Sheffield’s Old Factories & Workshops (Pic Heavy)

[screened porch]

DROPDEAD?

 

[M.Hatch]

Wonderful pictures. I hope to visit some day. there is so much history there.

 

[LongBlade]

Just a wonderful photo tour Jack of Sheffield ... Times change but sad to see old historical buildings of one of the world's cutlery centers in disarray... I also hope to visit there someday on my next trip across the pond - I have a mate who lives not far away and who promised to take me there to wonder, and fly fish the River Don as well ....

 

[Jack Black]

Thanks guys, hope you can visit soon

 

[meako]

Aaah ! The talk of fishing ,
The pics of the old canals
( I like how nature slowly takes it back)
reminded me of this -

 

[Bugdoc]

Jack, I'm curious about transport on the river. In your new batch there is the waterfall, but also a disused slip abutting an old factory. Were there locks on the river? (Am I recalling locks in your earlier posts?) I would imagine water navigation would be needed for heavy iron works.

 

[Jack Black]

Jack, I'm curious about transport on the river. In your new batch there is the waterfall, but also a disused slip abutting an old factory. Were there locks on the river? (Am I recalling locks in your earlier posts?) I would imagine water navigation would be needed for heavy iron works.

Hi Tom, do you means this photo?

If so, that actually shows a weir, a means of diverting water from the river through a channel or 'goit' to power a water-wheel. The island in the river makes the photo confusing, but essentially, having passed over the weir, the river is (mainly) running off on the left. The goit cannot be seen clearly, but it runs off on the right, above the weir. Another confusing feature is the diagonal concrete feature running down the weir on the left. That's actually a salmon ladder, and a relatively recent addition, which by deeping the water running over the weir, allows salmon or trout to swim upstream over the weir. Locks are only found on canals, allowing boats to ascend or descend in height. The canal is less than a mile away from that spot, and it was certainly an important means of transportation

 

[Bugdoc]

Yes Jack, that is what I took to be a dam, and this the slip. As you may know we were quite fond of damming up our rivers in the past here in the US. The value of free-running streams is better understood now, but it is quite difficult to open up major rivers once dammed. Lovely pics.

 

[Jack Black]

Yes Jack, that is what I took to be a dam, and this the slip. As you may know we were quite fond of damming up our rivers in the past here in the US. The value of free-running streams is better understood now, but it is quite difficult to open up major rivers once dammed. Lovely pics.

Ah, sorry wrong pic! That dam was on the River Loxley, but is only partly intact today. They build bigger dams here, for reservoirs, often taking up a whole valley, but almost all of the small cutler's dams (I can think of only one exception) don't take the full flow of the river, just siphon off some of it, which returns to the river after its powered the water-wheel. It does affect the flow of the river, particularly in summer, but not to the same extent as the larger dams. The reason for using dams is that most of the Sheffield rivers are little more than streams, and so couldn't be relied upon to provide sufficient water throughout the year. In other towns with larger rivers, such as Leeds where I live now, the water could be directed through a goit straight to the wheel or wheels, without damming, using breast-shot or under-shot wheels, rather than the typical over-shot Sheffield wheel

 

[Bugdoc]

I see. Thanks!

 

[herder]

More wonderful pictures that bring back great memories. Thanks Jack!!!

 

[Mecha]

Hat's off to the brick-layers of Sheffield, I say!

 

[ed_is_dead]

In my mind, it is interesting to compare the state of the buildings that housed the companies to the state of the objects which were made in them. These little objects of utility created by the souls of the people that were behind the hands that crafted them. A really fine hand crafted Sheffield made knife, especially from the period when the city was at its height is an object that is recognized instinctively for its quality. When we collect them, we hold and preserve an example of an effort by several people to create a small bit of perfection. Seeing the impressive architecture of the buildings that housed these people, often in a life long occupation of hard work and low pay making these little objects that connect us directly to the past, as well as all those who helped them make the journey from their hands to ours, is quite inspiring. I wonder how amazed the young apprentice cutlers first entering the trade in one of the larger works would be to see that the little objects made their efforts would outlast not only the company, but the buildings themselves.

Thanks very much for the photo essay, Jack. Good stuff for reflection!

I've read this post about a month ago some Friday night after a few well earned beers and it has stuck with me.
It's kinda hard to quantify the weird draw we lot have for this interest, but for me that sums it up.
Anything old which had direct and long use by human hands has always made me wide eyed for all the reason outlined above.
Great thread Jack, have any more of the buildings pictured been demolished or converted I to yuppie flats? Is yuppie still a word?

