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Blackwells Forge, Oughtibridge

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Hello All.

 

My father Colin Edley and uncle Frank Edley worked at the forge, known then as Blackwells, in Forge Lane, Oughtibridge. Of course, this is now a modern housing estate. Does anyone have any recollection of this firm, at all? No end of web searching has resulted in... nothing!

 

I remember that the forge was taken over by Dormer, probably in the seventies. This meant that I was eligible for the huge Dormer Twist Drill works Christmas party, for the children of employees! My Dad worked with a chap by the name of Jack Stillings, and another, Colin Croft.

 

Please let me know, if you have the smallest lead for this - I would be very grateful for any help at all.

 

Best regards,

 

Mark Edley.

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I was born in Cockshutts Lane, Oughtibridge in 41, and when I was growing up, most of the noise in the village was the forge hammer beating on steel bars. As kids, we used to stand outside the open windows and watch the men drawing the hot bars from the furnace and then beating it thinner with a steam hammer, of which there were two. Lorries would bring the bars in from somewhere - I do not know where - and take the thinned down ones elsewhere - again, I know not to where.

There was an office across Forge Lane but I don't know who worked there. A good friend of mine, Dr John Blackwell, who lived next door to me when we were both at Penistone GS, might be able to help. John is professor emeriteous in chemistry at Case Western University, Cleveland, Ohio. I am sure that there are a few people left in Oughtibridge who will still know who worked there, and you might get in touch with the Nicholsons at the paper shop on Langsett Rd S, since they have been there for very many years.

Sorry I cant tell you more, as my dad did the same thing at Bedford's mill in Attercliffe at that time.

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Hi. I was born in the cottages opposite the Coop on Langsett Rd South, Oughtibridge

in 46. We then moved to Langsett Rd North, opposite the bottom of Cockshutts Lane (we knew it as Jossy Lane - no idea why) My grandfather with whom we lived worked a a grinder at the Phoenix Sheep Shear Company on Forge Lane. I spent many a happy hour sat on the opening in the wall at Blackwells Forge watching the 'Dom di Dom' as I called it. The sound made by the steam hammer when it struck the red hot billet. happy times when a 3 or 4 year old could come and go in the village without danger.

'

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DrRodStanley,would you be any relation to Ernest Stanley who lived at the top of Church St by any chance.

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Hi Dr Rod. your name is familiar but 4 or 5 years age gap as a youngster makes a lot of difference. My Grandmother lived on Crag View Crescent and I used to spend a lot of time there. You may be a contemporary of Howard Guest who also went to Penistone GS and lived 3 doors below ( next to the old air raid shelter with the wavy concrete roof, remember?.)

The name you mention is no relation, but it is good to hear about the old village. It's not the same -houses on the swamp between Langsett Road and Forge Lane, Houses on the Burying Fields opposite the park etc etc. I came across this site by accident but wil keep reading.

Peter

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Howard Guest was a year behind me at PGS, in the same class as Dr John Blackwell, who is now at Case Western Reserve in Cleveland, Ohio. The air-raid shelter you mention was right next to a row of Nissan huts, one of which Dad and I moved, piece by piece on a barrow, and installed it up Cockshutts Lane, where it still stands. Dad garaged his car in it. I think it should be a national monument by now. I started looking for Cockshutts Lane named as Jossy Lane, which is what my mother called it, but haven't got too far with that.

There was another air-raid shelter at the top of Bedford Road, and a small one behind no 56, Cockshutts, where my mate Duncan Heney now lives. His grandfather, George Clarke, was a JP, worked at Sheffield Victoria Station, and was, I believe, chairman of the Co-op,

Earnest Stanley was my Dad's brother's lad. I think the last time I saw him was at my uncle Gilbert Stanley's funeral.

My brother Chris, who also went to PGS, kept goal for PGS in the mornings, Oughtibridge WMSC in the afternoon, and went on to coach Sheffield FC, taking them to Wembley.

I went to Tanzania in 63, and now live in Houston. I love to come home, sing carols in the Blue Ball, and go to see my beloved Owls. Now I can watch them on the telly here. The village has changed a lot. The swamps have gone, the chip shop doesn't do chips any more, Hayward's butchers has gone.

One final think I cant find much about are all the clay and ganister mines that we used to play in.

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DrRodStanley.Ernest Stanley was a customer of ours at Waldot Service Station on Middlewood Rd,I got to know him well before i moved to Oughtibridge in 1969.He was always the joker and never stopped laughing,he is now buried in Birtin Cemetery.There are some stone fronted houses on the left of Cockshutts Lane and my friend lived in the top one and that has a garage which looked like it was built from the old Anderson shelters.Oughtibridge has changed beyond belief now and i wouldnt want to go back to live there,I will just keep my happy memories of all the friends i had in the village.If I remember right GR Stein were the last owners who worked the gannister mines up Jawbones hill.

Edited by bullerboY

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Anyone remember when Jossy Lane in Oughtibridge because Cockshutts Lane?

I found a sketch of the toll bar cottage that used to be at the bottom of the lane in 1900, drawn by Jack Ambler.

Finally, my mate up Cockshutts lane referred me to a website about a tunnel that the author had called "The Breach" and appeared to be somewhere in Oughtibridge. Anyone know anything about this?

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Hi

 

We’ve recently moved into Cockshutts Lane. The house at the bottom overlooking langsett road. We think it was built in the 60s or 70s. Does anyone have photoss of it or the garden as we’d love to restore it (the gardens) to how it used to look-it’s very overgrown!!

 

Chris

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Anyone remember when Jossy Lane in Oughtibridge because Cockshutts Lane?

I found a sketch of the toll bar cottage that used to be at the bottom of the lane in 1900, drawn by Jack Ambler.

Finally, my mate up Cockshutts lane referred me to a website about a tunnel that the author had called "The Breach" and appeared to be somewhere in Oughtibridge. Anyone know anything about this?

Hi Rod I have a couple of old O/Bridge photos if you email me will pass them on B.Couldwell. from Worrall. bazzac70@hotmail.com

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the last owner of the forge,based at the botttom of the hill , famed for making large metal chains, was Joe Woodger, then based in Chapletown, but a Rotherham lad .

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Hi

 

I was a blacksmith at Harvest Forge at the beginning of forge lane which used to be called the sheepshear forge.

Blackwells finished up as Napier steels before folding.

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