Record of FULWOOD HISTORY GROUP MEETING 27^th March 2025

Present: D.A., J.B., A.C., M.L., C.M., J.P., K.P.

Discussion included:

1. A walk C.M. had undertaken with G. Hague around the loop of the Clarendon Road in the area formerly known as the Machon House/Fulwood Estate which was developed over the 1920s-30s (see pages 128-132 of KP’s From Village to Suburb: A History of Fulwood between 1880 and 1940); varied designs of houses remarked upon
2. James Hayton Stainton, reporter, writer, local historian and artist whose book Past Chapters in Sheffield History was published in 1918
3. Cabin on Canterbury Crescent: originally a shed for tram drivers after tram extended to Canterbury Crescent in 1921, later a sweetshop/newsagent; is it listed? Should it be?
4. ML’s involvement with archaeology and forthcoming event – Redmires POW Camp: Excavating History
5. Edward Carpenter and his connection to Freeman College and Orwell’s comments
6. Local gardeners theme from last month’s meeting:

• Stocks family of horticulturalists who were gardeners to Henry Dixon of Stumperlowe Hall; buried in Fulwood churchyard
• Link between private/jobbing gardeners and growth of suburban housing with its gardens and acceptability/prestige associated with well-tended lawns and beds (similar to prestige attached to having a domestic servant); previously, gardeners would have been attached to substantial villas and mansions

7. Forthcoming 80^th anniversary of VE Day: DA recording his mother’s memories; could be a wider project after this
8. AC’s communication with J. Hancock via the FHG website in response to his article
9. KP suggestion of FHG book collaboration: Aspects of Sheffield?
10. Role of firms in controlling their workers e.g. through sport, developing reliance on the firm, temperance, church, social events, arts in order to avoid political unrest and comply with middle class values – see Reid, C. (1976). Middle Class Values and Working Class Culture in Nineteenth Century Sheffield – The Pursuit of Respectability.
11. Report shared by ML relating to Roman and Medieval archaeology in the area around School Green Lane; written by R.D.Y. Perrett, the report dates from 1960; the material would be a good candidate for further investigation in the form of a walk in the months ahead; linked to ley-lines and thoughts about these     
12. The wall running along Oakbrook Road
13. Lower Chorley Road – the location of picture on page 65 of KP’s book cited above.
14. CM’s query about Chorley Road entrance to Fulwood churchyard – stonework, bay and large gateposts suggest it was wider and more significant in the past, perhaps for carriages to pull in; led to discussion of the graveyard and how it was extended in the 1880s with its retaining wall and also DA’s childhood recollections of seeing graves being dug and of vaults. 1903
15. Carvings/inscriptions on walls such as DANCE at two sites in Fulwood, (appeared after the 1990s?), and RAIN at Black Swan Walk in city centre       

Next meeting at Ranmoor Market/Ranmoor Inn 17th April

Record of FULWOOD HISTORY GROUP MEETING 20^th February 2025

Present: D.A., J.B., A.C., M.G., M.L., C.M., J.P., K.P.

1. MG asked for suggestions, thoughts etc. re forthcoming Wills Workshop for the Scissors, Paper, Stone community history project; included discussion of organisation of session, gathering and using qualitative/quantitative information, processes of historical research, ethics of using historical documents

2. Linked to Scissors, Paper, Stone, KP shared findings of research into Fulwood’s Chorley Street & Ranmoor’s Marr Terrace – comparisons of residents’ occupations, builders, land owners etc.

3. Discussion of relationships between employers and domestic staff, (linked to wills above), which broadened into discussion of social class

4. JB shared print by local artist of King Edward VII sportsground at Whiteley Woods aka ‘Waggy’s Field’; the images below are from John Cornwell’s 2005 book King Ted’s A Biography of King Edward VII School Sheffield 1905-2005

5. CM asked about the roller near Whiteley Green used as a step: see pages 53-4 of Porter Valley Landscape History and Archaeology; Final Report. April 2004

6. KP shared information about the Stocks family of gardeners and horticulturalists

7. JB shared information about the National Centre for English Cultural Tradition (NATCECT) – its archives are held at Sheffield University Library and are accessible to the public via appointment

8. Next meeting March 20^th at Broomhill Library

Record of FULWOOD HISTORY GROUP MEETING 16^th January 2025

Present: D.A., J.B., A.C., G.C., A.H., M.G., M.L., C.M., D.M., J.P., K.P.

