frits_stuur

Does anyone know what the building that now accommodates K-Max Karaoke Bar used to be formerly? Offices, or works? Which business?

About a week ago, TACS, the tiles and architectural ceramics society, have launched their new TACS Locations Database; see http://www.tilesoc.org.uk/tacs-database/LOCATIONS_list.asp Using > Sheffield < as the search term (not case sensitive) yields 58 sites. The predecessor, as it were, of the TACS Locations Database was the TACS Tile Gazetteer; for Sheffield (and South Yorkshire generally), see http://www.tilesoc.org.uk/tile-gazetteer/yorkshire.html#south The Tile Gazetteer associates Robertson & Russell with a product called morsatile: “[...] in […] Angel Street […] is a post office, whose entrance is now host to a First World War memorial to Sheffield’s postal workers. The panel, showing a roll of honour between two classical columns, was moved from a nearby post office due to its closure in 1999. It was made by a local firm, Robertson & Russell, from an apparently ceramic material called morsatile; its opus sectile-like sheen and curving, cut forms suggest it contains some glass. The firm produced several other morsatile war memorials for local churches during 1920-1, including the example still extant at Wadsley Parish Church, Worrall Road, to the west of the city centre […]”. Although the term was apparently already used in 1922 by Canon William Odom in his Memorials of Sheffield: its Cathedral and Parish Churches, the Oxford English Dictionary does not include the term morsatile. Searching with Google (or, as I prefer, with Ecosia), yields only one (relevant) hit, viz. a quotation from Canon Odom in the site of ‘the competition’, http://www.sheffieldhistory.co.uk: “The War Memorial consists of two morsatile tablets in oak frames on the west wall. Under the words, ‘In sacred memory of the men of S. Anne’s parish who made the supreme sacrifice in the Great War, 1914-19.’ are the names of the fallen, numbering 121 […]” Apparently, this refers to a WW1 memorial that was transfered and is now in St Stephen’s church on Fawcett Rd. Curiously, perhaps, unlike the earlier TACS Tile Gazetteer, the new TACS Locations Database does not specify the WW1 memorials in Angel St PO and Wadsley parish church as morsatile. Using > morsatile < as the search terrm, the TACS Locations Database does yield two other hits, though: - Baptist Church, Taplin Road, Hillsborough. 3 tablets of 10 tiles (Morsatile) - St Thomas Church, Holywell Road, Brightside S9-1920 war memorial with names on 3 morsatile panels I understand that the latter three panels have been transferred and are now in St Margaret’s, Jenkin Rd. I am tempted to make a bold hypothesis: ‘morsatile equals Robertson & Russell’ ... Is there anyone out there who would be willing to go to Baptist Church in Taplin Rd, St Margarets’s in Jenkin Rd and/or St Stephen’s in Fawcett Rd, check the tiled WW1 memorials for attribution to Robertson & Russell, and report?

I made an excursion to Leeds. Using Directories and Registers of Electors, I have traced Alexander Robertson in Leeds, 1882-1906, by and large in Christopher Street, and by and lage as a glazier. The Leeds directories for 1907 and 1908 then list: Robertson Mrs Anne, glazier, 44 Christopher street It looks to me as if Alexander Robertson died c. 1906, and that his widow tried to continue the business: if I may be pardoned my sexist bias, perhaps in her name only, while the 'real work' was delegated to their son Thomas Robertson. Imho, this would fit fairly well with the start of Robertson & Russell in Sheffield in 1910: perhaps because the business in Leeds had failed, or for some other reason that had made Leeds no longer a viable place, and Thomas had to start over elsewhere. On the minus-side: not a trace of any Russell in Leeds either. I'm beginning to wonder. Could Thomas Robertson have added "& Russell" to make the firm look more respectable or something, without there being any real Russell on the horizon?

Thank you, Hillsbro, for your information and the sources you refer me to; it is beginning to add up to a veritable lead glass dynasty (grandfather – father – son): Alexander Robertson (fl. 1881-1891, Leeds) Thomas Robertson (1877, London – 1966, Sheffield), Robertson & Russell Donald Robertson (1905 – 1985) It is my impression that Donald in turn had a son “Wltr”: at least the 1951 directory gives the same address for them, 6 Rydalhurst Avenue, and the same telephone number, 22786 (Walter is at that address already in 1948, but not yet Donald; Walter is no longer in the 1954 issue); but there is no indication what Walter's profession may have been. Alexander Robertson (fl. 1881-1891, Leeds) Thomas Robertson (1877, London – 1966, Sheffield), Robertson & Russell Donald Robertson (1905 – 1985) Walter Robertson (fl. 1948-1951, Sheffield) (grandfather – father – son – grandson(?)) The Russell side of the affair remains a blank for the nonce.

