SHEFFIELD:
Sheffield description, 1852
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THE CUTLER'S HALL, MARKETS AND WORKS OF SHEFFIELD, 1852
The CUTLERS' HALL is a commodious building in Church-street, with
a handsome stone front, in the Corinthian style. It was built on the site
of the old hall, in 1832-'3, at the cost of £6500, and has a dining hall 80
feet by 30, and an assembly room 53 feet by 25, with other commodious
apartments, handsomely furnished. It contains a fine collection of paintings,
among which are excellent portraits of the late Vicar, the Duke of
Wellington, the late Lord Wharncliffe, and the late Earl Fitzwilliam. The
latter is a much admired copy, by Mr. Hugh Thompson, from the original
portrait by Sir Thomas Lawrence. The Cutlers' Company was incorporated
by an act of the 21st Jas. I., and vested with powers "for the good order and
government of the makers of knives, scissors, shears, sickles, and other
cutlery wares in Hallamshire." All the restrictive and exclusive privileges
of the Company were swept away by act of parliament in 1841, except the
privilege of granting and protecting marks, which has recently been very
properly extended to files and many other articles not enumerated in the
act of incorporation. The Cutlers' Company are trustees of several chari-
ties, as noticed at page 22: and they hold an annual feast on the first
Thursday in September, to which all the nobility and principal gentry of
the neighbourhood are invited. Mr. Wm. Webster is the present Master
Cutler; Messrs. M. Hunter, Esq., and Wm. A. Matthews, Esq., are the
Wardens; Messrs. Thomas Moulson, Samuel Jackson, F. Thorpe
Mappin, and Isaac Greaves, are the Searchers; and Messrs. S. S. Deakin,
H. Atkin, F. Fenney, H. Mort, T. B. Turton, F. Newton, Jos. Turton, Wm.
Hutchinson, G. Wostenholm, Geo. Wilkinson, John Wilkinson, Chas. Butler,
J.R. Spencer, John Hawksley, Jos. Ellin, Charles Hall, Chas. Chambers,
Wm. Marshall Broadhurst, William Horrabin, Thomas Staniforth, G.
Deakin, Wm. Hawcroft, Wm. Nicholson, and Edwin Cadman, are the 24
Assistants. James Wilson, Esq., is law clerk to the company; and Joseph
Jewitt is their beadle.
The Market Places of Sheffield have been enlarged at various periods,
under acts or Parliament passed in 1784, 1827,& 1819. The SHAMBLES, 100
yards long, and 40 broad, were finished in 1786, when the Killing Shambles
were erected. The Green Market, between King street and Castle street,
was formed in 1818, when the old goal of Hallamshire was taken down; but
this market was discontinued in Dec. 1851. The Corn Exchange and the
New Hay and Cattle Markets were opened in 1830, and the present Fair
Ground, soon afterwards.
The NEW MARKET HALL, or the Norfolk Market, which occupies the site
of the late Tontine Inn, was opened on Christmas-Eve, 1851. It is in the
Tuscan style, of brick with stone basement, quoins and dressings; and
measures externally 115 feet in breadth, & 296 feet in length. The internal
width of the market, from the fronts of the shops on either side, is 7.5 feet, and
the height, in this clear space is 45 feet to the tie beam. The roof is of iron
and glass, of simple and beautiful construction, and abundant light is derived
from it, and from the side lights over the shops. In the centre of the
market is a fountain of Green Moor stone, of pure Italian design. The sides
and ends of the market are divided into about 50 neat and commodious
shops, and those on the sides have each an upper store room, as well as cellars.
