Made in Sheffield Shaff Adventure Films

Tonight I saw the Made in Sheffield collection of films as part of the Sheffield Adventure Film Festival. This collection is being shown again at the Showroom 10.30 and 6.30pm on Sunday. I believe sometime after the festival the films may be available online / may get shown at other outdoor or film festivals.

I gave the last film in the collection Reel Rock: Bridge Boys full marks. It had good pace telling a complete unique story with dramatic moments and humour. Plus the subjects of the film were eye candy! It was about Sheffield climbers who enjoy ‘crack climbing’. Focussing on their lockdown adventures … whilst some baked banana bread they decided to start climbing in cracks under bridges. They ended up deciding to do a multi day climb, climbing under a moterway bridge and therefore sleeping attached to the bridge too. I presume they peed off the bridge too; but the film did not cover that. It was fascinating and gripping, but I will not spoil the end because I so recommend watching!

I also really liked One More rep and being second to last in the collection I had thought it was going to be my favourite until I saw the last one! So only compared to the last one did it lose a mark. It was about the juxtaposition between the positive social media content a female runner was publishing and how she actually felt – the metal anguish and pressure she was putting herself under!

The topic of the Farm under the city was amazing as never heard about it yet it is a venture in Sheffield Kelham island. It is an indoor farm that is being very sustainable. Maybe say an hour document on the farm May have been too much for me but just that nugget combining Sheffield and sustainability leaves me impressed and wanting to know more.

The Peaks of Colour film was also interesting and covered issues been try to develop better awareness of.

En route about a Father and three sons going on a surf trip together after the parents separation. Some good points made about parenting.

Sapien was just a short film and nothing wrong with it just other films were more in depth.

Chinese laundry had won an award for being the best of the collection of films. I have it at the there end of my scale mainly because I have marked it down because I don’t think it was a film about the outdoors. The audio was interesting but for me the dancing did not add to the audio and at points made me a bit dizzy like watching a washing machine spin! But I know when I discussed it after, there was someone else who thought the dance was really clever! So it could just be just not appreciating the dance and as a backdrop to some of the dancing there was trees so my opinions maybe be controversial.

All in all, I really loved seeing these short films. I think when trying to get a message across in a short time you can get something more meaningful than a feature length film! Also of course if a short film is not good then it does not waste too much of your life! But in this case all the films were worth my time. I enjoyed them as a collection and then discussing them after.

Ambitious, original and successful at Sheffield Theatre; actors appearing in three plays in three different theatres at the same time! (Rock, Paper, Scissors ✂️ )

Long title so perhaps it is not clear what Sheffield theatres did! There were three plays taking part at the same time and the same actors moved between the three plays.

Rock took place in the Crucible round. Scissors took place in the studio at the Crucible. The third play took place in the Lyceum theatre. For those who do not know Sheffield the Lyceum is next door to the crucible however, actors moving between the three stages and keeping three plays going is still impressive feat! Not many places have the set up of three close stages to allow this – maybe National Theatre?

The story was a very Sheffield; centring around a struggling scissors factory in Sheffield. Sheffield originally was famous for producing steel products. The people working in this factories were craftspeople and of course those skills come with a price and in these days of cheap online vendors, customers are not always willing to pay the price for crafted items.

The three plays were set within three locations in the scissor factory. They worked together and individually. Each play could have been separate with actors going off stage to virtual other areas of the factory; but instead you got to see what happened when they left that stage. Therefore seeing all three gives the most comprehensive story!

All three plays are on each being this week. On Saturday the shows are all being performed three times therefore it is possible to see all three in one day! If you could only see one I would recommend Scissors in the Studio. The studio’s intimacy and the characters particularly the actor playing Mason are fantastic entertainment!

International Women’s Day Sheffield Walk

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.

You can keep your mask on! Full Monty walk.

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This was a walk September 2020 hence reference to Covid masks 🎭

Linear walk from Bamforth street to Middlewood tram stop: Full Monty film locations and other Hillsborough sights.

From Bamforth tram stop walked down to Burton Street school. This is the school in the film that Gaz’s son attended.

From here headed down to Penistone road. Incident my past a stone on a garage forecourt next to New Barrack tavern which marks location of the Rose Inn which apparently played a role in the aftermath of 1864 flood. I suspect that it’s role was that cellar used as mortuary.

Turned off Penistone Road by going through B&Q car park to Reagents flats. These flats are where Lomper and Guy are disturbed in bed and escape over the balcony (given height of even lowest balcony not sure that really possible).

From the flats crossed road to Borough Road and veered on to Park view road. Before turning down Burrowlee road to Burrowlee House. At the time Burrowlee House was built in 1711 by Thomas Streade the surrounding area was rural. Burrowlee house is grade 2 listed; it is the oldest house in Hillsborough and one of the first brick houses to be built in Sheffield.

