Sync City | Issue 8 | October 2013

Issue 08 OCTOBER 2013

CELEBRATING ALL THINGS SHEFFIELD: ATTRACTIONS / FOOD & DRINK / EVENTS / PEOPLE

synccitymagazine.com

OUR CITY IN PRINT

SYNC CITY SHEFFIELD // ISSUE 7 32 SYNC CITY SHEFFIELD // ISSUE 3

YOUR SHEFFIELD

SYNC CITY SHEFFIELD // ISSUE 8 3

EDITOR’S NOTES

WELCOMEThe transition into Autumn seems to have happened over night! One day I was wearing shorts, the next I was pulling out my winter woollies and airing my heavy-weight duvet! The trees are still lush and green but give them a few weeks and we’ll be watching their leaves fall like feathers.

I love Autumn; the glow of its low golden light, that crisp coolness in the air when I walk my dogs in the morning, the earthy smell of mulching leaves and the rows of bright orange pumpkins lining the shelves of my local green grocers, waiting to be carved out for Halloween or made into spicy soup for the weekend.

With the spooky season upon us, we have decided to launch a brand new feature, Supernatural Sheffield, where we will dig up Sheffield’s ghostly past, exhume its creepy history and expose its reputation as a UFO hotspot. We’ve got our very own Mulder and Scully on the case, or rather Melvin and Smith, so look out for some scary tales coming this way! We’d love to hear your stories too – is your house haunted? Have you had a run in with a headless monk? Let us know!

This month we found out where some of the city’s strange names come from – Jawbone Hill, Leppings Lane and more. We took a good licking from the trainees at the Support Dogs, had a secret tour of the Central Library and found a whole raft of Sheffield facts in a huge collection of local history books donated by two of our lovely readers, June and Brian Bennett. A massive thank you to them for that, the team will spend hours pawing over them and saying “Well, I didn’t know that!”!

Thanks also, as always, to our fabulous contributors who make the magazine possible each month. Sync City is fast becoming one of Sheffield’s favourite magazines which makes us all very proud and honoured that you are all reading!

If you have anything to say, good or bad, get in touch! We want to hear from you: [email protected]

Like: Sync City Magazine Follow: @synccitysheff Follow: synccitymag

Endorsed by

3 EDITOR’S NOTES Welcome.

4 YOUR LETTERS A few of our favourite letters and tweets

5 WHERE WILL YOU READ YOURS? Where Sync City has been this month

6 10 THINGS TO LOVE Ten things we love about Sheffield

15 BUSINESS SURGERY Creating a user friendly website

20 IN SYNC WITH EACH OTHER Sync City does dating 22 MADE IN SHEFFIELD David Mellor 29 BEST OF SHEFFIELD, FOR KIDS Our favourite parks 31 SUPERNATURAL SHEFFIELD The faceless monk of

Stocksbridge 32 SHEFFIELD SHOWCASE Forgotten Abstracts 35 WHAT’S IN A NAME Jaw Bone Hill 36 SHORT STORY Battle of the Seasons Part 4 38 A DAY IN THE LIFE of a support dog trainer 40 YOUR SHEFFIELD The Sheffield you love

EDITORKat Buck

WRITERSKat Buck

Toby NewtonHelen MorrisSue Beardon

Jordan Lee SmithBecky HannonMel RobertsGraeme Tidd

COVER IMAGETom Jackson/Sheffield Hallam

University

DESIGN & PRINTEvolution Print

DIRECTORSKat Buck

Mark Hughes

NAME & REGISTERED OFFICESync City Magazine LtdCompany no. 08180099

CONTENTS PAGE

Get your daily dose of Sync City online at synccitymagazine.com




OUR CITY IN PRINT

4 SYNC CITY SHEFFIELD // ISSUE 7

YOUR


Dear Dr Love,My partner Adrian has always been obsessed with animals and is fascinated with animal behaviour. Whenever we go away on holiday we have to visit the local zoo several times and he stands and tries to chat with them, particularly the apes. I came home yesterday to find he had purchased a tiny ‘house’ monkey and called it Bobby. I was horrified, as I have

DOCTOR LOVE: YOUR PROBLEMS

T EL SE R

T !Where will you read yours? We want to see where Sync City magazine ends up each month so send us your pictures for us to print here. Be creative – are you reading under your desk at work, on the treadmill at the gym, hanging from the monkey bars? Email your pics to [email protected]


never wanted a family, or an animal, and Bobby is very naughty. Then I was very bad and left the back door open and Bobby ran off…. Adrian is coming home soon.......what shall I do Dr Love?Wendy Whipsnade

Dr Love says….. Wendy, your house is not a zoo, close the door and watch tv!

“I love the idea of Where Will You Read Yours so when I had to travel to India for work I made a detour to the Taj Mahal just for that purpose!”

Andy Turner, by email #WhereWillYouReadYours

“I love Sync City magazine. It is, as far as I am concerned, the best most creative and informative free publication in Sheffield. Here I am with my copy by the bear ice sculpture in Mer de Glace ice cave, Chamonix”

Faye Smith, by email #WhereWillYouReadYours

“Highest quality Sheffield publication (monthly) - @synccitysheff. At its core is a heart of passion, given life by the talented Kat Buck.”