Our first meeting of 2025 took place upstairs and included:

1. Welcome & introductions to two new members who joined us this evening

2. AC: discussed maps and plans relating to forthcoming group visit to Fullwood Hall grounds to investigate the reason for a local belief that there was once a ‘tunnel’ between Bennet Grange and Fullwood Hall; investigation of Fullwood Hall field to be arranged for later this month (AC)

3. DA shared copies of a colleague’s photos and press clippings relating to his family who lived in Fulwood in the 20^th century; these included:

• Percy Lawson & Edith Hancock c.1930
• Golf Cottage at top of Crimicar Lane
• Ocean View Guesthouse
• Fullwood Show early 1940s

4. Maps/documents/discussion relating to development of housing on School Green Lane

5. Group split into discussions around various topics including:

• Scissors, Paper, Stone project
• Whitham Road and its development/links to Crookes Rd and Fulwood Rd
• Fulwood Spa
• Local streams, brooks and underground waterways and their impact on Fulwood’s suburban landscape – land slippage etc.

6. JB & AC’s visit to Sheffield City Archives earlier in week which included a look at:

• Plimsoll Letters Patent
• various items from the Fairbank Collection

7. KP will follow up re transfer of Fulwood Church archive to Sheffield City Archives. DM/JB to follow up re passing Fulwood Society documents to Sheffield City Archives after AC has completed cataloguing them

8. Next meeting February20^th at Broomhill Library

Record of FULWOOD HISTORY GROUP MEETING 19^th December 2024

Present: J.B., A.C., M.L., C.M., D.M., J.P., K.P.

 Our final meeting of 2024 included discussion of:

1. FHG’s social media and agreement to continue with website
2. Developing links with other local groups, how they’re organised and comparison with FHG
3. Whiteley Green area including Whiteley Woods Hall, Stanley Royle and the ‘stone-roller re-used as a gate-stoop…likely used during the Victorian Period for agricultural purposes, such as clod-crushing, compressing soils prior to sowing, and smoothing grasslands’ Pp.43-4 Porter Valley Landscape History Final Report. Ardron Unified Landscape Assessments. April 2004. https://www.fopv.org.uk/shop?Category=Reports
4. Maps of the area dating to 1960s which the National Library of Scotland has added to their database recently
5. Sheffield City Archives’ recent acquisitions: A Volume of Maps of the Township of Upper Hallam, Wm. Fairbank II, 1795 and Plans, Valuation and Descriptions of Houses, Warehouses and Workshops situate in the Township of Ecclesall Bierlow’, 1842
6. The Crookesmoor Racecourse and how it passed through the Broomhill Library site
7. D. M. shared several items he’d brought:
   1. Tradespeople in Sheffield, a directory of 1789; this sparked discussion of terms such as ‘anvilling’, hammering and smiths
   2. Walks in the Neighbourhood of Sheffield. Book published by Leader in 1830
   3. Report of the Sheffield Waterworks Failure Dale Dike or Bradfield Reservoir, May 1864; this included a record of the enquiry along with maps and diagrams

8. Next meeting January 19^th (tbc) at Broomhill Library
9. Proposed visit to Sheffield City Archive in January – tbc

Record of FULWOOD HISTORY GROUP MEETING 21^st November 2024

Present: D.A., J.B., A.C., M.G., M.L., D.M., K.P., J.P.

1. This was the first meeting to take place at Broomhill Library since the early summer and we began with a look back at events etc. over the last few months including:

• MG’s recent talk for the Ranmoor Society: Who Built St John’s Church?
• FHG stall at Fulwood shops which took place the previous Saturday 16^th
• Recent publication of KP’s book From Village to Suburb: A history of Fulwood between 1880 and 1940

2. We studied a set of BT maps of the area DM had brought dating from the 1950s/late 1960s:

3. There was discussion of the conduit, and its small stone ‘stiles’ which could have supported the waterpipes; here’s a link to Ranmoor Society notes on the conduit and Hidden Sheffield Walks may also have information
4. We talked about ethical issues associated with historical research
5. General discussion included:

• Comparisons between the trades of bricklaying and stonemasonry, from past and present perspectives
• A look at DM’s book Wall-to-Wall History: The Story of Roystone Grange. R. Hodges (1991)
• Styles of Sheffield church architecture
• Sheffield’s connection with the Titantic
• Scissors, Paper, Stone project
• Wills as historical sources

6. Next meeting December 19^th at Broomhill Library

Record of FULWOOD HISTORY GROUP MEETING 21^st October 2024

Present: J.B., A.C., D.M., C.M., K.P.

Ringinglow Ramble Part II

October’s meeting took the form of fieldwork around the Ringinglow area, building on our first Ringinglow walk in June. Our main focus was the mines and quarries of the area. Throughout our walk, DM referred us to the report From Cairns to Craters: Conservation Heritage Assessment of Burbage (Bevan, B. 2006. Moors for the Future) which contains information relating to features we looked at. See also Friends of the Porter Valley’s publication Mining and Quarrying in the Porter Valley – Delving into the Past (Peter Kennett, 2006) which provides details of most of the features we looked at.

1. We met at the layby opposite the Norfolk Arms where we began by looking at AC’s copy of Burdett’s 1791 Map of Derbyshire
2. We headed west towards Sheephill Road, passing the site of the old Weigh House and weigh bridge – see notes from June’s Ringinglow Ramble
3. We took a short diversion over the stile on Sheephill Road and into Barberfield and the Limb Valley to revisit the site of former mines and remains of spoil heaps (see Bevan, 2006). We discussed the alignment of the Roman Road between Brough and Templeborough, how it may well have run across this area and recent archaeological work on this – a focus for a future walk.
4. After returning to Sheephill Road, we crossed over to the Houndkirk Road which leads to Stanage Pole. A couple of hundred metres along the track, (what3words) there are a number of embedded stones which appear to have a range of marks cut into them, one of which is a benchmark-type symbol. It was suggested that this could be connected with the military, who were active in this area during WWII.
5. After following the boundary of Lady Canning’s Plantation round to the northwest, we crossed Ringinglow Road and followed the track leading north to Brown Edge Quarries. Immediately to right of the footpath, we passed the sites of bell pits which were obscured by the heather and bracken. We heard about scars in the land left by peat workings and the remains of Kelly’s House, all of which lie to the west side of the footpath. For information on Kelly’s House, see AC’s December ’23 post on this website: Ringinglow People: Henry Kelly
6. Heading up to Brown Edge, we passed the site of a WWII bomb crater.
7. We then dropped down over the edge and walked in a roughly westerly direction towards Brown Edge Quarries. On the way, AC pointed out possible boundary stones marking the former Derbyshire/Yorkshire border. See Alan’s Substack piece ‘Searching for Knaves’ to find out more.
8. We reached the Brown Edge quarry complex, ‘the most extensive in the [Porter Valley]’ (page 6, Kennett, 2006). It dates from at least 1715 and was still in use in the early twentieth century when Henry Hancock was the owner. The different types of stone extracted were suitable for various aspects of building such as walls, roof tiles, flagstones and paving stones. AC discovered what may have been a quarrymen’s shelter in the rock as well as an intriguing hole which seemed to have been built into the turf.
9. A rainbow led our walk back to the layby along Ringinglow Road
10. Next meeting November 21^st at Broomhill Library

Record of FULWOOD HISTORY GROUP MEETING 19^th September 2024

Present: D.A., J.B., A.C., M.G., M.L., S.L., D.M., C.M., K.P., J.P.

September’s meeting took place at Fulwood Church where we looked through the church’s archive. This included documents, photos, publications dating from the 19^th century to recent times.

Takeaways from the evening:

• Surprise at the range and extent of the material which gave an insight not only into the church, but also the history of Fulwood as a whole – and so the importance of preserving this archive (it’s to be deposited in Sheffield Archives)
• The materials gave an insight into local attitudes, concerns and priorities e.g. the vicar’s report of 1880 and from 1919 there were descriptions of strikes at the end of the war
• General consensus that the archive contains fascinating material and it would be good to look at it again in more detail.

Documents of note included:

• The church accounts which indicated the connection which existed between Fulwood Church and Ranmoor St. John’s, in spite of tensions existing between the two:
  • Both vicars in the 1890s were Freemasons and on good terms
  • In the 1890s many donations to Fulwood were made from those who rented pew sittings at Ranmoor e.g. James Dixon and Frederick Thorpe Mappin
  • Both churches have windows donated by Freemasons containing Masonic symbols
  • Despite the different church traditions between them, they both seemed to have been supported by the same people to a significant extent
• The recipe book of 1935 which contained not only interesting recipes but also two essays which define very clearly the evangelical nature of Fulwood worship
• The photo albums which contained a number of interesting images: e.g. picture of the vicarage (where Newfield Court apartments stand), view down Brooklands Avenue towards Brookhouse Hill which predates the Co-op/photos of remembered schoolteachers
• 
• The record of the church’s missionary work in the 1960s/70s
• The national (church) school log book
• 1946 record of the contents Fulwood Road’s Guildhall when these were being donated to the church
• Documents relating to the 20^th century development of St Luke’s on Blackbrook Road e.g. with use of a hut from Redmires Camp, the need for permanent premises as the suburb grew
• 
• Information relating to chapel at Ringinglow

Next meeting tbc

Record of FULWOOD HISTORY GROUP MEETING 15^th August 2024

Present: D.A., J.B., A.C., M.L., K.P.

August’s meeting was to take the form of a walk-through of the Heritage Open Days tour but due to the wet and chilly weather, it took place under cover at the Rising Sun.

We produced a plan for this year’s guided walk – Sporting Fulwood (14^th September):

1. Old Fulwood Road:
   1. AC historical background
   2. 4/Blacksmith’s Arms/Hammer & Pincers – bowling green?, location for sporting competitions – pigeon shooting and venue for Hallamshire Hunt annual dinner in April 1863
   3. Before construction of ‘new’ section of Fulwood Road – field behind pub used for sports
   4. 1854 ‘capital cricket club’
   5. 1860 Hallam FC
   6. Willow Football Club 1886
   7. Porter Valley sports at Forge Dam, Wire Mill Dam, Jacob’s Ladder: boating – e.g. 1963 rescue Neville Haigh & Dick Hill (DM), model boats (F. Soc newsletters), swimming. skating (see 1938 film footage Yorks. Film Archive) & Sheffield Independent 5th February 1912 .  skiing (Yorks Film Archive footage from 1938 & F. Soc newsletters from 1970s/80s and C.M. recollections)
   8. Health Authority Sports facilities, tennis courts, old hut

2. Move onto Fulwood Road, near to Guild Hall for view across road of site of former sports fields:
   1. Works grounds: Joseph Rogers (cricket ground), Cornish Works, Dixons 1920s, DA’s recollection re great grandmother’s brothers playing cricket at Round Stubbin – could have been within current churchyard? DM’s aunt – hockey
   2. Transport provided by firms
   3. Motivation for this – avoid Communism, drink and preparation for war
   4. FC&SSCC: Fulwood Church & Sunday School Cricket Club
   5. Key roles of church and pubs in supporting participation in sports
   6. Brooklands Avenue tennis club

3. Cross road to verge at bottom of Stumperlowe Hall Road to walk between two former sports grounds and note former Bowling Green House

Google Maps 2024

4. Turn left into Slayleigh Lane and to Fulwood Sports Club
5. Walk up to Hallam Grange Lawn Tennis Club: ML
6. Review – incl. social/political aspects:
7. Changes over time: reflecting changes in demographic/population as Fulwood moved from rural community into suburban – inclusivity/exclusivity
8. Handouts? Maps? Laminated images to show/share?
9. Next meeting 19^th September: meet at Broomhill Library for debrief and plan ahead – walks, meetings, projects and events

Record of meeting 20^th June 2024

Present: J.B., A.C., M.L., D.M.

Ringinglow Ramble Part I

For this summer solstice evening’s meeting we explored aspects of Ringinglow. AC has written four pieces about Ringinglow which are available on the FHG website – see reference list at end of these notes. The area has been known/recorded as ‘Ringin Lowe, Ringing Lawe’ and ‘Ringinglowe’, (see Harvey, 2001 for etymology and Crutch, 2023 for ancient historical background). Until around the early 20^th century, this was an industrial as well as farming area. It included quarries, mines, a wire mill and Copperas House.

1855 (click on image for link to map) Reproduced with the permission of the National Library of Scotland https://maps.nls.uk/

1898 Reproduced with the permission of the National Library of Scotland https://maps.nls.uk/

1924 (click on image for link to map) Reproduced with the permission of the National Library of Scotland  https://maps.nls.uk/

1947 (click on image for link to map) Reproduced with the permission of the National Library of Scotland https://maps.nls.uk/→

1. We met at the layby opposite the Norfolk Arms; tractors were passing frequently between Sheephill Road and Hangram Lane as they transported hay – a process which had been going on from early that morning. Go back a hundred or so years and this would have been a similar scene on a dry June evening, but with horses pulling the hay wagons: Hall, 1974 contains photos of early twentieth century haymaking at Bole Hill Farm land and Brown Hills Field
2. We looked for evidence (e.g. boundary walls, types of vegetation) of the Weigh House which used to stand at this corner (Crutch 2023)
3. We also considered the evidence of mining and source of the Limb Brook in Lady Canning’s Plantation and the ‘Ring of Firs’ a little further west from the Ringinglow cross roads (see Hall 1974 and Crutch 2023)