Circuited to the back of Burrowlee house by walking to Pennstone Road then taking next right up Broughton Road. This road was named after Thomas Steade’s son Broughton.

Thomas Steade built another house in 1779 which is what is now Hillsborough library. He called his new house Hillsborough hall after his patron the Earl of Hillsborough. Ultimately the whole area became known as Hillsborough after the Hall.

Hillsborough Hall was inherited by Broughton from his Father. Various families owned it up until 1890 when the last owner of Dixon family died. There is a Road the other side of the park called Dixon Road after the Dixon family who had lives in the Hall. When Dixon’s estate was split up and sold the hall and some surrounding land was sold to the Sheffield corporation.

In turn in 1889 Sheffield corporation sold the land that that Sheffield Wednesday’s ground which is now across from the park is built on. In 1902 when there was a football match a parachutist parachute 🪂 Edith Brooks was hired to entertain the crowns before the match. As Edith was doubled booked she instead sent her sister Maude. Sadly Maude’s parachute 🪂 malfunctioned and she died a few days after the jump. The place she landed is marked by an innocuous flat stone with no inscription in the park that must go unnoticed by most who use the park. Maude was burried in Liverpool.

We passed Hillsborough hall which is now the library and then went into the accompanying walled garden and admired the pretty dahlias. Upon exciting the other side of the walled garden we exited the park after working along the tree lined avenue. We crossed the toad on to Wadsley lane and proceed up until turning at the Green shop (recommend for Our Cow 🐮 Molly ice cream 🍦 and local bottled beers 🍻 like Loxley and Bradfield breweries) into Marcliffe Road.

We turned off Marcliffe Road on to Vainer Road up to Wadsley church and then walked through the graveyard looking at graves. Including seeing down right hand side from the back of the church a grave adorned with a cricket 🏏 bat of a critter who died in Victorian times at the time the cricket bat 🏏 was not thought appropriate and the grave was damaged before being repaired.

Walking through the gravestones we came to a area of grass with no gravestones. However this area of grass actually has over 2,500 graves in it. There is just a lowly placed stone at one end of the grass which I have missed numerous times. It explains the graves are of men, women and children who died at the nearly asylum and because of the stigma of the asylum they were not burried with gravestones. The latest ones burried without a gravestone was 1947, thankfully as a society we have become more clued up about mental health.

We headed towards the asylum by exiting the churchyard on to Prescott Road then turning at the top of the road on to xxx.

We continued on Dykes Hall Road, passed Hillborough golf course then a dip in the road before coming to a path off from the road on the right. We followed a windy path down through the trees. At the bottom is a fossilised tree. We crossed the road into the park opposite. Then walked past the front of the asylum clock tower building which is very grand looking and has now been turned into apartments. We made our way to Middlewood tram stop. Passing a building that have SYA inscribed into the brickwork which I previously puzzled over what the letters stood for but now think it will be South Yorkshire Asylum. See Wonderwall360 instragram for photos of walk locations.

Sheffield year of reading: Fave book One Day

Apparently 2020 is Sheffield year if readung, so there is various events going on.

https://centralsheffield.wordpress.com/2020/01/17/welcome-to-the-sheffield-year-of-reading-2020/

There is the chance to win £100 of book vouchers by writing on a postcard or e-mailing about favourite book. So that is worth having a crack at! What do you think of this as a first draft, how can I improve?

My favourite book

I think favourite is difficult to determine in terms of books. There are not many books that I reread. However, I have reread One Day; both times I read it, it reduced me to tears. It is rare books, make me cry so this book also counts as favourite in terms of impact on me. The second time I read it was when I lived in Edinburgh August 2018 because, the book starts in Rankeiler Street in Edinburgh. I retraced the character’s footsteps from Rankeiler Street; up Arthur’s Seat.

https://wonderwall360blog.wordpress.com/2018/08/12/one-day-footsteps-from-15jul1988-by-david-nicholas/

I love it so much that I wanted the author David Nicholas, to write a sequalae; then a fellow blogger said; why don’t I write sequalae. I do not feel I have a whole book in me; certainly not one as good as One Day. Therefore last summer starting on the one day in the book, I wrote a series of blog posts as a character in the book in 2019. Coincidently in the blog posts the character was living in Edinburgh over summer like I had done the year before. The posts did not really develop the story; it more picked up parts of the book, I had loved and also allowed me to revisit some of my Edinburgh experiences. For research purposes I bought the audio version which, really brought the humour out of the book. This is a book; that has made me laugh out loud and cry; I can not think of any other book I can say that about!

https://wonderwall360blog.wordpress.com/2019/09/14/jasmines-blogs-july-august-summaries/

Further justification of this being my favourite book is that I have bought the audio book and three hard copies of the book. My first copy and acquaintance lost, so I rebought. Then last year there was a 19th anniversary edition with a new cover; so I bought that. If I see a copy in charity shop with an original cover on, I will buy again then donate one I have back to a charity shop because I want a copy in better condition; the copy I have got slightly bashed up when reading on Portabella beach in Edinburgh. I initially read it because, I heard a film was coming out so I wanted to read before film came out. The film did not ruin book; but then I believe the magnificent author David Nicholas, did help write the screen play.