Peter Jones Enterprise Academy - @pjea_sheffield

“It’s not only humans that like to read Sync City Magazine! I’d like to have a read too but I can’t get it off him!” Bill Hill and his dog, Sisko, by Email #WhereWillYouReadYours

“I read my Sync City Magazine on my holiday in Datca. Datca is a discrict of Mugla in Turkey. I don’t want to miss any issues of this magazine, because I really like it and want to collect it. I sometimes pick up many of them to give to my friends!” Evren Serin, by email #WhereWillYouReadYours

Where will you read yours?

Last month Sync City got to spend a night in the Natural History Museum in London. Even the dinosaurs enjoyed it!

Where will your read yours? Send your pictures to [email protected] or use the Twitter hashtag #WhereWillYouReadYours

“Sync City Magazine is a rare find. Packed with useful, engaging content, it oozes character, quality and a deep-seated passion for Sheffield. This is a publication that everybody should be picking up each month.” Graeme Tidd - Founder at Sheffield Kids, via Twitter

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10 THINGS TO LOVE

The view from the top By Kat Buck

At 331 feet and with 32 storeys, St Paul’s City Lofts is, by a long way, the tallest building in Sheffield and the third tallest building in Yorkshire. Its city centre location offers views from every angle.

Sheffield’s second tallest building is the recently refurbished Arts Tower, which remains the tallest university building in the UK. It towers over the city centre at 256 feet, with views of Weston Park and the rest of the university campus, out to the city centre as far as Park Hill flats and then beyond to views of sprawling suburbs and rolling hills. On the 20th floor, you can even feel the building rock gently in high winds.

In third place is the Royal Hallamshire Hospital. At 249 feet, the view from beds on the 21st

floor is really something. The 1970s building has panoramic views across the city and local houses.

At number four is another residential building, Velocity Tower, on the inner ring road, with views up Ecclesall Road. The structure was originally nicknamed ‘Eclipse’, and it’s no wonder when its 30 floors stand 302 feet above street level.

We have two buildings sharing the fifth place, both at an even 200 feet at their highest points. Sheffield Town Hall and St John’s Church in Ranmoor were built within 20 years of each other in the 1800s, making them the oldest of Sheffield’s tallest buildings by almost 100 years.


10 things to love

SHEFFIELD

Sheffield has some of the best views in Yorkshire, from landscapes shrouded in early morning mist, cityscapes set alight by a burning sunset, to industrial skylines that can take you back 100 years. The best views can be found at the top of some of the city’s highest buildings, so we took our altitude tablets and got climbing.

Norfolk Park Memorial Arch 4

Sheffield Observatory7

Trashed on Cider2 The Thistle3Fright Night is Britain’s biggest

Halloween carnival. This year it will take place on Sunday 27th October. It’s always staged on the Sunday before Halloween however, this year it’s after. It attracts over 40,000 people into the City centre each year and is a mass parade of attractions. Last year included a fancy dress catwalk, urban dance, shopping trolley zombie grannies, a monster in the fountain, a spooky ghost ship, Uncle Fester on his moving piano, a voodoo New Orleans jazz band, funfair rides, samba band, a zombie garden, food stalls, children’s activities and craft stalls. What will you be this year?

Fright Night 5

The Bole Hill Observatory owned by Sheffield University was located at the edge of the Peak District National Park looking on to Lodge Moor. The telescope had been given to the University Astronomical Society by Edinburgh University and transported from Italy to be situated on Bole Hill. It was demolished in April 2011 and the University now use the facilities at the Hicks Observatory. Originally located within the University’s Goodwin Sports facility, the Hicks Observatory was moved to the Hicks Building in 1995 to provide quick and easy access for astronomy undergraduates.

The park was created by the 12th Duke of Norfolk in 1848. The memorial arch located near the St. Aidan’s Road entrance, is a relic from the original public refreshment building built to commemorate the gift of the park to the citizens of Sheffield. On one side carries a profile of the Duke in relief at the top of the arch. To the left is the coat of arms of the Dukes of Norfolk and to the right is that of the City of Sheffield. There is an inscription written beneath which reads “This building is set up for the use of the public and to commemorate the gift of this park to the citizens of Sheffield by Henry: Duke of Norfolk: k.g. August mdccccx”


6Sheffield and outlying areas of South

Yorkshire are regarded in ufology circles as a UFO hotspot, with sightings reported every year, ranging from strange lights to unexplainable craft in its skies.The city even had its own ‘conspiracy’ event, ‘The Sheffield Incident’, during which eyewitnesses saw a strange low flying aircraft, which descended out of view, followed by a large flash and a loud bang. Authorities conducted a search of the area with a helicopter, found no evidence of a crash and set up a hotline for witnesses but no satisfying explanation has ever been found.

This month sees the return of Sheffield’s annual festival of words, Off the Shelf, for the 22nd year. Each year the city gets the chance to share stories, try their hands at writing, speak to their favourite authors and often, local writers and poets are commissioned to produce a piece of work especially for the festival. In 2005 Jarvis Cocker wrote a poem called “Trashed on Cider” for the event. The poem was published not on paper but in huge brushed steel letters for all to see on the side of one of the Forge student village buildings on London Road.

Within these wallsthe future may bebeing forgedOr maybeJez is getting trashedon CiderBut when you meltyou become the shapeof your surroundings:Your horizonsbecome wider.Don’t they teachyou no brainsat that school?

Jarvis Cocker, 2005

Another lovely feature as part of the university is ