On the eve of International Women’s Day; I met a group at Ladies Bridge. Ladies Bridge took it’s name from the chapel built close to the bridge dedicated to the Virgin Mary also referred to as our lady.
Via Queens street. We then walked to the Diamond building of Sheffield University and viewed the sculpture of a moth that honours Amy Johnstone. Amy was a pilot and the first woman to fly solo from England to Australia hence the sculpture. There was a trial of moth sculptures in 2018 that spanned her home town Hull, Sheffield and Australia. Her connection with Sheffield is she studied at Sheffield University. We then proceeded to pass the Amy Johnstone building of Sheffield University.
We when then walked to the cathedral. Florence Nightingale used to go to services at the cathedral. Florence’s family originated from Sheffield. Florence was named after the Italian city where she was born. Her Father was born William Shore, he adopted his Uncle’s surname Nightingale before Florence was born. After returning from Italy, Florence lived in Matlock but frequently visited her Grandparents in Sheffield and the cathedral hence stopping at the cathedral. There are streets named in her honour but they are further from the city centre. There is Florence Road in Woodseats and Nightingale Street in Grenoside. Nearer to the city, close to Bramall lane there is also a Shore Street reflecting her Father’s family.
Whilst at the cathedral we looked across at Cutlers Hall. In 1908 Adela Pankhurst sneaked into the Cutlers Feast intending to disrupt speeches but she was thrown out before that happened and instead made a speech on the steps of the Town Hall.
We proceeded to the Town Hall. We looked at plaques of famous Sheffielder’s.
Our walk ended in Barker’s Pool where there is a post box painted gold to honour Jessica Ennis Hill and also a bronze statue of Buffer girls who were women who took up the roles of men in steel factories when the men were away at war.
Wonderwall 