July Jollies: An industrial South Yorkshire tour in 1911

114 years ago, in July 1911, the Society of Chemical Industry held their Annual General Meeting at Sheffield.

Arms of City of Sheffield (Sheffield and Rotherham Red Book, 1908)

On Wednesday 12th July, members gathered at the Cutlers’ Hall to begin proceedings before a meal at the Grand Hotel.

Cutlers’ Hall, Sheffield, from a photograph by Trevethick and Parkin, printed in Sheffield and Rotherham up-to-date. A fin-de-siècle review, Diamond Jubilee edition, London: Robinson, Son & Co., 1898, p.4

Their gathering also included visits to related industrial sites, including local factories, collieries and ironworks. This post explores a couple of the highlights relevant to South Yorkshire’s industrial history with a focus on areas close to our own.

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No-vember

November, the awkward month; no longer light, no proper time of day. The harbinger of winter gloom and colder comforts, but with festive frolics to follow. And yet, through it all, the volunteers’ job is never done. The Friends of Hemingfield Colliery are friends for all seasons!

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Levelling up? The Dearne and Dove Canal

Illustration of the second Cutlers Hall in Sheffield, built 1725, demolished 1832, from Robert Eadon Leader [1839-1922], History of the Company of Cutlers in Hallamshire, in the County of York, Volume 1, Sheffield: Pawson & Brailsford, 1905, p.184

At 10 o’clock in the morning, on Wednesday 29th August 1792, the Company of Proprietors of the Navigation of the River Dun held a meeting at the Cutler’s Hall in Sheffield.

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June – a right royal month

Hoyland town centre, Platinum Jubilee weekend, 2nd June 2022

June 2022 was another busy month of weekend activities on site at Hemingfield Colliery, although the first weekend presented a unique pause – the Platinum Jubilee Bank Holiday weekend from Thursday 2nd June 2022.

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Up and Down

Cloudy but still warm. View of the main headgear from the main gates. Saturday 15th August 2020

Cooler, but no less humid. Cloudy with no chance of downpours. But who trusts the forecasts? The Friends and volunteeers arrived for another COVID-catch-up session; safely-spaced and behind closed-gates to try and make good some of the lost weekends over the past few months that have cast such a long shadow over the country, and worldwide.

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Open Day and Working Party Weekend, 26th November 2016

Fixing the roof while the sun is (still) shining…

After a cloudy and unpromising start to the weekend, the Friends of Hemingfield Colliery were treated to a glorious autumnal day, with blue skies and sunshine smiling on the pit yard. Site Manager Glen and Friends Chair Steve opened the gates to catch up on the progress in the restoration of the roof of the winding engine house, and welcome regular volunteers, Nigel, Alan, John, Keith and Chris to another day’s working party activities.

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