The Ponderosa - what was it?

[skippy 11]

I worked for Gillotts bakeries from 58 to 60 and used to deliver bread etc to the people on Ranskil Road, it seemed miles from anywhere at the time, I well remember the people whinging about the gypsies that camped around the area and stole things from them.

[whissiewoo 10]

Hi lotti - came from that area , believe it was called the 'ponderosa' when British Steel acquired it because it was such a big site it was nicknamed after the ranch on Bonanza , a very popular western in the late 50 -70's - i used to go out with someone who worked on this site. Once they demolished the houses etc it was quite large, they even took over part of the cemetery and you could walk past and see the ends of coffins behind the fencing. hope this helps where the name came from , perhaps some of the older generation will remember the same.

[rsol 10]

Hi Bluebird

Nobby Curtis his brothers Dave Dennis and John I lived in the next yard to them knocked about with Dave for years still see him lives at Brinsworh The Pikerings i think there was 2 families 1 live on Ranskill Rd the other on Peacock Row The 1 i knew was Kieth

[Plain Talker 11]

Hi lotti - came from that area , believe it was called the 'ponderosa' when British Steel acquired it because it was such a big site it was nicknamed after the ranch on Bonanza , a very popular western in the late 50 -70's - i used to go out with someone who worked on this site. Once they demolished the houses etc it was quite large, they even took over part of the cemetery and you could walk past and see the ends of coffins behind the fencing. hope this helps where the name came from , perhaps some of the older generation will remember the same.

 

crikey! I never realised there was a cemetery there on the Ponderosa. (my Father and his family came from round that area -Mushroom Lane, Summer Street, Fawcett Street and "The Canada")

 

You can still see the "line" of Wentworth Street, in the "lane" that runs up the hill, in front of the Martin Street Flats, Parallel with Martin St itself.

[atlex48 10]

May be of help.but I was born and bred near the Ponderosa,in fact my first job was working there when it was English steel corporation. I spent many a day over by the pump pond and climbing over the 'pointed' slacky. Also my Dad had a shop on Ranskill Road and I iknow a few people that lived there. Brian FerredayJohn Curtis Arthur davies. Joan Hindmarsh and family lived on Peacock Row. Th eairport is situated where the ponds used to be

[whissiewoo 10]

the cemetery was at tinsley park, darnall not at netherthorpe, you walked on a path between british steel site (ponderosa) and the cemetery to get to the back of high hazel park at darnall. ranskill road and surrounding area they demolished for british steel was near or in darnall.

[Treatment 10]

Could you gang send me a PM please ? My family had 3 places on Ranskill Road and Peacock Row.

 

Many thanks.

[Treatment 10]

Hi Bluebird

Nobby Curtis his brothers Dave Dennis and John I lived in the next yard to them knocked about with Dave for years still see him lives at Brinsworh The Pikerings i think there was 2 families 1 live on Ranskill Rd the other on Peacock Row The 1 i knew was Kieth

 

Would that be Reuben Pickering ?

[Treatment 10]

the cemetery was at tinsley park, darnall not at netherthorpe, you walked on a path between british steel site (ponderosa) and the cemetery to get to the back of high hazel park at darnall. ranskill road and surrounding area they demolished for british steel was near or in darnall.

 

I was born, at home , on Main Road Darnall, just near High Hazels Park.

 

I am told that a little lad, Barry Thomas, got knocked down and killed by a vehicle on Main Road.

 

His family didn't have any brass, and the local people clubbed together to get him buried.

 

He is buried in that graveyard on Orgreave Lane/Road.

 

His stone just says '' BT ''.

[Urien 10]

I worked at the British Steel Corporation rolling mills on Shepcote Lane back in the late 60's, early 70's, the site was huge, we had a bus to take us from the main gate up to the C.E.W. (Central Engineering Workshops) The site was also known back then as the Ponderosa.

[manaman 10]

The Tinsley Park "ponderosa" history is as follows.

 

In the 1950's, when Britain couldn't produce enough steel and steel products, the Board of The English Steel Corporation decide to replace it's existing River Don, Grimesthorpe, Cyclops and it's other smaller works with a fully integrated works on a new site. This site would have one large electric arc melting shop which could produce more steel than the existing open hearth melting shops. This would supply all the steel for the rolling mills, forges and foundry to be located on the new site.

 

Sir Frederick Pickworth, English Steel's Managing Director asked Sheffield Council if they could offer a suitable size site within the Sheffield boundaries. After a perceived lack of interest or urgency by Sheffield Council, Sir Frederick Pickworth issued them with an ultimatum. Either the Council offer English Steel Corporation a site in Sheffield, or he will build the new steelworks at Grimsby. The advantges of Grimsby were; plenty of flat land available, able to ship in raw materials and ship out processed and finished materials without having to use road or rail transport, and finally a co-operative local council eager to have an integrated steelworks in it's area.

 

Shortly after this ultimation, English Steel Corporation was offered the 500 acres of the old Tinsley Park Colliery site. In the late 50's the site was cleared and shafts capped. Work was started on the new works. The first section to be completed was the Spring Works in 1960. This was followed by the Melting Shop, Bloom and Billet Mill, Billet Finishing, Bar Mill, and support services such as the Central Engineering Workshops, General and Alloy Stores and Process Water Services. The Works were officially opened by the Duke of Edinburgh in 1963.

 

The original plan of relocating the Forges and Foundry together with the Bloom and Billet Mills in a "starburst" arrangement around the Melting Shop was never achieved. In the mid 60's British steel production was in decline, so much so that all the major steelworks were nationalised in 1967 under the British Steel Corporation banner, and then rationalised.

 

Ranskill Road (less the dwellings) was in existence on the Tinsley Park site until Tinsley Park closed in 1985. It was an integral part of the Ranskill Road Ingot Stockyard, being used by the large forklift trucks and lorries when moving the ingots around.

 

The approximate location of Ranskill Road, relative to Shepcote Lane, was opposite to the old Tinsley Wire's office block.

 

Originally the site's internal post and personnel transport which ran regularly through the day was carried out by a Land Rover Safari vehicle, it was the only type of vehicle which could get to all parts of the site in the early days.

Later, as stated above, this was replaced by a minibus.

Edited April 12, 2009 by manaman

[nosy nellie 10]

Which Ponderosa is this all about?

When I was young in the forties and fifties the Netherthorpe Ponderosa was always just called The Tip and never known as the Ponderosa.