In summary I believe this could be said to be my favourite book!

Sheffield elephants, Lincoln knights, Hull Moths and Manchester Bee Sculptures: where are they now?

I have enjoyed several art trials but where are sculptures now? Here are some I have refound in their new homes.

On https://www.instagram.com/p/B6ksjmcnb43/?igshid=569dzfknnvma I already have photos of some of sculptures seen and will be adding more. Tap on my sculpture highlight to see them.

Manchester Bees Where are they now?

Sheffield has a Manchester bee in Market. I have also seen one in Manchester park.

Hull moths where are they now?

Hull moths were in honour of aviator Amy Johnson. There was always one at Sheffield university Diamond building and it remains there as Amy attended the university.

Lincoln knights

Butchers in Scotter have a Knight.

Sheffield Elephants Where are they now?

There is one at Northern general hospital.

Artic Monkey Elephant is in the Winter gardens.

I believed the mini herd elephants were returned to the school who designed them.  Two were designed by groups based in Sheffield Hallam universiry; therefore they are in the reception of Sheffield Hallam City campus.

The Beat Goes On is on the roof at the back of the Great Gatesby.

Leffie is apparently in the fore court of Direct Cars.

Sheffield Summer is at High Storrs school.

Skeleton elephant is in an office in Stocksbridge.

I saw all the big and mini Sheffield elephants; but where are they now????

Sheffield culture Saturday 19th October

On this Saturday when neither Sheffield team played football (Wednesday played Friday and United are playing Monday); there was the last day of Beer Festival at Kelham Island and penultimate week of off the Shelf festival. Also on Fargate international food stalls.

I saw 4 crime author Off the Shelf events at the Millennium gallery.

1 afternoon, 7 authors (Off Shelf book festival crime afternoon)

The location 9f the Off the Shelf events allowed, me to view photos from September 28th photo marathon challenge on display in the Winter gardens. Entrants had 6 topics to take a photo to represent. The winning photos for each topic was seen enlarged with other entrants in a collage. It was very effective seeing the collage for each theme and I did not agree with all the winners. The winner of the rainbow 🌈 category was the winner I most agreed with (see Instragram Wonderwall360 for the image in question).

I also had a look at this Now and Then exhibition in the millennium gallery. There was a clock showing what clocks would look like if days decided into units of 10 rather than hours of 60minutes each. There were 4 pairs of photos; showing the same vantage point of Sheffield from different ages. The only pity was that there was so few of these pairs of photos and not much else in exhibition. There was a light and disco ball installation; which was pretty and fun for kids; but not sure what it was trying to convey.

September 2019 Summary

Books

The man who did not call by Rosie Walsh – First part very intriguing thriller type of hat happened to him. Last third Ish of book know why did not call and it deals with aftermath.

Awful Auntie

Awful Auntie by David Walliams

 

All I know about love.

All I know about love by Dolly Alderton

 

The Hornbeam tree

The Hornbeam Tree (spoiler free review)

 

Penguin modern 05: Three Japanese short stories. All three stories did not have a dramatic climax. It was the middle of the stories in the book that engaged me Closet LLB by Uno Koju translates by Jay Rubin. It was about a lazy man’s law student days (although he actually wanted to study literature) and early post graduate times.

Carries War by Nina Bowden. Like that set during war but not much about the war. The war just provides background in that Carrie is evacuated as a child during war, but other than that war is not of relevance to her. The book has her coming back to where she was evacuated as an adult.

Theatre

Reasons to stay alive

Reasons to Alive Theatre Review

Other

No brand new clothes

Oxfam had a campaign to not buy brand new clothes in Sept. I did not buy any new clothes for myself in September. I did buy Lucy Locket leggings as Christmas presents for Mum, sister and niece. I got new to me clothes though from clothes swap at Union Street cafe in Sheffield. I had a good sort out and took whole suitcase. I brought back one long black top with sequins, animal print top, white and blue dress and a pale grey dress with polka dots that was handmade. The next of these swaps is 30th November.

Heritage and Castlegate Festival

Final weekend of Heritage week and Castlegate festival

Henry Byers Stables for horses 🐴 , Lizzie elephant 🐘 and Camels 🐫 in Sheffield (Heritage / Castlegate festival)

Sheffield Heritage Week and Castlegate Festival

Limestone weekend

Post Limestone Way Multi Day Walk Weekend Pampering

Final weekend of Heritage week and Castlegate festival

Saturday morning I did a tour of Crookesmoor drains. Followed an old tram route, so could see remains of that in pavement; cut off electric poles and grates of electric boxes. Saw ironmongery from Victorian times. Also from Victorian times, the metal grates marking first home phones in Sheffield at end of 19th century, close to Victorian sewage lamp (looks better than sounds) and VR post box.

