Category: Heritage

It’s great to see that Chris and Debbie Askew, the new mangers of the Silver Fox in Stocksbridge, have brought the upstairs dining room back into use. This room still has the original 1963 bar, alcove seats, oak panelling and associated woodwork. In addition, the upstairs kitchen has a functioning set of in-out doors. For a number of years, the room was used as a rubbish depository. The photos show the situation last summer and the newly refurbished room.

The Silver Fox is featured in Sheffield’s Real Heritage Pubs (www.sheffieldcamra.org.uk/rhp) – the book continues to surprise us by the number of downloads, which is now past 37,000. Work is currently happening regarding updates and new entries. In central Sheffield, the Royal Victoria Hotel is proving an interesting challenge. The bar is open to the public and the building was opened over 150 years ago. Initial research indicates minimal change to the internal lay-out. The image is of proposed changes from 1952.

As part of the forthcoming Sheffield Beer Week, we will be running a guided Pub Heritage walk encompassing a number of entries in the book. This will take place on Tuesday 13 March (17:30 start) – please book your place at https://tinyurl.com/yder3a6e. Dave Pickersgill

The Sheffield & Hallamshire Savings Bank was founded in 1819. In 1860, the Bank moved to this building, designed by the architect T.J. Flockton. Early in the 20^th century, the bank engaged in some small-scale expansion by opening several branches. It was not until after the Second World War that significant growth occurred as 15 new branches were established. The Trustee Savings Bank (TSB) Act of 1976 led to the restructuring of the savings banks the following year. As a result, Sheffield & Hallamshire became part of TSB of Yorkshire & Lincoln. The TSB Group PLC was established in 1986, Lloyds TSB following in 1995.

The building itself was Grade II listed in 1972 as an example of the Classical Revival style. According to Historic England, the building has:

• ashlar with hipped slate roof with two stone side wallstacks with dentilled cornices
• plinth, dentilled first floor cornice, modillion eaves cornice, balustrades
• central two-storey cubic block: three windows flanked by single-storey wings, single windows. The central block has three moulded round-headed margin glazed windows with mask keystones, and a balustrade with dies topped with urns
• ground floor bays designed by engaged Corinthian columns, with paired columns at the ends, and three C20th single pane windows with enriched triple keystones with masks
• across the front, a balustrade
• square wings with paired round and square Corinthian columns forming porticos with C20th glazed doors and overlights, in openings with enriched triple keystones.

An extensive refurbishment of the building was undertaken in 1974, but the façade was kept intact. The dentilled cross beam ceiling interior was also retained. This is evidenced from the above 1965 photograph in which the ceiling can be compared to the current day. By the late 1990s, the venue had become known as The Fraternity House. It then evolved into the Old Monk at the Fraternity House, before becoming simply The Old Monk. Camerons Brewery acquired the building in December 2015 and in April 2016, it opened as their eighth Head of Steam branded venue. Dave Pickersgill

Built in 1821 as a multi-roomed coaching inn, Shakespeare’s has undergone various changes. For many years an S.H. Ward’s pub, the well-known live music venue was closed by Punch Taverns in early 2010. It re-opened 18 months later, with the original passageway to the yard creatively turned into another room. At the same time, the above-bar panelling was added and the long-established bar moved slightly forward. The terrazzo flooring which flows from the entrance lobby indicates the original floor plan. There is a leaded ‘Ward’s Fine Malt Ales’ window and a distinctive exterior sign with the same wording. In earlier days, the pub name was over the door, in a similar style (see 1982 photo). A 1946 plan (Hadfield Cawkwell, Sheffield) indicates that the rear room was split into two, the right-hand ‘Parlour’ having a separate door (opposite the bar). ‘Service’ and ‘Tap Room’ (front left) are both in their current positions. This plan has 1980 amendments which indicate the position of gaming machines. A 1962 plan (Hadfield, Cawkwell & Davidson, Rotherham for Messrs. S.H. Ward & Co.Ltd.) shows a new counter for the bar and the removal of a screen into the rear left Public Bar. A December 1981 plan (Sackville Design Co.) shows the rear rooms changing into a single ‘Lounge’ and the conversion of a kitchen and wash room into a smaller ‘catering kitchen’ and internal toilets. This is repeated on a 1984 plan (Jenkinson Palmer & Associated, Rotherham). Dave Pickersgill and Mick Slaughter

The Blue Ball (Haggstones Road, Worrall, S35 0PD) is believed to have been originally three cottages which were connected at some time to make bigger premises. There is no documented date of origin although it was registered as a public house in the Sheffield Directory in 1825. At one time it was a coaching inn with stabling. The name changed from ‘The Ball’ in 1854. There is a central bar with three rooms off. A 1930’s refitting has left bench seating in all rooms  and  ‘Tennants’ windows. The Smoke Room pre-dates this refitting with quality 1930s (or possibly older) seating and some parquet flooring. The Public Bar (left) has an inter-war graced counter to bar and 1960s timbering. There are also a considerable number of Tennants windows remaining. Dave Pickersgill & Mick Slaughter

