Keith Pitchforth came to Sheffield to study Computing and Information Technology in 1975.
Following his degree course, he taught the subject for many years and by his own account, retired early. With some time on his hands, he became a scout leader, and it was through his desire to make the Remembrance Service at the Fulwood Memorial more meaningful for the scouts that his interest in local people and the area was sparked.
He defines Fulwood as being bordered by Tom Lane in the East, Redmires Road in the North and the Porter Valley to the South and West
His talk covered the period from the late 1800s through to 1930s, just before the Second World War.
Back in 1880 Fulwood was truly a village and consisted of the Church and a few scattered houses.
So how and why did it blossom into the suburb we know today? The answer may lie in the availability of mortgages as up until then most properties were rented. Large tracts of land were owned by some of the city’s wealthy businessmen such as Henry Dixon of Stumperlowe Hall. Given the availability of mortgages, a building boom was inevitable as the landowners saw their opportunities. Another possible reason for the development of more modest homes was the desire for big impressive houses had perhaps passed. The wealthy industrialists had largely built their impressive homes and the cost of houses was now a reflection of their owner’s wealth.
In the 1890’s the villas were built opposite the church. Transport to the area improved with a bus service to the hospital at Lodge Moor and the tram service reached the Rising Sun in Nether Green by 1904. The popular belief that Fulwood was not to contain a public house following the purchase of the Hammer and Pincers by the Vicar of Fulwood is unfounded, though he did turn it into a coffee house. It is now a private house next door to the current Ranmoor Motor Co on Old Fulwood Road. This road was the original Fulwood Road with a large tract of land behind it which was used as a cricket ground and sports ground rented, following the first war, to Joseph Rodgers, the world renown knife manufacturers. It wasn’t until houses were built on the north of this site that the exisiting Fulwood Road became the main road and the previous became Old Fulwood Road.
The building of a mains sewer to serve the Hospital at the top of the Cimicar Lane was routed straight down Crimicar Lane. Consequently building up that road became more attractive to builders as much of their foundation work was already done.
The development of sports clubs and marching bands along with Mrs Maxfield’s café at Forge Dam saw the area become somewhere for relaxation away from the smoke and noise of the industry in the East,
The 1910s saw the development of Clarendon and Belsize Roads and the Guildhall, built back in 1824, became a centre for plays, films and meetings.
The 1920s brought the development of Brooklands Crescent and this developed quickly as within three years starting at the bottom houses had reached the top of the road. A name still familiar in building today, Sivil, was very much involved in the area.
The classic houses to the north of the church on Canterbury Avenue were built in the 1930’s and enjoy the church bells which the vicar had installed in 1901.
With the majority of members living within the area, Keith’s talk provoked much interest and many questions.
Further information is contained in Keith’s book “From Village to Suburb” which is available to order online from Sheffield books at https://sheffieldbooks.co.uk/authors/keith-pitchforth/
and from the website at www.fulwoodhistory.uk