Firs and bulge in wall 1855 and present

           Google Maps

1855 map reproduced with the permission of the National Library of Scotland https://maps.nls.uk/

4. We then walked round the corner onto Sheephill Road and crossed the stile into Barberfields to look at evidence of coal mining, the remains of Copperas House and other features: DM pointed out the spoil heap and referred us to FoPV report August 2006; AC shared maps and information; there are remains rail tracks but we didn’t explore that far

We discussed roads and tracks in the area:

1. important links between Derbyshire, Cheshire, Manchester and Sheffield
2. transportation of goods such as lead (Smeltings Farm nearby)
3. the evidence of Roman roads, the Houndkirk Road, Ringinglow as a turnpike road, how roads developed and became more or less significant (see Hall & Blackwell, 1972 pp 20-21 and Crutch 2023)

5. We retraced our steps over the stile and considered the buildings edging Sheephill Road

1. 1. Moor Cottage – formerly Moorcot/Moorcott- which was built on the site of Moorcock Hall in 1911, according to Hall, 1974, p. 38
   2. The Mission – formerly Ringinglow Church (Crutch 2023 and pages 39-40 of Hall 1974)
   3. The Round House (Crutch 2023 and Hall & Blackwell 1972, pp 20-21)
   4. The ‘low’ suffix of Ringinglow indicates a large pile of stones which could have been a barrow (Harvey, 2001); Crutch, (2023), suggests a site for these stones could lie somewhere between the present day Moor Cottage and The Norfolk Arms

6. We crossed Ringinglow Road and looked at evidence of the former wire mill; a resident of the cottage kindly showed us the outbuildings where the milling took place (see Crutch 2023)

We noticed the signs carved into the kerbstones on the corner of Ringinglow Road and Fulwood

7. Walking east past the Norfolk Arms, there is a Victorian wall letter box and by the car park exit there is the milestone CITY OF SHEFFIELD 5 MILES TO TOWN HALL; the reference to city dates the stone as post 1893; perhaps it replaced an earlier milestone which stood here when Ringinglow Road was a turnpike (1758 – 1825)

8. Next meeting/walk 18^th July – meet at Ringinglow layby 7pm for Ringinglow Ramble Part II

References

Crutch, A. (2023) Four Posts Giving a brief history of Ringinglow. Fulwood History Group. https://www.fulwoodhistory.uk/author/alan/

• Ringinglow Early Years
• Buildings of Ringinglow: The Chapel, The Round House and The Norfolk Arms, ‘T’ Ring o’ Firs’
• People
• Industry

Friends of the Porter Valley. (2006). Mining and Quarrying in the Porter Valley – Delving Into the Past. Friends of the Porter Valley. https://www.fopv.org.uk/product-page/mining-and-quarrying-in-the-porter-valley-delving-into-the-past

Hall, M. and Blackwell, R. (1972). The Mayfield Valley. Mail Graphic

Hall, M. (1974). More of the Mayfield Valley with Old Fulwood. J. W. Northend Ltd

Harvey, P. (2001).  Street Names of Sheffield; The stories behind Sheffield’s street names. Sheaf Publishing.

Record of Fulwood History Group Meeting 16/5/24

Present: J.B., A.C., R.F., M.G., M.L., C.M., D.M., J.P. & K. P. + 1

A Ranmoor Ramble : for this meeting we strayed off Fulwood territory

Link to 1906 map of area

We met at Ranmoor St John’s and heard about MG’s Scissors Paper Stone project

We then walked north up Ranmoor Park Road which included:

• site of Ballard Hall: named after Alderman Ballard: Chairman, National Co-operative Party; member of Sheffield City Council; Chairman, United Sheffield Hospitals, Board of Governors
• Ranmoor Parish Centre – Ranfall – in late 40s was Ranfall Nurses’ Home
• Impressive house at 16 Tapton Park Road
• Triangular green
• Where Ranmoor Park Road ends at ‘The Rigi’, which forms a cul-de-sac; discussed reasons for its name, its boundary wall

Left down Ranmoor Crescent which included DM’s explanation of inscriptions seen on telegraph poles

Onto Ranmoor Road – including discussion of remarkable drain covers

Ramble concluded at Ranmoor Inn.

N.B. Graham Hague’s piece from The Star 29/12/20 covers some similar ground

Next meeting/walk 20^th June – details tbc