. One of the houses there is called The Cottage and it was there before the hospital was developed in the early 19th century.

bellamy

Hollow Meadows was a hospital, part of the then Trent Regional Hospital Group it was closed and finally sold off for private housing.
you can drive past the development which is on the right hand side as as you travel along through the Rivelin Valley on theA57
At the back of the site is a private woodland that you can still walk through
I remember a a youngster walking through the wood and looking into the hospital which specalised in fitting artifical limbs
from the woods you could see into a room which contained a huge stock of spare limbs which was very spooky to look at a child.

To be strictly correct, surely Hollow Meadows is an area and not just the hospital?

Stoner,

do you mean the King Edward VII (Orthopaedic) Hospital, with Coppice Wood behind it ?! which was not at Hollow Meadows (much nearer the city)

Hugh

Originally posted by Saxon
To be strictly correct, surely Hollow Meadows is an area and not just the hospital? You're right Saxon. In the 17th century the area was known as Auley Meadows, which has been changed over time and by 1724 had become Hollow Meadows. It may have got it's original name from the Hawley family who lived there from the 1300's to the 1600's. What later became the hospital was originally a 'Truant School' from 1871 to 1922, built by 'able bodied paupers, who had to walk out from Sheffield every day to start work at 8am'. Presumably it was the memory of the truant school that gave rise to it being called the naughty boys school.

Originally posted by gerard
My gggrandfathr Robert Randall was born at Hollow Meadows in 1810. This must have been in a cottage I think because the institutions mentioned ( Borstal or mental hospital ) would not be the sort of places where children were born. The road up to Snake Pass was not built until 1820 so I assume that in 1810 there was not much but a hamlet there accessed by a track. Are there cottages of that vintage still there and are they just a handful? What work would there have been - shepherding? Any information please?

Gerard A bit later than your ggrandfather, but in the 1840's a row of 3 cottages nicknamed 'Sparrow barracks' were built by a blade and scissor forger and a file forger. They were demolished at the end of the century. So the people living around there weren't necessarily farming, they would be forging blades and files for the industry in Sheffield.

My father was sent to Hollow Meadows during the early part of the 20th century. He was a truant. The place could not have been too bad because he learned carpentry while he was there, and i stood him in good stead during the pre-second world war period when jobs were hard to find and the dole money wouldn’t have kept a cat alive. His skills at carpentry kept the wolf from the door, and I’m sure that in the long run he was thankful for the training he received from Hollow Meadows. You’ll probably not know of those hard times, but believe me his skills put food on the table!

My father was sent to Hollow Meadows during the early part of the 20th century. He was a truant. The place could not have been too bad because he learned carpentry while he was there, and i stood him in good stead during the pre-second world war period when jobs were hard to find and the dole money wouldn’t have kept a cat alive. His skills at carpentry kept the wolf from the door, and I’m sure that in the long run he was thankful for the training he received from Hollow Meadows. You’ll probably not know of those hard times, but believe me his skills put food on the table!


When we were naughty as kids our grandparents used to threaten us with being sent to the 'naughty boys' home at Rivelin.

My GGGrandFather was born at Moorwood Farm, Hollow Meadows in 1809. In 1815 his Father (a widower with 9 children) was sentenced to death at York Castle for stealing 80 sheep. This was commuted to transportation to Australia for life.

Hollow Meadows is indeed still a place! and the old hospital is still in place, as many people have stated.

the actual hospital building is now 9 houses, with the sperate "old doctors house" at the end of the drive, it was both a truant school, and a hospital, specialising in different things at different times as it closed and re-opened im not sure how many times!

I remember in the early 60's when I worked at the Blood Transfusion Service,our sports & social club played footy one evening against the boys at Hollow Meadows.

I played for the staff side off hollow meadows in the 60 s. At that time it was used as a Mental Hospital regards.

Hollow meadows hospital as was has been converted into apartments,very nice they are too! I know this because i work in what was the old keepers cottage next door, that has also been extended to a 4 bedroom house, its up for sale if anyone has 750K they want to spend.

A bit later than your ggrandfather, but in the 1840's a row of 3 cottages nicknamed 'Sparrow barracks' were built by a blade and scissor forger and a file forger. They were demolished at the end of the century. So the people living around there weren't necessarily farming, they would be forging blades and files for the industry in Sheffield.
I was facinated to hear about this. I have recently discovered that some of my ancestors were from the Hollow Meadows area. It seems that the family were 'Scissor forging' in Cross Smithfield Sheffield and a branch of the family moved to Hollow Meadows area circa 1840. I don't know if they lived in 'Sparrow Barracks'. Does anybody know if these cottages were on the Manchester road ? It would be great to hear from anybody with any information.

I was facinated to hear about this. I have recently discovered that some of my ancestors were from the Hollow Meadows area. It seems that the family were 'Scissor forging' in Cross Smithfield Sheffield and a branch of the family moved to Hollow Meadows area circa 1840. I don't know if they lived in 'Sparrow Barracks'. Does anybody know if these cottages were on the Manchester road ? It would be great to hear from anybody with any information.

If the people in the 'Sparrow Barracks' were in the business of blade and scissor and file forging I guess they would need easy access to Sheffield, so they would be close to Manchester Road as the quickest route into the town.I've had a lok at the maps I've got, but one is from 1840, before these houses were built, and the other is 1906, after they were demolished! Sorry I can't help.

If the people in the 'Sparrow Barracks' were in the business of blade and scissor and file forging I guess they would need easy access to Sheffield, so they would be close to Manchester Road as the quickest route into the town.I've had a lok at the maps I've got, but one is from 1840, before these houses were built, and the other is 1906, after they were demolished! Sorry I can't help.


:thumbsup: Many thanks Algy. One question though, How did you come across 'Sparrow Barracks' ? and the fact that the cottages were built by a Scissor forger ?

:thumbsup: Many thanks Algy. One question though, How did you come across 'Sparrow Barracks' ? and the fact that the cottages were built by a Scissor forger ?

It's in a book called 'Historic Hallamshire' by David Hey. Unfortunately what I quoted is all he has to say about them.

It's in a book called 'Historic Hallamshire' by David Hey. Unfortunately what I quoted is all he has to say about them.
Thanks Algy. The book sounds interesting though. I will have to get a copy.
Thanks again.

Interesting. I always thought that the imposing building referred to was the insane asylum and that the orphanage / workhouse was further along Manchester road - the last building on the right before the turn-off towards the Strines. King Edwards is (was!!) on the Rivelin Valley and not the Manchester road.