Two double ranges of stalls run down the centre, so that the market
is divided lengthwise into three long and spacious avenues, with stalls, or
stalls and shops on either side. There are also avenues across the ends and
the middle, and the latter division classifies the goods ; the western half
being occupied by fruits, vegetables, &c. and the eastern half by smallwares,
hosiery, shoes, fancy goods, hardware, &c. There are two handsome
entrance gateways at each end, and one on each side; and the large
panels of the gates are fine specimens of metal castings, in open
ornamental work. This spacious and commodious market has been
erected by the Duke of Norfolk, under the powers of the market acts, and is
said to have cost his Grace about £40,000, including about £8000 paid for
the Tontine property, and a large sum expended in purchasing property in
Castlefolds, and in arching aver the river between the Market place and
the Corn Exchange, where there is to be an open market with a fountain in
the centre.
Since the opening of the New Market-place, the fruit shops, &c. round the
outsides of the shambles have been closed, and it is expected that they will
be wholly or partly removed, so as to widen the streets on either side. A
new Post Office has been erected at the head of the Shambles, and the latter
are about to be remodelled. Sheffield has two annual FAIRS, for the sale of
horses, cattle, cheese, &c., held on the Tuesday and Wednesday in Whitsun-
week, and the last Tuesday and Wednesday in November. The markets,
held every Tuesday and Saturday, are well supplied with provisions, corn,
&e. On Fridays there is usually a large sale of lambs and calves, at the
Yellow Lion Inn, in the Old Haymarket.
The GAS Works at Sheaf Bridge, were commenced in 1818, by a company
with a capital of £40,000, in £20 shares. Those at the end of Effingham
street were built in 1836-7, by another company, with a capital of
£80,000, in £25 shares. These companies were united by act of parliament
in 1844, under the name of the "Sheffield United Gas Light Company"
which has expended at various times in constructing, improving, and
extending their works, a capital of more than £140,000. The shares are £25,
and the amount paid on each is now £24. About two years ago the company
expended an immense sum in constructing a large Gasometer in Earl st,
capable of holding 480,000 cubic feet of gas. There are smaller gasometers
in Shude hill, Effingham street, Bow street, and Spring street. John Sykes,
Esq. is chair-man of the company; Mr. Edwin Unwin, managing director;
and Mr. Thomas Roberts, secretary.
The Sheffield Gas Consumers' Company was commenced September 30th,
1851, with the view of supplying the members and the public with cheap
gas. It is intended to have a capital of £60,000, in 12,000 £5 shares, and
land has been taken at Neepsend for the site of the woks.
WATER Works.-The town is abundantly supplied with water, from the
numerous dams on Crookes Moor, and the Reservoir, (50 acres,) at Redmires,
near which two other extensive dams were constructed in 1848-9. Another
reservoir of about 50 acres is now constructing at Redmires, near Stanage
Pole, where there are extensive views over the hills and dales of Derbyshire.
Redmires is about six miles west of the town, and from thence the water
passes in an open culvert to Hadfield Reservoir, (52 acres,) which is at the
head of Crookes moor, 450 feet higher than the lower parts of the town, and
200 feet higher then the spire of the parish church. The Company's offices
are at 14, Division street. Mr. J. T. Leather, of Leeds, is the consulting
engineer ; Mr. John Gunson, acting engineer ; Mr. G. S. Greening, secretary
and collector, and W. Bland, jun. assistant collector.
The Excise Office, now called the INLAND REVENUE OFFICE, for the
Sheffield Collection, is in the Hartshead. John Badcock, Esq. is the
collector; Mr. Joseph Angus, clerk ; Mr. James Tapper, supervisor ; and Messrs
W. Denman, B. Veal, J. Teasdale, E. Potter, and H. Boylan, are the officers.
The ASSAY OFFICE is at 71, Fargate, and Mr. L. C. Sayles is the assay-
master. The STAMP OFFICE is at 1, St. James's street; and John Brown,
Esq., is distributor for the Wapentakes of Strafforth-and-Tickhill, and
Staincross. Mr. George Barker, of Sandon place, is surveyor of taxes for the
town and neighbourhood. The POST OFFICE, RAILWAYS, COACHES,
and CARRIERS, are noticed at pages 374 to 377.
Data transcribed from:
Whites Directory of Sheffield 1852
Transcribed by
Colin Hinson ©2003
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