I met Calvin Payne of Hidden Sheffield Walks to learn more in a guided city centre history walk. Sheffield is a city rich in history and heritage, both good and bad, but for many of its dwellers, much of this history is either unknown or simply forgotten. We met around the back of Sheffield Town Hall outside the Register Office entrance. The impressive Grade I listed Victorian building was constructed back in 1894, according to a date stone.
Uncovering the Past
Date stones at the rear marked when the building was finished in 1894, however it wasn't officially opened by Queen Victoria until 1897. This was one of a number of interesting facts that Calvin pointed out, along with other notable elements from the rear of the building. Some genuinely interesting and some rather macabre, a theme that continued throughout the walk. These walks are a unique tour guiding experience, looking at the hidden aspects of the city's history and heritage, giving you an insight into aspects you would otherwise be oblivious to.
During the two-hour walk around various parts of the city centre, I learnt some really interesting things and Calvin pointed out a number of historic places I had been unaware of for much of my life in the city, which totals around 20 years. From the Town Hall to what we now know as the Peace Gardens, from Barkers Pool to Sheffield Water Works Company's headquarters (built in perhaps a tone-deaf manner in 1867, just three years after the catastrophic Great Sheffield Flood of 1864), it's a journey of uncovering hidden or overlooked city history.
Philanthropy and Transformation
What makes this city-wide stomp quite the experience is the enriching and insightful historical explanations given at numerous points. I did not know that the city centre's Miller & Carter building (formerly a Halifax bank during my childhood) dates back to 1893, and its original purpose was that of a children's home for those living in poverty. Built by Emerson Bainbridge in memory of his wife, the Jeffie Bainbridge Children's Shelter served over a thousand meals every month to children in need until at least 1907. It was one of many philanthropic, noble, and kind-hearted acts from a man that many Sheffielders may be unaware of.
Some of the notable sites we visited included the site where St Paul's Church was situated (now known as the Peace Gardens), Sheffield Hospital for Women (later known as Jessop Hospital for Women), the old Carver Street National School (now The Viper Rooms, dating back to 1812), and even down to Paradise Square, the closest thing the city has to an old town square. And those were just some of the sites we stopped at to learn a little more of the city's history.
A City of Stories
It's often said that home is where the heart is, but often we take our home on its surface level without delving deeper into the history that surrounds it. Whether it enriched a location or left a particularly negative taint, it is all part of the stories that provide the bedrock for the city centre as it is today. If you'd like to learn more about Sheffield, I'd highly recommend contacting Calvin or one of the many history guides around Sheffield. It's a great way to gain more insight into the stories behind many heritage buildings and oft-overlooked bits of history dotted around a city that is rapidly changing in many ways. The walks are both friendly and incredibly informative, and you will find yourself not only a little more knowledgeable at the end but also much more likely to ask questions about certain city landmarks you may not have noticed before.
Find out more about Hidden Sheffield Walks on its Facebook page. Read the 'Hidden in Open Sight' blog on Substack. The Hidden Sheffield Walks guided tours can be booked for £10 per person for each two-hour session.
