Endcliffe

Sheffield Water Rats. In the water – Walpole Hiller, G. Wilson, F.G. Dixon. Seated on bank – W.H. Flint. Standing-rear – A.H. Cooper, C.H. Foster, T. Smith, E. Watson. In front – Albert Flint, M. Parker, W.M. Parker. This photograph appeared in The Swimming Magazine in 1914

During research into the recent story on William Henry Babington, the Sheffield photographer, this grainy image from a copy of The Swimming Magazine in May 1916 came to light.

This intriguing photograph features members of Sheffield Water Rats, an ‘all the year round bathing club’, whose members enjoyed themselves in the “fine open-air pool in Endcliffe Woods, about a couple of miles from the centre of town.”

The Water Rats were an all-male club and to qualify for entry into this select family of ‘rats of the pool’ one had to swim winter and summer in Endcliffe Bathing Pool for a period of six years. The ‘King Rat’ was Mr Walpole Hiller who had started about 1894, although he was surpassed by Mr C Foster who taken his first all-year round dip in 1891.

*Bathing on New Year’s morn. A cold dip in the Endcliffe Bathing Pool. From the Sheffield Daily Telegraph. 2 January, 1907. Image: British Newspaper Archive*

“How many persons would come down to the pool on a foggy autumn morning almost before it was light, plunge into the water, only to find they had a companion in the way of some poor suicide, and yet turn up the next morning as if nothing had happened?”

A tradition for the Water Rats was to take a plunge on Christmas morning, often reported by local newspapers. The custom was to take a dip at 9.30am and afterwards indulge in mince-pies, rum, and coffee.

“They quickly undressed, posed for a ‘snap’ on the edge of the pool, and then plunged in and swam their morning round, coming out glowing with health to dress leisurely and have their customary ‘constitutional ‘swallow.’ There was no shivering or trembling; they behaved with the aplomb of the summer girl basking in the sunshine on some seashore.” – Sheffield Daily Telegraph – 2 January 1923.

*From the Sheffield Daily Independent, 27 December, 1930. Image: British Newspaper Archive*

Members became older and more ‘youthful’ ones couldn’t make up the numbers. By 1937, the Water Rats tended to only venture out at Christmas, unlike the newer Spartan Swimming Club that had started taking to the open-air Millhouses Bathing Pool every morning.

Endcliffe Bathing Pool had opened after Sheffield Corporation purchased 20 acres of Endcliffe Wood from the trustees of Robert Younge of Greystones. William Goldring was commissioned to adapt the land for public use in 1886, part of which was converting Endcliffe Wheel mill dam as a place for boys and men to bathe.

*Endcliffe Wheel Bathing Dam, Endcliffe Park. Picture Sheffield*

*Bathing Dam, previously the dam belonging to Endcliffe Wheel, Endcliffe Woods*. *Image: Picture Sheffield*

However, the bathing pool always attracted unwanted attention due to mud and debris washing into it from the adjacent banking.

“I think it is most disgusting,” said one correspondent in 1896, “the water is almost stagnant, in some parts the floor is quite a foot thick with mud and refuse, whilst in other places there is nothing but glass and stones.”

“This pool would be a source of health-giving pleasure to hundreds of men and boys, were it only made clean and wholesome, and the supply kept free from the rubbish which now pollutes it,” said another in 1904.

“A type of woman, and also girls, whose idea of modesty seems to be at a low ebb, persistently come behind railings on the far bank, and also into the enclosure itself. Many of the men are nearly naked, and some of the boys quite so. A park keeper reports coarse language at times,” reported somebody else in 1909.

*Youths disporting themselves in Endcliffe Bathing Pool. July 1914. Image: British Newspaper Archive*

Endcliffe Bathing Pool closed for cleaning in 1938 and appears never to have reopened. It was filled in and today is understood to be the site of the children’s’ playground.

*Endcliffe Park playground, once the site of Endcliffe Bathing Pool*

*The former Endcliffe Sunday School on Ecclesall Road. Photograph: Axis Architecture.*

Axis Architecture, on behalf of developers, has submitted a planning application to convert the former Endcliffe Sunday School, next to the old Endcliffe Methodist Church, on Ecclesall Road, into apartments and townhouses.

It was originally built at a cost of £8,000 as the Sunday School Hall. It was designed by John Charles Amory Teather, who placed copies of religious and local newspapers, a circuit plan, and a programme of the day’s proceedings in a cavity, when the foundation stone was laid on 6 October 1927.

In later years it was sold to the University of Sheffield and, in 1985, became the Traditional Heritage Museum. The museum closed in 2011 and the building was last used by the university in 2016, but remains vacant.

The building, on the market for six years, is in a state of disrepair and is currently unusable in its current physical state.

*Proposed Ecclesall Road frontage. Photograph: Axis Architecture.*

The proposed development of 605 Ecclesall Road will involve the partial demolition at the rear of the former Sunday School building – this is the area internally previously used as a stage, with the rear wall in its new position, re-built utilising salvaged stonework. That part of the site, along with the existing walled car-parking area, will then be given over to the construction of four terrace townhouse dwellings, facing Neil Road with gardens at first floor level and additional roof gardens.

“The Ecclesall Road frontage would be preserved, with new extensions set back to minimise their impact. The church building is considerably taller than the existing Sunday School building and it will be possible to extend the building upwards by at least two storeys without detracting from the setting of the local landmark building.

“Most of the existing building will be retained – the roofs are the only major elements which would be replaced, to allow for upward extension. The later, brick built elements at the rear would also be removed.”

There is a passageway between the church and Sunday School leading from Ecclesall Road to Neill Road which would remain open for members of the public.

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