 

[Jack Black]

I've read this post about a month ago some Friday night after a few well earned beers and it has stuck with me.
It's kinda hard to quantify the weird draw we lot have for this interest, but for me that sums it up.
Anything old which had direct and long use by human hands has always made me wide eyed for all the reason outlined above.
Great thread Jack, have any more of the buildings pictured been demolished or converted I to yuppie flats? Is yuppie still a word?

Thank you Sadly, since I last posted, a number of those old works have been demolished to make way for yuppie flats, while others have had their outer shells used to house other yuppie flats. Parts of the now empty Taylor's Eye Witness Works is supposedly being turned into yuppie flats, and the remainder will be demolished, so as not to be an eye-sore for the new tenants

 

[Campbellclanman]

What a great line up of Photo's, many that I recognize as Jack, Sue and I walked past many of these Old Buildings- the Chimney House etc - it was actually one of the Highlights of my Overseas trip that Year- and one that has most definitely stayed with me on a very strong note- it was a special trip to walk around with Jack all over Sheffield.
To go to the Sheffield Museum was pretty darned cool I can tell you, this is where I was sure that Sues blood would drain from her body - a day full of Knife talk- but She LOVED it- and so did I, The knives on display in the Museum were pretty spectacular - to watch Stan working in his Workshop through the Window - then to meet Stan Shaw personally and stay with Stan, Jack and Sue in the wee shop for a good hour and a half was - and I don't need to say this but.. a knife Knuts icing on the Cake.
What breaks my heart is that- when you see such grand buildings- and when they are restored- or even just simply tidied up and repainted- they look absolutely amazing-just spectacular - if only the unemployment scheme could harness this and rebuild these amazing old Buildings, have the young or not so young develop self esteem when unemployed by giving them these missions and have the Sheffield people re-embrace their World Famous Heritage.
To me nothing more is so great looking at these old Buildings when they are in tidy state.

I am sure- without exaggeration that my trip to Sheffield will stay with me my lifetime - I am grateful to have Jack as a Friend. I was rapt to meet with Jack again - this time at York! Which again was just as amazing.
Just finished talking to Jack - He should be soaking in the Bath now with his Back - Jack my friend- like our good friend Charlie says- fight that fight matey- I to have been fight super lower Back pains to the degree my Hip and lower back have been excruciating - sleeping in the Armchair unable to lie down lol, I am over that part of my fight thank goodness- nearly able to walk without limping- so I have a bit more scrapping to do yet!
Have a wonderful day folks- embrace what our friend Jack has to tell us as a Historian and Sheffield History Lover - and a World Wide known Knife enthusiast - aren't we all so lucky to have this guy share so much.
Jack my friend you are indeed a Legend!

 

[ed_is_dead]

Thank you Sadly, since I last posted, a number of those old works have been demolished to make way for yuppie flats, while others have had their outer shells used to house other yuppie flats. Parts of the now empty Taylor's Eye Witness Works is supposedly being turned into yuppie flats, and the remainder will be demolished, so as not to be an eye-sore for the new tenants

It appears yuppie is indeed still a word.
Thats quite the shame, the tourism board are missing a golden opportunity to showcase the cutlery and industrial history of the town. Surprising really.
Did you ever get a look inside any of the old boarded up factories? In a previous job I had access to old buildings and would explore. Some were almost in stasis, like the people up and walked out 70 years back.

 

[Marilyn McPhie]

What a great line up of Photo's, many that I recognize as Jack, Sue and I walked past many of these Old Buildings- the Chimney House etc - it was actually one of the Highlights of my Overseas trip that Year- and one that has most definitely stayed with me on a very strong note- it was a special trip to walk around with Jack all over Sheffield.
To go to the Sheffield Museum was pretty darned cool I can tell you, this is where I was sure that Sues blood would drain from her body - a day full of Knife talk- but She LOVED it- and so did I, The knives on display in the Museum were pretty spectacular - to watch Stan working in his Workshop through the Window - then to meet Stan Shaw personally and stay with Stan, Jack and Sue in the wee shop for a good hour and a half was - and I don't need to say this but.. a knife Knuts icing on the Cake.
What breaks my heart is that- when you see such grand buildings- and when they are restored- or even just simply tidied up and repainted- they look absolutely amazing-just spectacular - if only the unemployment scheme could harness this and rebuild these amazing old Buildings, have the young or not so young develop self esteem when unemployed by giving them these missions and have the Sheffield people re-embrace their World Famous Heritage.
To me nothing more is so great looking at these old Buildings when they are in tidy state.

