Attercliffe : Did anyone live there prior to demolition (1950's era ?

[quixall 10]

Hello,

 

I have been interested in the the area of Attercliffe in Sheffield for some years now and have recently begun to do some research on the area. I am 47 years old and so i was too young to remember the area before it was demolished in the 1970's. I did a project about the east end when i was at College in 1994 as part of an access course before going on to Sheffield Hallam University. Back then i was interested in the industrial side of Attercliffe and can remember going down to Saville Street in 1994 to take some photographs of the area. Back then, the area was just waste land, walls, pavements and weeds.

 

Now, i have become interested in the lives of the people who lived there and of the many streets that were demolished during that 1970's period. What got me started was looking at the Sheffield Then and now videos on you tube, of which there are now twelve. It shows many back to back houses terraces houses, inter mingled with Steel works, cobbled streets and most of the photo's look like they were taken in the late 1960's. These video's then give you the same scene as they look today and in many cases the houses have disappeared altogther, replaced by grassy knolls or small industrial estates, with little remaining of what once stood on these streets.

 

I have pieced together where these streets where using google maps and street names and many are just off the top end of Carlisle Street and around the old Banner's store on Attercliffe road. I would be interested to hear from anyone who lived on these streets or knew of anyone who lived on them. The roads above Carlisle street interest me a lot. They are Atlas Road, Barbur Road, Earsham Street, Sorby Street, Lyons Street, Harlestone Street, Hallcar Street, Cossey Road, Gower Street, Grimesthorpe road, Petre Street and Bland road. Also from anyone who lived around Banner's department store, Chippingham Street etc.

 

I am trying to get idea of what it was like to live on these streets during those post war years, when the steel making was still thriving. I want t get an idea of the atmosphere of the place, the people, the community and how it was viewed by those people that lived there. It would also be nice to hear what people thought of the demolition of the area ? Where they against it or had they resigned themselves to new lives elsewhere. I think i sometimes view the old photographs with a sense of nostalgia for a time and a culture that has now been lost forever and in some ways these old streets, from the photographs anyway, seem to have their own charm and beauty.

 

Finally, i hope i have posted this in the correct section and if i haven't, then can someone please tell me which is the appropriate section to put this post. If any people are interested in some photo's of these old streets, then i have quite a few. Thank you for reading this and i hope that i get some feedback from people who lived in Attercliffe during the 1950's and 1960's.

 

Thank you

Edited June 1, 2015 by quixall

[Plain Talker 11]

the Carlisle Street area is Ellesmere, not Attercliffe.

[quixall 10]

the Carlisle Street area is Ellesmere, not Attercliffe.

 

That maybe the correct name, but i think most that people will know what i mean when i say "Attercliffe", particularly those that had any connections with place around the 1950's and 60's period. Besides, it's not just the top side of Carlise street i am interested in, but the whole of the "East end".

[stpetre 12]

Hello,

 

I have been interested in the the area of Attercliffe in Sheffield for some years now and have recently begun to do some research on the area. I am 47 years old and so i was too young to remember the area before it was demolished in the 1970's. I did a project about the east end when i was at College in 1994 as part of an access course before going on to Sheffield Hallam University. Back then i was interested in the industrial side of Attercliffe and can remember going down to Saville Street in 1994 to take some photographs of the area. Back then, the area was just waste land, walls, pavements and weeds.

 

Now, i have become interested in the lives of the people who lived there and of the many streets that were demolished during that 1970's period. What got me started was looking at the Sheffield Then and now videos on you tube, of which there are now twelve. It shows many back to back houses terraces houses, inter mingled with Steel works, cobbled streets and most of the photo's look like they were taken in the late 1960's. These video's then give you the same scene as they look today and in many cases the houses have disappeared altogther, replaced by grassy knolls or small industrial estates, with little remaining of what once stood on these streets.

 

I have pieced together where these streets where using google maps and street names and many are just off the top end of Carlisle Street and around the old Banner's store on Attercliffe road. I would be interested to hear from anyone who lived on these streets or knew of anyone who lived on them. The roads above Carlisle street interest me a lot. They are Atlas Road, Barbur Road, Earsham Street, Sorby Street, Lyons Street, Harlestone Street, Hallcar Street, Cossey Road, Gower Street, Grimesthorpe road, Petre Street and Bland road. Also from anyone who lived around Banner's department store, Chippingham Street etc.

 

I am trying to get idea of what it was like to live on these streets during those post war years, when the steel making was still thriving. I want t get an idea of the atmosphere of the place, the people, the community and how it was viewed by those people that lived there. It would also be nice to hear what people thought of the demolition of the area ? Where they against it or had they resigned themselves to new lives elsewhere. I think i sometimes view the old photographs with a sense of nostalgia for a time and a culture that has now been lost forever and in some ways these old streets, from the photographs anyway, seem to have their own charm and beauty.

