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Sheffield Cutler's Hall, Markets and Works, 1852

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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