The afternoon of this sunny Saturday was spent in Victoria Quays which was focus that day of Castlegate festival. There was music, stalks and boats to look at as generally enjoyed fabulous sun next to water.

Sunday rain returned. I explored Manor lodge where Queen Mary was once imprisoned. Much of it is in ruins but the turret house has been preserved. In turret house enjoyed spending time with an actress playing Bess Hardcastle. The Manor was owned by her last husband. Bess built the original Chatsworth (which was knocked down and rebuilt by her grandson) and Hardwick Hall that remains. She lived to an incredible age for the time of 81 years old and therefore influenced history of area around Sheffield and it was good to learn more about her.

Henry Byers Stables for horses 🐴 , Lizzie elephant 🐘 and Camels 🐫 in Sheffield (Heritage / Castlegate festival)

Feel particularly privileged to see this building as part of heritage week, as it is currently being transformed into apartments so this was last time public will see it in this state. Part my be turned into bar / restaurant so may be back again!

Henry Byer’s stables is an orange building next to Lady’s bridge in the Castlegate area of Sheffield. The front building is already shops / apartments and was originally flats and offices. The distinctive orange bricks give building Belgium flavour but, we found some of the bricks in the building which were made in nearby Huddersfield.

The tour went in the back bit which was built in 1899 by Henry Byer’s for horses. Byers was a race horse trainer. He also had a contract with the railways to provide horses for them. The railways used horses to transport goods etc out or into the stations. As 19th century turned to 20th century horses were used less and less. The 2nd world war triggered major move away from use of horses in this way because so many people learnt to drive during the war and could be drivers to take goods to and from stations. The building is near where Sheffield’s Victoria station used to be hence the railway arches leading up to the Victoria holiday express and by Victoria Quays. As urban land was expensive, to use less land the building was built up rather than far reaching, with ramps between floors to get animals up. Now most cities are left with multi store car parks that echos ramps of former stables. Sheffield may be last place with these stables as another one near Camden Lock’s burnt down about six years ago. Therefore Sheffield’s is a grade 2 listed building and some of ramps will be preserved.

As the building was originally for horses the windows are high up on floors 2 and 3; at head height for horses. There is impressive ceiling height. The ceiling height however, will be lost when the building becomes apartments as the floor will be raised with electrics etc… under the floor and therefore the windows will be a suitable position for people to look out. The windows could not be moved as this is a grade 2 listed building.

The top floor used to be a hay loft. It feels like a barn conversion with the exposed rafters. There is likely to be two apartments up there, both benefiting from the addition of veluxes and one having a fantastic large arch window.

On the tour we learnt how during World War One horses were required for war work. Therefore to keep businesses going, animals from circuses who were struggling to survive due to war time austerity, weee employed. Thomas Ward, who collected scrap metal to be reused by steel works recruited Lizzie the elephant and she was stabbed in the Henry Byer’s stables. . Lizzie was inspiration for the 2016 Sheffield elephant trail. Less well known is that another business (which a lady on your knew), recruited two camels. I think they would be good inspiration for a future Sheffield trial!

Between wars the building became a Batchlors factory that made mushy peas, from peas bought in from Lincolnshire farms by the railway. In late 1930s it became a furniture shop; Hancock and Lants and remained as such for decades until the recent spell of building being unused.

Another animal that has resided in the building are dogs. Originally the basements was used as a dog home. From this part of s building we could see out to Lady’s bridge and the river Don. Potentially this area will become seating for a bar; I can imagine sitting there in the sun (like it was today), with a beer in hand. From the basement could see out to the Tap and Barrel pub; which has apparently been bought by the organisers of Peddlers market. Additionally we were told the old gents toilets over the next bridge along to Lady’s bridge, is to to be turned into a bar called Two Rivers as it is above where River Sheaf meets the River Don. We also learnt that the roadworks around the building is to pedestrianise opposite of river to the stable and also add planting similar to that around neighbouring cities buildings. The plants will help prevent flooding. Additionally I think they will improve look of area and bring more people into Castlegate and Victoria Quay’s. Potentially as in other cities the Quays may become vibrant area for night life; with a more aesthetically pleasing route to the city than trudging round the market area which felt dark inhospitable at night. As part of the Heritage week, the Old Town hall opposite Wikos has a tour tomorrow, there are tours of grain stores in the Quays (in addition to open days throughout city). During day Saturday, Victoria Quays will be focus of Castlegate festival.

Collage shows few photos from the tour; there is more on Wonderwall360 instragram.