In November 1931, Sheffield City Hall was nearing completion and would cost £444K, more than £79K above budget. Several ancient wells had been discovered when excavating the site, and to stop water rising into the basement an asphalt tank was built, in which the foundation walls and floor rested.
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In 1892, the opening of a new shop on Pinstone Street offered splendid facilities for pickpockets. A crowd stretched across the road, and while those were looking through the windows, the light-fingered gentry deftly relieved them of their purses and wallets which contained the bulk of their week’s wages.
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“Sir, gather your copies of War Cry and follow me. It is a weapon of attack; and a very efficient weapon it has been. Tonight, we shall visit all the public houses in surrounding streets and offer a copy to those with the evil drink. Afterwards, we shall return here and take a cup of hot chocolate, braced with a drop of brandy.” – Anon. Salvation Army Citadel. Cross Burgess Street. March 1903.
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Torquay, April 1896. “I regret to inform the family that Mr Skelton Cole has passed away at Braddon Court. The sea breezes did not cure him of illness after all. The wonderful success of the business is in no small measure to this gentleman. Only yesterday, he spoke affectionately about Thomas and John, and sincerely hoped that Sheffield would always have a Cole Brothers.” (Gone, but not forgotten, and this sign recently reappeared in defiance).
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It was a rainy Wednesday night, on 14 June 1916, and a soldiers’ buffet was opened at Midland Station for the convenience of soldiers and sailors’ night-travelling through Sheffield. A sailor was the first man in and was on his way to Newcastle to spend brief respite with friends after taking part in the Battle of Jutland.
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