The inner lobby of the Queen’s Ground has distinctive mosaic/terrazzo tiling ‘Queen’s Ground Hotel’. To the left of the entrance, the Smoke Room (inter-war wording on exterior windows) has highly detailed decorated coving, possibly from the 1850s. The rear left inter-war room has panelling with bell pushes. On the front right, the original billiard room (inter-war wording on front windows with Wards ‘sheaf’ symbol above) includes a fine fireplace of inter-war design with copper interior fittings/hood. Look for the top right of the fireplace which has markings from hanging snooker chalks swinging into it. The rear right room was originally living quarters until the extensive 1973 refit when the pub was opened-up. It now includes raised seating around 3/4 size snooker table. At this time new bar fittings were installed and off-sales from the front area ceased. The back wall originally had a window. A flat roof extension was added and panelling replaced the window. There is a fine ‘Wards Fine Malt Ales Wines Sprits’ window (inter war) above the bar. Originally this window was above a double doorway. A 1913 plan (see image) shows the bar is on your left after passing through the lobby. Plans indicate some reconfiguring of the bar area to make the bar wider and allow slight reconfiguration of seating in the ‘big room’ at the front of the building (left room looking from Langsett Road). Other front room is a ‘billiard room.’ A 1939 plan shows no change to the three existing rooms – ‘Smoke Room’ at the rear left, ‘Tap Room’ (front left) and ‘Billiard Room’ (front right). A bottle store in the kitchen (rear right) is changed into a ‘Larder’ with a new window to Hatton Road and ‘Wooden Sheds’ in the yard are converted into ‘Bottles,’ Wash House’ and ‘WC’ (Fenton and Robinson, Chartered Architects, Sheffield). 1973 brings more changes (Jenkinson Palmer and Associates, Rotherham for S.H.Ward & Co.Ltd.). The bar is moved to its current location and the existing ‘Living Kitchen’ becomes a new ‘Billiard Room.’ The existing Billiard Room’ becomes part of the ‘Lounge’ which now extends across the full width of the building. In addition, inside toilets are built, as an extension, at the rear left of the building. A ‘Club Room’ continues to exist at the front right of the building. A 1982 plan indicates no changes since 1973. 1986 (Worksop Home Planners, see image) brought a catering kitchen, as an extension at the rear right of the pub. The name changed from ‘Queens Ground Hotel’ to ‘Queens Ground’ in the 1960s. The pub was in the same family for three generations. Landlord William Wild Banks in 1910, his widow became Landlord and the son followed. Fred Kelvey was Landlord from 1959 until 1985. The name originated from the cricket and athletics ground which was situated at the back of the pub. Dave Pickersgill The Queen’s Ground is located at 401 Langsett Road, Hillsborough, S6 2JL. Buses 31a, 57, 61, 62, 81, 82 and 85 all stop nearby, or you can get the Blue or Yellow trams to Hillsborough.

