Infirmary Road becomes Langsett Road at approx. 9-50 on the video. Langsett Road then continues to Hillsborough Corner and yes, The George 1V on Infirmary Road was a pub. The building on the left at 2-19 was the lodge at the main entrance to The Sheffield Royal Infirmary grounds. Most of the hospital was demolished in the 80's and a Tesco supermarket built on the site, but he clock-tower is a listed building and has been preserved together with some of the adjoining buildings which were subsequently turned into offices, some of which were occupied by Aviva. The Kelvin Flats ran along Infirmary Road/Langsett Road from approx 5-23 to approx. 11-15 and consisted of over 900 dwellings spread over four levels with two pubs, The Gatefield and The Half Penny and a branch of the Midland Bank at ground level. The ivy-clad building on the corner at 12-50 was originally the HQ of the Walkley Division of the Sheffield City Police and the words 'Police Station' can still be made out etched into the stonework on the front of the building. Great video Tim, thanks for posting.
I can see a bit clearer now! A lot of stuff has gone hasn't it? 🙁The Kelvin Building looks like they're still occupied, though they've clearly been done up considerably. They used to have small yards, and outside toilets, and were damp and decrepit. I had some friends rented a flat there in the early 80's. My auntie and uncle lived in the Whitehouse Building with 4 kids, and at that time they were owned by the council. They were so happy when they managed to get onto the Kelvin flats. There was a tattooist's in that row too, when there weren't many in Sheffield. He was often drunk, and his shop was full of undesirables! The building that was the George IV is still there, my grandparents had their Golden Wedding do there in 1983, and I remember going to quite a few different dos there over the years. It was ALWAYS busy, and full of life round there Tim, I've spent a lot of time there, both as a kid, and as an adult. I didn't realise you were filming on a Saturday afternoon, it is quiet! The Whitehouse Building is still there too, I see, though again, totally re-furbished. Originally, there were shops on the ground floor, and I think that's where Langsett Cycles was. When my cousins were young, they spent a lot of time in the Sally Army building, and I can remember having to go to a Christening there. Where those new-builds are on the left, opposite the top of wood street, there was a scrap yard (I have a penknife that was made up as a sample with their name on). Across the road, on the far side of Wood Street, there was a pub, which I think was The Wellington. There was a long-running legal battle, because they refused to let a woman use the snooker table, even though she could beat most of the blokes. She took them to court several times, and eventually won. Across the road, there was a sweet shop, and a place that sold lawnmowers, and small plant, if I remember right. Soon after The Welly, there was a motorbike shop, which at one time was one of the incarnations of 'FTW Cycles', owned by the recently-deceased Slim, once of Sheffield Blue Angels. The next pub I think was the Burgoyne Arms, and further along The Cuthbert Arms, where the male members of my dad's side of the family, and their mates, used to drink, when they weren't in Hillfoot WMC. Also there was one of two 'seed shops', selling wheat, pigeon corn, tares, hemp seed, etc to fishermen and pigeon-fanciers (there were a load of pigeon 'coites' on the hillside ('The Tip') above Hillfoot. It was operated by a man whose wife owned the identical shop 100 yards away! Sad that ALL the pubs there seem to have closed. Further along, there was a shop and off-license, and upstairs, there was a tiny bar, where a bloke could have a very quiet pint. There was a hardware store there too, quite a big, old-fashioned one, a toy-shop, and Jack's Temperance Bar, the last of its kind in Sheffield. It shut in about 1984 I think. There were a couple of cafes, and other shops. Along with the market, my grandma got all her shopping on the Top Road in the 50's and 60's. She was born round there. There have been hoardings there, or close to them, since the early 60's at least! The path down to Hillfoot went behind them, where the 'White Wall' was, and the areas known as 'The Tip, and 'The Lane'. I agree Tim, Penistone Road is awful, particularly for those of us who remember how it was. Blimey, The Mason's Arms is still there! There were once more pubs along those two roads than anywhere I've ever seen!
It must be at least 15 years since I walked that road probably nearer 20 years. It wasn't sparking then but now it's a place I would have no desire to visit. The old Infirmary is still standing (or was the last I was down there !) as offices it's away from where you walked sort of behind the Tescos in that direction. Contrast from Hillsborough Corner going away towards the park, that is where all the shops are with plenty of independant Butchers, Bakers, Greengrocers, plus some of the bigger high street names. Thanks for making this record for historical purposes.
Cycle Shop was Langsett Cycles. I think there might have been a motorbike shop too. There was certainly one behind the shops, and still there much later. There used to be 3 streets there - Flora Street, Thirza Street, and another one, all named after 3 local sisters, on the other side of Wood Street was Ash Street, and another street named for a tree.
