My parents, Olga and Cyril Mowforth were both keen Youth Hostelers in the 1930-50s and committee members doing lots of voluntary work at Leam. I have fond memories of staying at Leam Hall as a young child, and meeting Mrs Rose-Innes who gave my parents a very fine 'loving cup' for their wedding (which is now one of my precious possessions). I also remember the striking wall mural which filled the end wall of Leam's dining room. I have recently put together a book of my parent's letters to each other during WW2 when my mother was a newly wed housewife in wartime Sheffield and my father was with the 42 Royal Tank Regiment in North Africa and then Germany. The letters contain numerous references to Youth hostels around Sheffield as my mother continued YHA committee work during the war - (she mentions people and work at Leam Hall - including the commissioning and painting of the mural, work at the now submerged Derwent Water Hostel, Ravenstor and others). Our family haven't published the book but it is available in pdf or one hard copy in the YHA Archives, and is also part of the Imperial War Museum collection. It is called "Good Evening Sweetheart" 2015.