I am sure- without exaggeration that my trip to Sheffield will stay with me my lifetime - I am grateful to have Jack as a Friend. I was rapt to meet with Jack again - this time at York! Which again was just as amazing.
Just finished talking to Jack - He should be soaking in the Bath now with his Back - Jack my friend- like our good friend Charlie says- fight that fight matey- I to have been fight super lower Back pains to the degree my Hip and lower back have been excruciating - sleeping in the Armchair unable to lie down lol, I am over that part of my fight thank goodness- nearly able to walk without limping- so I have a bit more scrapping to do yet!
Have a wonderful day folks- embrace what our friend Jack has to tell us as a Historian and Sheffield History Lover - and a World Wide known Knife enthusiast - aren't we all so lucky to have this guy share so much.
Jack my friend you are indeed a Legend!

I also visited Sheffield (from California) a few years ago. Fascinating. I went to Shepard Wheel and Kelham Island and visited with Stan Shaw. My great-great grandfather was a fork grinder in Sheffield in the mid-1800s, so getting a glimpse into that life was illuminating. These photos are amazing.

 

[Jack Black]

I was laid up for a few days before Christmas, and unable to sit at my PC, due to a back injury, so I'm afraid to say I missed these posts until now, when I spotted them by chance : blush:

What a great line up of Photo's, many that I recognize as Jack, Sue and I walked past many of these Old Buildings- the Chimney House etc - it was actually one of the Highlights of my Overseas trip that Year- and one that has most definitely stayed with me on a very strong note- it was a special trip to walk around with Jack all over Sheffield.
To go to the Sheffield Museum was pretty darned cool I can tell you, this is where I was sure that Sues blood would drain from her body - a day full of Knife talk- but She LOVED it- and so did I, The knives on display in the Museum were pretty spectacular - to watch Stan working in his Workshop through the Window - then to meet Stan Shaw personally and stay with Stan, Jack and Sue in the wee shop for a good hour and a half was - and I don't need to say this but.. a knife Knuts icing on the Cake.
What breaks my heart is that- when you see such grand buildings- and when they are restored- or even just simply tidied up and repainted- they look absolutely amazing-just spectacular - if only the unemployment scheme could harness this and rebuild these amazing old Buildings, have the young or not so young develop self esteem when unemployed by giving them these missions and have the Sheffield people re-embrace their World Famous Heritage.
To me nothing more is so great looking at these old Buildings when they are in tidy state.

I am sure- without exaggeration that my trip to Sheffield will stay with me my lifetime - I am grateful to have Jack as a Friend. I was rapt to meet with Jack again - this time at York! Which again was just as amazing.
Just finished talking to Jack - He should be soaking in the Bath now with his Back - Jack my friend- like our good friend Charlie says- fight that fight matey- I to have been fight super lower Back pains to the degree my Hip and lower back have been excruciating - sleeping in the Armchair unable to lie down lol, I am over that part of my fight thank goodness- nearly able to walk without limping- so I have a bit more scrapping to do yet!
Have a wonderful day folks- embrace what our friend Jack has to tell us as a Historian and Sheffield History Lover - and a World Wide known Knife enthusiast - aren't we all so lucky to have this guy share so much.
Jack my friend you are indeed a Legend!

Duncan, I'm touched by your very kind words my friend I treasure your friendship immensely, and the days we have spent together will stay with me forever Sadly, in the few years since you visited Sheffield, and since I took these photos, there has been further destruction of the old cutlery works and factories. Sheffield has never even had a tourist office, and the city council, ignorant of the city's own history, seem to regard the old buildings as little more than an inconvenience, to be demolished at the first opportunity

It appears yuppie is indeed still a word.
Thats quite the shame, the tourism board are missing a golden opportunity to showcase the cutlery and industrial history of the town. Surprising really.
Did you ever get a look inside any of the old boarded up factories? In a previous job I had access to old buildings and would explore. Some were almost in stasis, like the people up and walked out 70 years back.

Yes, still in use in Sheffield Ed (I was trying to find a photo of some of the 'No More Yuppies!' graffiti in the gentrified Kelham Island area, but I have too many Sheffield photos!) Sheffield has never been good at promoting itself unfortunately. I used to play in bombed-out cutlery factories as a youngster, and was familiar with many of them while they were still open. I have had a look in a few of the boarded-up ones, but I wish I had looked round more in the early 1980's, when so many closed down. If you look online, some 'urban explorers' have posted photos and videos from a few of the boarded up factories

I also visited Sheffield (from California) a few years ago. Fascinating. I went to Shepard Wheel and Kelham Island and visited with Stan Shaw. My great-great grandfather was a fork grinder in Sheffield in the mid-1800s, so getting a glimpse into that life was illuminating. These photos are amazing.

That must have been quite an experience Marilyn Here are a few photos from Shepard's Wheel

I have spent a lot of time sitting round that fire, as I did my work experience there when I was a teenager in the 1970's You may find this thread, which mentions Shepherd's Wheel, of interest