It's absolutely shocking what they have done to that part of town Tim, what is there, about 6 lanes of traffic, and 2 tram lines?! My grandparents, and several aunties and uncles, lived on the Kelvin Flats, from when they were built, to not long before they were knocked down. On the right hand side of the road, where you start filming, there used to be an old cemetery Tim, and a small brewery at one time, but you're not quite up to the site of the old Infirmary yet. The first building you can see on the left was a bank, a Yorkshire Bank, I think, and there was a flat upstairs, where a woman lived who my dad saw a couple of times, before he met my mum. I'm afraid my internet is terrible tonight, so it's like I'm watching your video through a steamed-up bus window! Before the Tesco, it was a Morrison's, and before that the Infirmary. Across the road at the second junction you come to, on the corner, was a great bakery, and sandwich shop. I used to always get a hot pork sandwich or Hartley's potted beef, on one of their oven bottom breadcakes, when I was passing. Wynsors Shoes has been there ages! :D When, I was a kid, there was an old cobblers and shoe shop, a bit further along, which had a crocodile in the window, there was a great cycle shop, the George IV pub, the Sally Army Hall, and right along at the end, on the corner of Wood Street, in the 70's, was the Brick Rabbit vegetarian cafe! The Kelvin Flats started across the junction after the Infirmary site, and continued all the way past Wood Street. At that junction, before the Kelvin, opposite the sandwich shop, there was a terrible tragedy in the early 1980's, when a woman and child were killed in their car, after it was hit by a car, which had been stolen. The car was being driven by the son of one of the city's powerful men, and he received a light sentence from a judge who was having an affair with his mother (but that's another story!). There were other flats, opposite the Kelvin, above the shops, the Kelvin Buildings, and Whitehouse Buildings. I knew people who lived in both, and they were slums, to be blunt. There were no shops on the same side of the road as the Kelvin Tim, not from the time the Public Works Department built them. I'm really struggling to see your video, I'm afraid, Tim, so I'll come back later mate.
I am 69 and still live in the house my parents bought in 1958 so I have a lot of memories and on Tik Tok I share some of these stories while going live doing what you are doing .
I think I was not understanding the concerns you had and thought there was a very large shopping complex going in but it seems it is more the highway and tram network . Is the "Super Tram " a non stop tram service?
You have to think a lot of shops and pubs were used by the people living in Kelvin Flats, they replaced the flates with much lower density housing, hardly anyone lives there now
Blanchards was a department store that sold mainly furniture and clothing according to a contributor on the Sheffield Forum. Very likely you have already seen that post . On You Tube there is a channel that documents different industries and shops from yesterday .
Didn't seem that bad down there even in early 2000s, pubs, the motorbike shops, local shops, sandwhich shops, Langsett Cycles etc. Noticed in the last 10 years has become more and more run down. Used to go every morning via tram and would look at as I passed by and feel depressed at how bad it has become.
@timawells It wasn't too bad in 90s and into early 2000s. I don't know what happened Tim but our streets are full now with nail bars, charity shops, fast food places, boarded up derelict shops or Turkish barbers.
There was still lots of industry between what locals used to call the 'Top Road' and 'Bottom Road', but there were whole streets that had been flattened by the Germans too. Lots of interesting bombed-out buildings to play in, as a kid! Infirmary Road was lined with pubs, all the way to Hillsborough Corner. I'd completely forgotten about Blanchard's, I think it sold beds and furniture, but could be wrong. Sadly, I can barely see anything Tim. Very sorry mate. I'll come back later.
@@timawells Such a shame Tim, my grandmother, great uncle, dad, and 5 of my aunties and uncles grew up on Hicks Rd, with Presto Tools (across Penistone Rd) at the bottom of the street..
I had private dance lessons with Mrs Draper who was in the film and I knew Phil who was the trumpet player in the band, he worked at Tankerlsey computer centre.
Did i spot 2 people on foot and one Deliveroo? You mentioned shops closed becaue it's Saturday but, surely, that's when they would be open! Noticeable how many shops and business premises turned into 'accommodation' but the residents seem to be invisible. Horrible place anyway, trams going right past the front door and places boarded up. Even the car wash was closed. The tram tracks being laid destroyed it. It was like Fargate on steroids for about 2 years; no one could park. If the route is extended, the same will happen; that is why they haven't. That tram, so-called, ruined everything in its' path. Now its' bankrupt but public funded. Depressing video Tim. Was anything open at all?
Shops should be on a Saturday, but I wondered if some business were only open Monday to Friday. It made Attercliffe look thriving. Its the worst place I have filmed Miss Havisham.
Cars not driving round with flags on them as you get branded a far right racist for doing it - madness. People aren't pround of our country - which is part of the problem of things becoming run down as you highlight in the video.
The pub George the 4th was where lots of local bands played during the 1980s. Our band played our first gig there,they had a bar upstairs. Left sheffield 30 years ago. Best thing i ever did.
