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| Miss Meredith collecting archives for Sheffield in the 1960s. |
Explore Your Archive
2017 is a
national campaign (running throughout November) which showcases the best of our archives
and archive services. The campaign is
designed to celebrate the incredible archival collections held by organisations
- public and private - across the UK and Ireland, whatever their size and
scale, and wherever they are. In this
spirit, we’re going to publish a themed blog each day showcasing some of the amazing
documents that have survived throughout the centuries in Sheffield.
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| The oldest document, c.1180 |
The collections at Sheffield City Archives and Local
Studies Library go back almost 850 years.
The earliest item preserved in the City Archives is a lease dating back
to c.1180. The City’s documentary
archive spans many miles of shelving and each unique and irreplaceable document
tells the story of Sheffield’s development from the 12th century to
the present day. Many of the collections
are of such great historical significance, that scholars travel from across the
globe to study first-hand the manuscripts held by the City Archives. It would be impossible even to scratch the
surface of this archival treasure trove, but what follows is a brief exploration
of some of the City’s hidden gems…
Mad
about maps?
Sheffield has been comprehensively plotted and mapped in great detail
since the 1770s. In fact the map collection at the City Archives is second only
to London when it comes to quality and detail.
This is thanks to the Fairbank family of Sheffield - three generations
of surveyors - who preserved all of their work starting with the first William
Fairbank in 1739. The collection
contains an astonishing 4,500 plans providing an excellent source for many
types of research: local history, topography, transport, history of surveying
and family history; the archives reveal the appearance of Sheffield as it was
nearly two hundred and fifty years ago, and show the changes which wiped out,
one by one, the ancient landmarks of Hallamshire during a century of rapid growth.
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| An incredibly detailed plan of Wain Gate by the Fairbanks, 1770s |
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| The wax seal on Sheffield's Market Charter, 1296 |
Establishing
the market. In
1296 a charter to hold markets and fairs in Sheffield was granted by Edward I
to Thomas de Furnival, Lord of the Manor of Sheffield. Over the next 600 years, the markets were
owned, operated and developed by the lords of the manor. In 1899 Sheffield Corporation purchased the
markets and rights from the Duke of Norfolk, and since that time the markets
have remained the property of Sheffield City Council. The charter survives some 700 years on in
pristine condition. Pictured is the wax
seal attached to the document depicting King Edward I.
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| Sheffield Blitz reported in St Louis Globe, 1940 |
Read
all about it! Old newspapers
are a valuable and fascinating source because they are effectively the personal
diary of any town or city; they reflect popular opinion and offer great (and
sometimes scandalous) detail on day-to-day life as it unfolded. Not everyone was a fan of the newspaper:
Thomas Jefferson famously stated in 1807: ‘Nothing can now be believed which is
seen in a newspaper. Truth itself becomes suspicious by being put into that
polluted vehicle’! However, if like us,
you love a good read, a comprehensive list of local titles can be found at the
Local Studies Library dating back to the 1700s.
The newspaper pictured is a copy of the St Louis Globe which reported on the Sheffield Blitz in 1940 all
the way from Missouri, USA.
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| Unidentified Middlewood patient, 1923 |
In a
dark wood. The records
of South Yorkshire Lunatic Asylum (later Middlewood Hospital) are a source of
endless interest for psychiatric specialists, family historians and the
morbidly curious. The Asylum received
its first patients in 1872; the name of each inmate was meticulously documented
along with their ‘cause of insanity’. Extensive records were kept which survive at
Sheffield City Archives. In the words of F.T. Thorpe’s centenary book:
‘the history of Middlewood Hospital chronicles the passage of prejudice,
enlightened by the advances of discovery and the acceptance of more humane
treatment of patients. The gradual
lifting of the veil of ignorance shows how concern for the patient has replaced
the stigmas of mental illness.’
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| Police ticket of leave book, Sheffield, 1864 |
Criminals
and convicts. With
the advent of photography in the mid-nineteenth century, came the possibility
of creating a true likeness of people.
This was especially useful when it came to criminals in order for them
to be recognised. The ‘Ticket of Leave’
book at Sheffield City Archives dates from 1864 and records in great detail the
character, physical description and misdemeanours of a number of shifty
individuals. Under the Habitual
Criminals Act of 1869, criminals could be let out early on a 'ticket of leave'
- a permit allowing them to leave prison under specific restrictions. However,
it could (and frequently was) withdrawn for misconduct. The volume includes two entries for the
notorious Charles Peace (both as aliases).
The
curious teapot. Unsurprisingly,
business records form a core part of the City collections. The records of James Dixon and Sons Limited,
Silversmiths of Cornish Place, are particularly interesting. In the later years of the nineteenth century
it produced holloware to the designs of the celebrated Dr Christopher Dresser -
'sleek objects of great practicality, which anticipated the functional lines of
the twentieth century'. Dresser worked
for Dixon's from c.1870 to 1883; his designs including tea and coffee services. His work for Dixon's is of interest not only
for its highly original artistic quality but also because Dresser was one of
the earliest true industrial designers.
Photograph albums and cost books show Dresser’s work in great detail and
these records have been called upon to verify the authenticity of rare Dresser
pieces that have come to auction. An
incredibly rare and priceless teapot, the design of which is detailed in the
archives, is on show at the V&A Museum in London - one of only a handful
ever made.
If this (very) brief introduction to archives has piqued
your interest, keep an eye on our blog next week. On Monday we’ll be exploring the theme of
‘Archive Catwalk’ (#Archivecatwalk) so expect a whistle-stop tour of
Sheffield’s fashionable past.
The City Archives and Local Studies Library are open to
the public and you are welcome to come and see the City’s archives in
person. Direct your queries to: archives@sheffield.gov.uk we
are more than happy to help.