Does anyone out there know anything about the firm of Robertson & Russell? Their core business was stained glass; there's a large number of windows in St Andrews Psalter Lane church that they did. On the web (flickr), there's pix of a window in St Mary's church, Bolsterstone, Sheffield. They also did Rolls of Honour after the Great War a.k.a. WWI, i.a. in Castle Square post office and in Wadsley Church: these look as if they are ceramic tiles of some sort. At some point their business was described as "artists in stained glass, church furnishers, makers of hand made furniture & restorers of antique furniture"; by the 1950, they were formica suppliers & makers. Robertson & Russell seem to have been active c. 1910-c.1960; I have the successive addresses: Wentworth Works, Burgess Street 7 Cambridge Street 43 Carver Street 114 & 116 Broad Lane I'm interested in all aspects of the history of the business. I would also appreciate directions to further specimens of their work. There's also the Sheffield stained-glass artist Donald Robertson, almost certainly the son of Thomas Robertson, co-founder of R&R; but it is not clear to me whether Donald R. was part of R&R. Donald R. may have been active from c. 1931 to c. 1980. For a couple of years in the 1930s, after Robertson & Russel had become Robertson & Russell Limited, a director of R&R was George Hammond Steel. I have not found any specific Russell who was a partner in the firm. Thanks

To add to the confusion even further … A 1902 Directory in Sheffield's Local Studies library lists three brickworks as being located in Wadsley Bridge: - Don Brick Co (Leppings Bridge); - Klondyke Brick Co (Middlewood Road); and - New Patent Plastic Brick Co. But no Wadsley Bridge Brick Company. I suppose it is possible that any of these three brickmaking companies might have adopted Wadsley Bridge Brick Co as 'just' a trade name. If so, both Don at Leppings Bridge and Klondyke at Middlewood Road seem to me to have hardly been located in the core area of Wadsley Bridge sufficiently for them to adopt 'Wadsley Bridge Brick Co' for a trade name. By this reasoning, it would have been the New Patent Plastic Brick Co that marketed Wadsley Bridge Brick Co bricks. Moreover. From the Wortley register of building plans (Sheffield Archives CA 676) it appears that in 1894 both W. Mottram & Sons (3 August 1984) and J. Darlow (26 October 1894) had plans for a Brick Works at Wadsley Bridge approved; and much earlier (15 September 1882) Moss + Gamble had a Brick Factory approved. As far as I know, the New Patent Plastic Brick Company was started by Charles Keyworth in the late 1890s; then in 1916 had a Mrs Elizabeth Birley as poprietess; and from then on belonged to the Sheffield Brick Co.: this was the brickworks off Halifax Road, where Kilner Way is now. So Moss & Gamble (of the Wadsley Bridge forge), Mottram & Sons (whose core trade was builders' materials merchants) and/or J. Darlow (there was a lot of Darlows that were in the brickmaking trade) might have been being starting the Don and/or Klondyke brick works. But if not, presumably they might have been the owners of the Wadsley Bridge Brick Co. Once again, however, neither under their own names nor under the ostensible trade name do they ever seem to have been listed as brickmakers in the Directorys. In other words: I do not understand the situation. What I do know, is that in Wadsley Bridge 'proper', on the 1905 Ordnance Survey map, there is one site marked "Brick Field (disused)", and one site marked "Brick Works". - The "Brick Field" is to the north across the road (then Back Lane; now more or less Baxter Road and Baxter Drive) from the Wadsley Bridge Works (Iron & Steel). This site has buildings indicated that on the earlier 1890 OS map (where the Brick Field was already "disused"!) were identified as kilns. One assumes that this was the site of Moss and Gamble's brickworks, perhaps exploited only to build their own premises with (what are now the apartments of 'Baxter Mews'): when was this edifice built? - The "Brick Works" are to the south of Halifax Road next to the railway, i.e. the site of the New Patent Plastic Brick Company, later the Sheffield Brick Company (and now Kilner Way). I would appreciate any input that might help to clarify these matters!

It certainly does help. Thanks. It confirms that hunting for documentary or pictorial evidence of Wadsley Bridge Brick Co. is not necessarily a wild goose chase. If and when anything of that nature eventuates, I'll report on the Forum. For the duration, it seems odd that it should be so hard to come by: for instance, why shouldn't it - say, "before Sthe Sheffield Brick Co. took over" - ever have been listed in the Directories under its own name?