 

Finally, i hope i have posted this in the correct section and if i haven't, then can someone please tell me which is the appropriate section to put this post. If any people are interested in some photo's of these old streets, then i have quite a few. Thank you for reading this and i hope that i get some feedback from people who lived in Attercliffe during the 1950's and 1960's.

 

Thank you

 

Carlisle Street is relatively short as it runs from Spital Hill to Gower Street. It is Carlisle Street East that has the long run, (Firth-Brown's, the old English Steel etc) I might as well get that right without being pedantic, as that runs from Sutherland Road to Upwell Street (that end is Grimesthorpe). I was born and brought up in the Ellesmere part of it, and this may not answer the whole question but we and many more were re-housed in 1975 and had the choice of a new house as the first occupants, so moving to somewhere that had all modern amenities was not much to think about, especially as we only moved about 500 yards from where we were. Some folk who were subject to re-development before us went to far flung places of the city.Jordanthorpe, Batemoor etc. My mother -and a lot more of her age-was in her late fifties when she at last got to live in a house that had indoor plumbing.

 

---------- Post added 02-06-2015 at 01:21 ----------

 

Carlisle Street is relatively short as it runs from Spital Hill to Gower Street. It is Carlisle Street East that has the long run, (Firth-Brown's, the old English Steel etc) as that runs from Sutherland Road to Upwell Street (that end is Grimesthorpe). I was born and brought up in the Ellesmere part of it, and this may not answer the whole question but we and many more were re-housed in 1975 and had the choice of a new house as the first occupants, so moving to somewhere that had all modern amenities was not much to think about, especially as we only moved about 500 yards from where we were. Some folk who were subject to re-development before us went to far flung places of the city. Jordanthorpe, Batemoor etc. My mother -and a lot more of her age-was in her late fifties when she at last got to live in a house that had indoor plumbing.

 

Also, for what It might be worth, I cannot list all of the street in that area but some of the ones that might be of interest. If you take Lyons Street going up the hill it went: Carlisle Street East, Forncett Street, Alliance Street. Earsham Street, Thorndon Road, Edgar Street, Petre Street, Sedan Street, Grimesthorpe Road, Ellesmere Road (It is now Lyons ROAD) then Normanton Street, Lucas Street, Hooton Street and Malton Street. Atlas Street, Cossey Road and Babur Road are still there but to the south west of Lyons Street.

Edited June 2, 2015 by stpetre
Add

[quixall 10]

Carlisle Street is relatively short as it runs from Spital Hill to Gower Street. It is Carlisle Street East that has the long run, (Firth-Brown's, the old English Steel etc) I might as well get that right without being pedantic, as that runs from Sutherland Road to Upwell Street (that end is Grimesthorpe). I was born and brought up in the Ellesmere part of it, and this may not answer the whole question but we and many more were re-housed in 1975 and had the choice of a new house as the first occupants, so moving to somewhere that had all modern amenities was not much to think about, especially as we only moved about 500 yards from where we were. Some folk who were subject to re-development before us went to far flung places of the city.Jordanthorpe, Batemoor etc. My mother -and a lot more of her age-was in her late fifties when she at last got to live in a house that had indoor plumbing.

 

---------- Post added 02-06-2015 at 01:21 ----------

 

 

Also, for what It might be worth, I cannot list all of the street in that area but some of the ones that might be of interest. If you take Lyons Street going up the hill it went: Carlisle Street East, Forncett Street, Alliance Street. Earsham Street, Thorndon Road, Edgar Street, Petre Street, Sedan Street, Grimesthorpe Road, Ellesmere Road (It is now Lyons ROAD) then Normanton Street, Lucas Street, Hooton Street and Malton Street. Atlas Street, Cossey Road and Babur Road are still there but to the south west of Lyons Street.

 

StPetre, thanks so much for this reply,

 

Thanks for the info on Carlisle Street. I am heading up there today to see some of the old streets like Gower Street, Earsham Street, Petre Street etc, so i am looking forward to it. Which street did you live on ? How old were you when you moved ? What was it like to live there ? What was the atmosphere like ? Was it a close knit community, with many people working in the steel works close by ? Have you ever been back and if so, how does it make you feel when you see the streets with no houses anymore ? Finally, when you go down Carlisle Street East, what was on either side ?. The frontage of one of the old works is still there at the roundabout where Carlisle Street meets Gower Street. What was that Steel works called and how far did it go down Carlisle street. Are you in New York Now ? Anyway, thank you so much for taking the time to answer my post, i really do appreciate it. Any information would be great to help me reconstruct the area in my minds eye

[Beamish 19]

Hi Quixall

 

Have a look on Facebook on the 'Bygone Times of S9' page. Loads of photos of the old streets and people who I'm sure can help you.

 

Try this link

 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/379237648878161/

 

Chris

[quixall 10]

Hi Quixall

 

Have a look on Facebook on the 'Bygone Times of S9' page. Loads of photos of the old streets and people who I'm sure can help you.

