Does anyone know the history of the Bole Hills?

[Mandem 13]

I remember as a child reading a plaque on the Bole Hills stating that it was a gift to the people of Sheffield for recreational and leisure purposes, but I can't remember by whom. I also read on the net that the Council purchased the Bole Hills in 1886, but does anyone know who from, and does it still belong to the people of Sheffield, and if so, should the plaque be re-erected so future generations will know who it was donated by, and when. The plaque also stated the number of acres that this person had left. It seems such a marvellous gift to the people of Sheffield, that the person should be recognised.

[Yerman 10]

I can't help with the history you ask. But I am sure I read somewhere that the Bole Hills were used for mass recreational events - like sports days and Whitsuntide gatherings. Were there also some old mine workings there?

[fuzzy 10]

Did it not have a church in at at some time??

[saxon51 10]

'Bole' hills were places where lead smelting was done in olden times and were picked because of the wind 'draught' for bringing fires up to high temperatures. There are many 'bole' hills within Sheffield, all on high ground.

 

BOLE being an old term for a lead smelter.

[Mandem 13]

Thank you for the replies. Just one or two points, there were no mine workings on the Bole Hills, but there was quite a lot of quarrying for stone.

 

The church you are probably thinking about was an old corrugated church which was at the end of Loxley View Road. There was also another church on Bole Hill Road across from where the old Pollys Pub used to be.

My main concern over the Bole Hills now is that I have heard talk about the Council building on the Bole Hills, which I don't think they have any right to do, all my enquires have met with a brick wall regarding the Bole Hills being left as a gift to the people of Sheffield, still looking for any evidence of this. It would be sad if the Bole Hills turned into a housing estate.!, which it will no doubt do so if the Council are allowed to build. I'm not sure if the old Council depot off Northfield Road adjoining the Bole Hills, which now has housing on, was part of the Bole Hills.

[saxon51 10]

Thank you for the replies. Just one or two points, there were no mine workings on the Bole Hills, but there was quite a lot of quarrying for stone.

 

The lead wasn't mined there, it was brought there from Derbyshire as ground-up galena along the packhorse routes..

[Mandem 13]

The lead wasn't mined there, it was brought there from Derbyshire as ground-up galena along the packhorse routes..

Sorry for the confusion I was replying to the thread by Yerman.

[Yerman 10]

Madem

 

This is a cause worth fighting. I tend to agree that the Bole Hills are a recreational space. Where was the plaque you refer to? Was it on the path to the right of the bowling greens?

I am sure I have seen photos of Whit Sings being held there.

[CHAIRBOY 10]

Can't add any eclesiastical or geology knowledge to the thread but can add some 50's and 60's history of the Bole Hills, especially the main playing fields which were once under Sheffield Education Committee regulations. I think the fields may well have been the recreational outlet of Bole Hill and Western Road schools?

At the end, nearest the police station on Northfield Road, was a 'cook house' where the Education meals were prepared. This was surrounded by a wonderful oval path which was an ideal cycle-speedway track!

Then there was a changing hut and surrounding toilets.

The main field now doesn't tell the truth as grass can be seen. There used to be a soccer pitch at the Walkley end with the main pitch at the Crookes end, by those toilets. In between was a hockey pitch alongside a concrete cricket strip. The 'top pitch' bore no grass at all. It was played on every night and was dust/mud/cinders, it was the colour of the sand in Tenerife!

The game would start about 6.15pm (after homework) and as eyes acclimatised, we could still be playing at 9.30. The bottom of the field was surrounded by sharp-spiked railings and many a ball bit the dust on those!

In summer, there was a queue to play tennis on about eight courts and you booked them down steps, no longer there, by the bowling club.

There was the childen's playground and the park-keeper's hut behind which hanky-panky is alleged to have taken place. I wouldn't know, I was busy with the football!

We used to come from the field and go into Meeson's sweet shop at the end of Longfield Road. We'd buy our JUBBLIES there but Pop Meeson kept about a dozen cats and they'd walk all over the jars and fridges - the whole shop stank of cat pee but I'm told his lemonade was great! We entertained ourselves in those days and loved every minute.

[Greybeard 10]

In J. H. Stainton's "The Making of Sheffield I865-1914" there is a mention that the council authorised the purchase of the Bole Hills in Sepember 1899, but nothing is revealed about the reason for the purcahase.

[Mags 12]

Western Road senior school used the Bolehills. We used to walk up there to play hockey.

I vaguely remember one of the teachers saying we were very lucky to be able to use them because of someones generosity.

Other schools used the facilities on other days.

[nomme 10]

Quick search turned up this:

http://www.broomhillonline.org.uk/archive/BANG_09.htm

in which it says

"Joseph Andrews, Bole Hill Quarry owner and builder, by Rod Andrews"

 

So Rod Andrews gave a talk about the quarry owner a couple of years back.

Perhaps you can get in touch with BANG and from there get in contact with Rod Andrews.

 

Nomme