Thanks Everyone! Like you people, Peter Harvey in STREET NAMES OF SHEFFIELD says, "Kilner Way [...] was the site of a brickworks operated by the Sheffields Brick Co. Ltd, Halifax Road". And the Wikipedia entry for Wadsley Bridge says, "the Kilner Way retail park opened in the 1970s, being built on the site of an old brick works and sandstone quarry". However ... It is my impression that the Sheffield Brick Co had impressed in the frogs of their bricks "SBC" (I have seen plenty of those around, including Parsons X). So, it would seem that "WADSLEY BRIDGE BRICK CO" would have been another enterprise. Of course, it is possible that Sheffield Brick Co took over the site from Wadsley Bridge Brick Co (or even vice versa); but, so far I have not seen any evidence for an independent Wadsley Bridge Brick Co, other than that brick I have ... PopT: when you say, houses in Owlerton built with Wadsley Bridge bricks, do you actually mean evidentially Wadsley Bridge Brick Co; or, do you mean SBC? Frits

I have a small collection of bricks made by Sheffield firms. One brick has impressed in its frog, "WADSLEY BRIDGE / BRICK CO" (WBBC). I have looked through the Directories (White's; Kelly's) in Local Studies library; but no WBBC seems ever have to been listed. Anyone know anything about WBBC? Where? When? Who owned by? Etc.?

Yep, yabetcha, v. interested; especially if there's different forms and shapes among them - but even if not. Not all of them "few hundred", tho' :-) It so happens I'll be back in Sheffield at the end of this week (I do not live there permanently), so we can arrange for some set-up for me to collect them. Thanks!

I am interested in some aspects of the history of the building industries in Sheffield. In 1920, the first 'President' of Wadsley House Social Club Ltd. was William Henry Ayrton. Among the other earliest Presidents of this club, at least two were more or less prominent local builders and/or contractors: W.J. Patchett (1924), J.H.S. Randall (1929). In the DIRECTORIES, I first found Ayrton in 1898, as an "architect"; then, 1901-1935, he is an "architect's assistant"; and 1928-1931, "surveyor (Fowler & Marshall)". From the report of the funeral of Reginald William Fowler, of Fowler & Marshall (TELEGRAPH, 25.03.1925, p. 6), it appears that Ayrton already worked for Fowler & Marshall at least by 1925. My notes are unclear as to whether Ayrton lived at 80 Airedale Rd all those years; but certainly so latterly. I wonder whether, and if so to what extent, Ayrton was able to use Wadsley House Social Club professionally, as a network for distributing projects, either his own and/or those of Fowler & Marshall; or rather, whether, and if so to what extent, it may be possible to ferret something like that out after so many years. So far, I have found Ayrton – ostensibly in his own name, rather than as employee of Fowler & Marshall - associated with the following building projects (I may have miscopied some names of streets and/or numbers of houses …): 1899: house, shop & workshop, Sheepcote Lane (for B. Glaswell) 1900: 12 houses, Sheepcote Lane (for W. Finch) 1900: 3 houses & stabling, Wentworth Rd (for Hy. Keay) 1902: 5 houses, Town St (for G.H. Johnson) 1903: 17 houses, Town St (for G.H. Johnson) 1905: 28 houses, Town St (new street off) (for T. Gray & Sons) 1905: 8 houses, Town St (road off) (for G.H. Johnson) 1906: 5 houses, Milton Rd (for W. Coxon) 1906: 2 houses, Sheffield Rd (for Chas. Roberts) 1906: 2 houses, Sheffield Rd (for Mr. Bennett) 1907: 4 houses, Town St (road off) (for J. Bailey) 1907: 10 houses, off Stafford + Town Sts (for J.W. Bailey) 1907: 4 houses, Milton Rd (off) (for W. Coxon) 1907: 30 houses, Stafford St (for T. Gray & Sons) 1907: shops, Sheffield Rd (for G.H. Johnson) 1907: 28 houses, Lifford St (for T. Gray & Sons) 1907: 12 houses, Ruby St (for W. Coxon) 1908: 17 houses, Sheffield Rd (for G.H. Jonhson) 1908: 36 houses, Ruby St (for T. Gray & Sons) 1908: 17 houses, Harrowden Rd (for Smith & Bailey) 1909: 8 houses, Nowbourough Rd (for W. Coxon) 1909: laundry addition, Milton Rd (for G.H. Johnson) 1910: 138 houses, Oversleigh Rd – St Lawrence Rd – etc. (for T. Gray & Sons) 1910: 12 houses Milton Rd – St. Lawrence Rd (for E. Bilbrough) 1910: 20 houses, St Lawrence Rd (for J.W. Bailey) 1911: workhouse, Bawtry Rd (off) (for H. Justice) 1912: 9 houses, St. Lawrence Rd (for J.W. Bailey) 1925: 20 houses, Middlewood Rd (for W.J. Patchett) (these are the houses on MIddelwood Rd between Stockarth Lane and Middlewood Tavern (except for the last two)) That's all I know, so far. Is there anyone out there who knows more? Any information is welcome.