Congratulations to the Wellington – it has recently become part of the CAMRA National Inventory of Pub Interiors in the SRI (Some Regional Importance) category. There are now 21 Sheffield pubs listed in the three inventories: pubheritage.camra.org.uk. Built in 1839, the Wellington was the brewery tap for the A.H.Smith and Company, Don Brewery. In 1916, Tennants bought out Smiths, then following the 1962 takeover, Whitbread ran the pub.  The Wellington was refitted in 1940 and retains many fixtures in the three-roomed layout from that time. The previous layout included a ‘Smoke Rm.,’ ‘Small Tap Room,’ ‘Tap Room’ and ‘Public Bar.’  The servery was moved into the area previously occupied by the Small Tap Room; the former tap room on the front right had minor changes and became the smoke room and the rooms on the left of the door (smoke room, tiny public bar and the servery) were converted into the new Tap Room (Architect: Wiggul, Inott & Ridgeway for Messrs Tennant Bros.Ltd). A passageway from the front door to the lobby bar area has a terrazzo floor, inter-war tiling to two-thirds height and double internal doors with leaded glazed panels. The lobby bar has a terrazzo floor, and retains the 1940 ply panelled bar counter (but it has been pushed back some 18 inches in recent years) and bar back fitting. There is some modification to the bar back such as small mirror pieces from the 1960s, and fridges and a glass washer have replaced two-thirds of lower shelving. Note the unusual keyhole in the part of the bar on the right top section – was it to lock the staff hatchway in place? A 2016 refurbishment introduced shelving to both the left and right of the bar area, including the two stained glass windows above the lounge bar. The panelling on the walls of the lobby bar area and (painted) pine ceiling was installed in 1978 when new tenants, Gordon and Pauline Shaw, arrived. They left in 1983, having had a successful time, the (legendary) Highcliffe Folk Club taking up residence for a number of years. A door on the left with a leaded glazed panel in the top and the figure ‘3’ leads to the tap room with inter-war fixed seating around most of it and it retains the 1940 ply panelled bar counter with a dark stain added. The exterior has 1930s stained and leaded windows and the fireplace is Victorian-style. The piece of wall near the counter is a modern addition having closed a gap created when the lobby bar counter was pushed back. There are good exterior inter-war (Tennants) leaded windows. The front smoke room on the right has a wide gap to the lobby with more 1930s exterior windows but the fixed seating is post-war and has lost its fireplace. The terrazzo floor continues to the right with another door with 1930s stained and leaded windows and the figure ‘1’ and beyond is a terrazzo passage that goes past a door with the figure ‘5’ on it and the ladies’ toilet has a 1930s door and terrazzo floor (modern tiles); the gents’ toilet is modern. The late 1980’s saw the pub becoming run-down, many original features becoming hidden. It became a free house in 1993 under the ownership of Neil and Sheila Clarke. At that time, the walls and ceilings were yellow and the bar was covered with hardboard. This was removed and stripped back to bare wood, before stain and varnish were added. Over a period of some years, they renovated the building. The window frames were stripped and repainted, the wood was stained dark and varnished, the walls were papered and boarding was removed from the door to the toilets. They renamed the pub as ‘The Cask and Cutler,’ establishing the Port Mahon Brewery in 2000. In 2006, when they moved to France, Richard Appleton took on the pub, reinstated the old name and, after a two year pause, restarted and renamed the brewery, Little Ale Cart. The brewery has hosted a number of cuckoo breweries, most notably Steel City who were in residence from their inception in 2010 until 2013. Brewing ceased in 2016, when the pub was taken on by James Birkett, owner of two other Sheffield pubs, the Blake and the Sheaf View. It was closed for a period, redecoration and some refurbishment occurring. The pub reopened in late September 2016 as the brewery tap for the nearby Neepsend Brewery. Dave Pickersgill

The Rutland was built, in 1936, on the site of a previous pub. Plans from the time (Wm.Fenton, Architect, Sheffield for Duncan Gilmour and Co.), indicate that the footprint of the new pub moved about 10 m back, thus allowing the corner between Brown Street and Furnival Street to take up its current position. The new pub had a corner entrance, a vestibule leading into a public bar with a service bar. Before the Public Bar, on the right is a ‘Smoke Room,’ and on the left is a ‘Tap Room,’ both fronting onto the street. Upstairs is a club room. Off sales are available from an entrance on Arundel Lane, behind the ‘Service Bar’ (left rear). The remnants of this entrance can still be seen under the current-day window which is to the right of the ‘Off sales’ window. To the right of the ‘Smoke Room’ are both male and female ‘Urinals.’ The fact that these are not situated in the yard is an indication of the relative importance of this new build. 1952 plans (J.Foster, Architect for Duncan Gilmour and Co.) show the opening out of the public bar and smoking room into a larger Lounge Hall – see image. 1988 (L.B.Percival, Architect for Josuha Tetley and Son Ltd.) saw the lounge and tap room merged and the reconfiguration of the bar into its current position. In addition to a considerable amount of Art Deco-style interior glasswork (installed in 1952) and eight original exterior windows (including ‘Smoke Room’ (2) and ‘Off Sales’), the Rutland has a very impressive tiled exterior. ‘DUNCAN GILMOUR & Co. LIMITED. RUTLAND ARMS.’ Dave Pickersgill

A CAMRA member attending a recent branch meeting suggested to much agreement that we ought to get our correspondents to help us pull together a list of derelict pubs. All are closed and not in the best condition, some are for sale and could yet reopen as pubs given the right investment, others just waiting for redevelopment. So here are 15 examples our Pub Heritage Officer has come up with 1. Arbourthorne Hotel, Arbourthorne 2. Ball Inn, Darnall 3. The Boardwalk, Snig Hill, City Centre 4. The Botanical, Ecclesall Road 5. Burgoyne Arms, Langsett Road 6. Cannon Hotel, 30 Castle Street, City Centre 7. Cuthbert Bank, 164 Langsett Road 8. Fairfield, Neepsend Lane 9. Market Tavern, City Centre 10. Matilda, City Centre 11. Olde Harrow, 80 Broad Street 12. Queens Hotel, Scotland Street 13. Stockroom, Leadmill Road 14. Turf Tavern, Handsworth Road 15. Under the Boardwalk, Snig Hill, City Centre This is not a complete list – please add others!