Sheffield is the fourth largest city in the United Kingdom. Now it sits in a sort of bowl
surrounded by seven hills. And there are five rivers which drain into that bowl: the Don;
the Loxley; the Rivelin, the Porter; and, of course, the Sheaf. It’s the Sheaf that
gives the city its name. But it was when the people here began utilising the waters of
those rivers, that Sheffield’s rise to industrial eminence began. Certainly, as far back as
the 14th century, the city had acquired something of a reputation for its cutlery, because in
his ‘Canterbury Tales’, Geoffrey Chaucer refers in the ‘Reeve’s Tale’ to a Sheffield
whittle. Now, that was a straight bladed long wooden handled knife.
This is Kelham Island, the traditional heart of industrial Sheffield.
Now, the island was formed in the 12th century, when the waters of
the river Don were diverted to power a corn mill. But since then there
have been any number of industries based here. There has been an armouries; there was an
iron foundry; and, at one stage there was an electrical generating system producing
electricity for the old tram system.
Today, it is home to the Kelham Island Industrial Museum.
Here you can see the way steel making has developed over the centuries.
It was in Sheffield that the clockmaker, Benjamin Huntsman, discovered the crucible method of purifying
steel in the mid 18th century. 100 years later it was another Sheffield pioneer, Henry Bessemer,
who revolutionised the steel making process. He managed to reduce Huntsman’s fortnight
long process down to just 30 minutes. When he could make 6 tons, rather than 50 lbs [23kg].
By the 1850s, Sheffield was the steel capital of Europe. It supplied 90% of all
Britain’s needs and 50% of those of the rest of Europe.
Steel has always dominated this city: and new innovations
included stainless steel by Harry Brearley in 1912.
Steel making still carries on today and the city produces more than it has done, at any time in its history -
but, with only a fraction of the workforce.
The city centre is built on higher ground, because
the rivers down below are liable to flood. There aren’t many of the original buildings
left in the city centre, because so many were badly damaged, or destroyed, by the German
bombing in 1941. That includes the glorious 15th century cathedral.
Across the square is the Cutler’s Hall. Now this is the home of the Guild of Cutlers’ of Hallamshire;
and it is their job to ensure that all the metal objects produced in this area are of
the highest quality.
Water has always been at the heart of Sheffield’s success; for a start,
water can be used to power machines. But, I guess, more important than that, was
the fact that water could be used to get the goods produced here in Sheffield, out to a
wider world. When the river Don was made fully navigable right here to the centre of the
city in 1819, that’s when things really started to move. Because goods produced in
Sheffield could be moved on to the river Trent, and then to the Humber, and then they could
be exported anywhere in the world. And, just as importantly, of course, coal could then
be brought into the city to fire the furnaces.
Just six years after the canal was opened,
the first railway arrived here in Sheffield in 1845. And what that meant was that goods
produced here in the city could be anywhere in the country in 24 hours. I suppose, if
you think about it, the population which was 60,000 in 1801 had risen to half-a-million
a century later in 1901. No surprise then, that as many of the railway companies as possible
wanted to put their lines through Sheffield.
Standing up there on top of Sheffield’s Town Hall
is the figure of the Roman god, Vulcan - who was the god of fire. And I suppose,
appropriate for a city whose fame is based on steel. Well now, the Town Hall, here, was
built in 1896 - that’s just three years after Sheffield acquired city status. But,
the Town Hall should not be confused with the building which is just over there - which
is the City Hall. Now, that’s a concert venue holding 2,800 people.
Outside of Sheffield’s Town Hall, if you look down at your feet, you’ll see set into the pavement a number
of Hollywood style stars. Now, they’re paying tribute to Sheffield people, born and bred,
who spread the fame of the city across the world. For example: here we’ve got the singer,
Joe Cocker; we’ve got here, we find, Michael Palin, the actor and famous TV traveller;
over here, of course, we’ve got Jessica Ennis, Sheffield’s very own Olympic athlete;
and, how about, here, Helen Sharman, who’s Sheffield’s very own astronaut. But once
we leave the stars, let’s just go round the corner, because there we find the Peace Gardens, complete
with wonderful fountains and cascades.
And round here past these elegant stainless steel balls,
made in Sheffield, of course, there is the Winter Garden.
This was once part of Norfolk Row, but then in 2003, a 70m length of the street was covered in this 22m
high wooden framed glasshouse. Now it’s home to 2,500 exotic species of plant from
all over the world. Now, once you’ve had enough of looking at the plants, you can either
come in here to the Millennium Gallery, or then, just move on to Tudor Square.
So here we are now, in Tudor Square. Now, this is the cultural centre of Sheffield.
Well, the bottom end of the Square is dominated by the Crucible theatre, which is famous for world
class theatrical productions and also, of course, for the World Snooker Championship
which is broadcast to a worldwide television audience every year. Next to the Crucible
is the rather older but beautifully restored, Lyceum theatre. And next to that, to complete
this cultural centre, we have the Central Library and the Graves Art Gallery.
If Sheffield has a European feel - it is due in part, at least, to Supertram. Introduced in 1994.
Now the first route, runs along the Lower Don Valley, a vote of confidence in a newly
restored area which was devastated by the closures of the steel industry. Well, that
route culminates, terminates at Meadowhall - a massive shopping centre with over 280
different outlets. Well one thing we’ve not mentioned, so far, are the sporting facilities
in this city. Well they are world class: including an international pool, just over here at Pond’s Forge.
So, there we are then: Made in Sheffield. It has been a guarantee, I suppose, of quality
and value for the last 700 years - since the time of Geoffrey Chaucer. But now, let’s
go off and explore some of the rest of South Yorkshire.
Sheffield has numerous parks just
outside the city centre, including the Botanical Gardens, here since 1863. Along with the glass
pavilions and the 19 acres of gardens, they house plants from all over the world.
Further out: the city includes part of the Peak District National Park. From Stanage Edge, the city
can be seen in a bowl in the distance.