Well well, all the way out in Crookes! One has the impression that in the period Chas was active, turn of 19-20 centuries, presumably because of transport (or rather the lack of same), bricks tended to be (even) more local. Of course, one brick at the bottom of one's garden, it may be a 'stray', having ended up there only the god of bricks knows how. Numerous types?! Have you seen my new thread, 'Klondyke'? Any Klondyke / W.J. Patchett / G. Beaumont / Daniel Doncaster (= D D with a 'lozenge' in between)? I do not even know what PM means (private message?), let alone how to do it. I'd lovethe pix; would you instruct me about PM, please, or refer me to the instructions? Thanks.

Along Middlewood Road, close to the P+R terminus of Supertram, there is a terrace of six houses, numbers 511-521, with on the elevation (at number 517) "KLONDYKE VILLAS 1902". Note the spelling, with–Y-; the Klondike in Canada, of the famous goldrush (1896 and after), is spelled with –i-. Still, the Villas on Middlewood Road presumably do owe their name to Klondike. There was around there a 'Klondyke Brickworks' as well. The earliest proprietors would seem to have been 'Klondyke Brick Co.'; who deposited plans to build an office May 20, 1898. I do not know exactly how long the Klondyke company continued to own the Klondyke works; apparently at least until 1905. In any case, by 1912 the Klondyke site was where W.J. Patchett had his brickworks (and Patchett built the terrace 523-531 Middlewood Road there); until 1915. Next, the proprietor was G. Beaumont. And finally, by 1919, the owners are the famous Daniel Doncaster & Sons; it was they who seem to have wound up the enterprise in 1936. It would appear as if the last three owners, Patchett – Beaumont – Doncaster, all continued to have one John William Wiggins manage the Klondyke brickworks for them; at least, during their successive reigns, Wiggins lived at 531 Middlewood Road, and was a brickworks manager. Wiggins was indeed already a manager (of brickworks?) in 1902. at 36 Bellhouse Road; but if that is an error for Bellhagg Road, perhaps that is nearby enough for Wiggins to even have already managed the Klondyke works by then? Curiously, there seems to have been a Klondike Brickworks along the Basingstoke Canal, near Slade's Bridge, as well; this time, with the 'proper' –i-. However that may be, otherwise, I know nothing about Klondyke Brickworks in Sheffield. Anyone? Has anyone ever seen an actual brick marked "Klondyke"?

William Johnson Patchett (1875-1931) and William Maxfield Patchett (1901-1971) ware father and son respectively. Both the father's firm of builders & contractors and the son's business as a builders' merchant were located in the premises between Dodd Street and Trickett Road (previously the site of a Skating Rink (roller skating); now Barkers Furniture). Whether either father and/or son did indeed also own / manage the concrete works on Hawksley Av, or whether this was / were (an)other Patchett(s), I have been unable to establish; the concrete works seems to have been a short-lived affair anyway, and I cannot find any trace of it on Hawksley Av today. What I was - and still am - actually looking for (but this was unclear in my original post, for which I apologize) is more info on the ostensible SHEFFIELD BUILDING TRADES' EMPLOYERS' ASSOCIATION, and finding out whether W.J. Patchett was perhaps involved in it more than serving on "the Committee" in 1922.

One Mr Patchett, presumably W.J. Patchett (1875-1931), builder & contractor in Sheffield, was elected to "the Committee" of the SHEFFIELD BUILDING TRADES' EMPLOYERS ASSOCIATION in their annual meeting of (around) 14 February 1922 (as reported in Sheffield Daily Telegraph of 15 February 1922, page 2, and in The Builder of 24 February 1924, page 321). So far, I have been unable to find any more information on the Sheffield Building Trades' Employers' Association in general, in Sheffield Archives or Local Studies Library, on the web, or elsewhere; let alone information on (W.J.) Patchett as a member or an official of the Association. Anyone?