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Sheffields industrial history is disappearing at an alarming rate, but while the citys historic factories and workshops are allowed to crumble, there are thankfully a few museums preserving something of Steel Citys past.
Kelham Island Museum opened in 1982 at one of the citys oldest industrial locations. The island was created when a channel, or goit, was cut from the River Don, Sheffields largest river, to power the Town Corn Mill.
When my children were young, I used to bring them to the museum regularly, but the last few times Ive tried visiting, staff mooted that they thought it would never re-open due to the extent of damage caused by massive flooding in 2007 (some photos here: http://www.rotherham-images.co.uk/sheffieldfloods.page-one.htm ).The museum re-opened in 2009 though, and if you ever find yourself in Sheffield, it is well worth a visit. In the meantime, heres a virtual tour.
My apologies, as usual, for the poor quality of the photographs, the lighting is very dim throughout much of the museum, with glass display cabinets lit by internal spot-lighting. The images are high resolution though, so you should be able to zoom in to read the text and to study any details which interest you.
Jack
More details at:
http://www.simt.co.uk/kelham-island-museum/plan-your-visit
and
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kelham_Island_Museum
A Virtual Tour of Sheffields Kelham Island Industrial Museum
Looking towards the museum and the Kelham Island goit, , which was first built in 1180 to power the Town Corn Mill. The first mention of a grinding wheel here was in 1604. The area between the railings on the left of the photograph is where the Kelham Wheel stood, a massive 16ft x 18ft low-breast wheel. This design was used because the water from the goit only fell by a few feet, as seen in the picture below.
Across the goit lies the derelict Horseman Works.
This mill (above) was used for grinding ganister rock. This was made into a paste and used to seal joints inside furnaces like the Bessamer Converter below. A heatproof lining of bricks and paste stops the molten steel from melting the metal from which the converter itself is made.
In the entrance to the museum are displayed the Town Guns (below). They were originally purchased for use in an expected French invasion, and also in case of civil unrest. In the end, they were only used for practice and for ceremonial purposes.
This (above)is an interesting customised Sheffield knife. It was made by Firths as a cafe knife, and is marked Mecca Cafes on the surface. Shortly after the end of World War 2, in 1945, Mr J Unwin of Mexborough near Sheffield wrote to Firths as follows:
Sir
I have just returned from a Prisoner of War camp in Siam and would like to pay tribute to the makers of the enclosed knife.
I found it in Singapore and while in Siam I shortened and shaped it for a razor. Needless to say it proved its makers and steel, and was the only means of my comrades and I to keep clean-shaven.
Hundreds of shaves it gave us and we were lucky enough to keep it out of the Japs hands.
So many thanks again for the excellent steel and make. I hope the firm will keep it as a small souvenir from a P.O.W.
Yours sincerely
J.Unwin
The museum has two large working engines on display. The smaller of these is the Crossley Gas Engine (below).
A grinders trough.
Nose to the grindstone.
One night, a load of old grinders were sat in the pub, when somebody came up with idea of the Year Knife. This one, with 365 blades, was made by Alfred Oates in the 1800s.
Bear Stake (above). Used to help keep the tension in the leather belt that drove the grindstones.
A Sheffield grindstone, made from locally quarried sandstone.
Cutlery Press made by Pattinson Brothers of Sheffield in about 1936.
Kelham Island Museum opened in 1982 at one of the citys oldest industrial locations. The island was created when a channel, or goit, was cut from the River Don, Sheffields largest river, to power the Town Corn Mill.
When my children were young, I used to bring them to the museum regularly, but the last few times Ive tried visiting, staff mooted that they thought it would never re-open due to the extent of damage caused by massive flooding in 2007 (some photos here: http://www.rotherham-images.co.uk/sheffieldfloods.page-one.htm ).The museum re-opened in 2009 though, and if you ever find yourself in Sheffield, it is well worth a visit. In the meantime, heres a virtual tour.
My apologies, as usual, for the poor quality of the photographs, the lighting is very dim throughout much of the museum, with glass display cabinets lit by internal spot-lighting. The images are high resolution though, so you should be able to zoom in to read the text and to study any details which interest you.
Jack
More details at:
http://www.simt.co.uk/kelham-island-museum/plan-your-visit
and
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kelham_Island_Museum
A Virtual Tour of Sheffields Kelham Island Industrial Museum
Looking towards the museum and the Kelham Island goit, , which was first built in 1180 to power the Town Corn Mill. The first mention of a grinding wheel here was in 1604. The area between the railings on the left of the photograph is where the Kelham Wheel stood, a massive 16ft x 18ft low-breast wheel. This design was used because the water from the goit only fell by a few feet, as seen in the picture below.
Across the goit lies the derelict Horseman Works.
This mill (above) was used for grinding ganister rock. This was made into a paste and used to seal joints inside furnaces like the Bessamer Converter below. A heatproof lining of bricks and paste stops the molten steel from melting the metal from which the converter itself is made.
In the entrance to the museum are displayed the Town Guns (below). They were originally purchased for use in an expected French invasion, and also in case of civil unrest. In the end, they were only used for practice and for ceremonial purposes.
This (above)is an interesting customised Sheffield knife. It was made by Firths as a cafe knife, and is marked Mecca Cafes on the surface. Shortly after the end of World War 2, in 1945, Mr J Unwin of Mexborough near Sheffield wrote to Firths as follows:
Sir
I have just returned from a Prisoner of War camp in Siam and would like to pay tribute to the makers of the enclosed knife.
I found it in Singapore and while in Siam I shortened and shaped it for a razor. Needless to say it proved its makers and steel, and was the only means of my comrades and I to keep clean-shaven.
Hundreds of shaves it gave us and we were lucky enough to keep it out of the Japs hands.
So many thanks again for the excellent steel and make. I hope the firm will keep it as a small souvenir from a P.O.W.
Yours sincerely
J.Unwin
The museum has two large working engines on display. The smaller of these is the Crossley Gas Engine (below).
A grinders trough.
Nose to the grindstone.
One night, a load of old grinders were sat in the pub, when somebody came up with idea of the Year Knife. This one, with 365 blades, was made by Alfred Oates in the 1800s.
Bear Stake (above). Used to help keep the tension in the leather belt that drove the grindstones.
A Sheffield grindstone, made from locally quarried sandstone.
Cutlery Press made by Pattinson Brothers of Sheffield in about 1936.
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