kc00

wow, that's an amazing life you've led! yes, the heavy forge sounds about right to what i was referring to as the 'foundry'. so maybe it was that. thank you so much for your response. it's incredibly interesting to hear or read about people's stories and experiences around the steelworks. i recall seeing one of those boiler drums you were referring to, and they are an impressive sight! i can't even imagine the amount of work that goes into fabricating one of those. but thank you for the detailed explanation! kc

cheers johnpm for the detailed information on the company and correcting the spelling for me of 'siemens'. shame you hadn't heard of the ingots while you were there; they could have been disposed of prior to you starting there, but who knows... yeah, i've heard from various steel workers that the workers would just evaporate before they even hit the surface of the molten iron. very unfortunate. i can't even imagine how much heat the enormous mass of molten metal would permeate; it's amazing how they manage to work in those conditions and at such a close distance! how long did you work there for, if you don't mind me asking? also, was it in the foundry that you worked? thanks for the info biggsy! i think i just used 'iron' to save time typing everything up, ha thanks for the input guys! really appreciate it. ---------- Post added 24-05-2016 at 20:17 ---------- thanks brian! looks like a lot of reading, but should be some good stuff in there

wondering if anyone has any historical information on the iron foundry workers (specifically ones at the company now called forgemasters at brightside ln). particular information i am looking for is concerning fatalities in the workplace, where workers would occasionally fall into a ladle of molten iron whilst scraping scale/slag. my granddad has told me of times he has seen massive iron (ingots?) -- as in the entire contents of a ladle -- left in a room at (what he remembers it being called back then as, seamans -- not sure on spelling? -- now known as forgemasters) with a 'white cross' (crucifix) painted on them. apparently they were left there, and to be left unused, as a sign of respect for the deceased worker who would have fallen into the ladle/furnace. not sure on the number of iron (ingots?) that were stored there, but there was certainly more than a few, from what i have been told. the last time my granddad said he remembered seeing them was around the 1950s/60s; and he is not sure what might of happened to them. he said he remembers seeing them for the first time on a school trip to the steelworks when he was a lad, and then a few times when popping by there when he would have worked in the trade. he doesn't seem to know any more information on them, but he is certain that they were there and that is the reason they were there. he had worked in the steel industry for many years of his life and saw and heard of many accidents/fatalities at the workplace, and has said that many of the other workers knew about the iron ingots also and why they were there, too. this information is being used for a project i am currently undertaking on sheffield heritage, and the piece i am making is in response to this particular subject. by no means am i trying or want to be disrespectful to anyone, and i hope that this subject does not strike sore to anyone, who's family might have been affected by this. i find the story has a very nice sentiment and a real compliment on the moral of the people and workers of sheffield; and this is what i am trying to put forward. i have contacted a friend who formally worked at forgemasters in the foundry, who has said the likelihood of this happening is true, but to his knowledge he has not seen or heard of anything whilst he has worked there. if anyone has any information on this subject i would really appreciate it. pictures, stories, anything. email me, or respond to post. thanks kc