 

Try this link

 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/379237648878161/

 

Chris

 

Thanks a lot for that Chris, i really appreciate it. This forum is great. So many people willing to help :-)

[mick35 10]

I lived and worked in and around Attercliffe and Ellsmere Road,Grimsthorpe,Barnsley Road,TollBar,Savile Street in the Forties,Fifties and Sixties both as a boy and as a man.As a man I used the following Police Boxes sited in Burngreave Road,Gower Street and the one at the top of Ellesmere Road.The beat numbers being 9 for the area Attercliffe Road,Salmon Pastures,Savile Street.Beats 7/8 covered Spital Hill to Barnsley Road,Toll Bar down to Scotts Road,Ellesmere Road,Gower Street,Savile Street and then on to Spital Hill.It covered all the streets within that area.I have many memories of the people who lived and worked in the area.I am now 80years old.

[quixall 10]

I lived and worked in and around Attercliffe and Ellsmere Road,Grimsthorpe,Barnsley Road,TollBar,Savile Street in the Forties,Fifties and Sixties both as a boy and as a man.As a man I used the following Police Boxes sited in Burngreave Road,Gower Street and the one at the top of Ellesmere Road.The beat numbers being 9 for the area Attercliffe Road,Salmon Pastures,Savile Street.Beats 7/8 covered Spital Hill to Barnsley Road,Toll Bar down to Scotts Road,Ellesmere Road,Gower Street,Savile Street and then on to Spital Hill.It covered all the streets within that area.I have many memories of the people who lived and worked in the area.I am now 80years old.

 

Hi, thanks for your reply,

 

Were you in the police force ? If so, did you know of a person called "Brian" wo ran Attercliffe nick ? I can't remember his surname, but he lived with my brother in Fulwood until he died a few years back. What was the area like ? I am too young to remember it when it was back to back houses, Steel works and small engineering places ? What were the people like ? If you go back there today, does it seem a bit strange with all the houses not being there ?

 

Thanks so much for for your reply :-)

[mick35 10]

Yes,I was in the Police Force.The area I have described came within the control of West Bar B Division and the area bordered C Division which was controlled by Attercliffe.These areas along with Attercliffe and Darnall where I grew up were close knit communities and everyone knew everybody else.Attercliffe Common from Staniforth Road to Broughton Lane was one continual shopping centre,no supermarkets,all individual shops and market stalls other than Banner's and Littlewoods.It was said that if you could not buy it down Attercliffe it did not exist.The redevelopment of Attercliffe and other similar areas of Sheffield ie Darnall,London Road,Burgreave.ruined the community spirit by splitting them up,moving them in Parkhill and other high rise flats.The large influx of coloured immigrants into thes areas finally ended the era and way of life as I remembered it.

[stpetre 12]

Hi Quixall

 

Have a look on Facebook on the 'Bygone Times of S9' page. Loads of photos of the old streets and people who I'm sure can help you.

 

Try this link

 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/379237648878161/

 

Chris

 

You may also like to try the 'Anyone come from Grimesthorpe' thread (don't mis-spell it or you'll get the place near Barnsley) they might not have as many photos as the Attercliffe/Darnall sites have, but it has great community documents and is as much a part of industrial Sheffield as anywhere.

[quixall 10]

Yes,I was in the Police Force.The area I have described came within the control of West Bar B Division and the area bordered C Division which was controlled by Attercliffe.These areas along with Attercliffe and Darnall where I grew up were close knit communities and everyone knew everybody else.Attercliffe Common from Staniforth Road to Broughton Lane was one continual shopping centre,no supermarkets,all individual shops and market stalls other than Banner's and Littlewoods.It was said that if you could not buy it down Attercliffe it did not exist.The redevelopment of Attercliffe and other similar areas of Sheffield ie Darnall,London Road,Burgreave.ruined the community spirit by splitting them up,moving them in Parkhill and other high rise flats.The large influx of coloured immigrants into thes areas finally ended the era and way of life as I remembered it.

 

Thanks Mick,

 

So did you grow up in the same area ? I have been down and seen some of the streets where houses used to be and it is unbelievable how much it has changed and i have to say, not for the better. I went around Gower Street, Petre Street, Lyons Street, Atlas Street, Bland Road, Barbur Road and Sutherland Road. I was armed with photo's of what these streets used to look like and it was really sad to see them as they are today, with litter strewn about, old pieces of furniture just dumped around, scruffy looking little yards and the odd little industrial estate. Looking at it now, you would never believe that anyone ever lived there. It was almost an act of organised vandalism that was reaped on the whole area and ripping it's heart out. When you look at places like the old Banner's site now or the old Tram depot at Weeden street, they just look lost, being surrounded by dual carriage ways a and concrete and glass buildings everywhere.

 

---------- Post added 06-06-2015 at 12:48 ----------

 

You may also like to try the 'Anyone come from Grimesthorpe' thread (don't mis-spell it or you'll get the place near Barnsley) they might not have as many photos as the Attercliffe/Darnall sites have, but it has great community documents and is as much a part of industrial Sheffield as anywhere.

 

Thanks Stpetre, i will take a look :-)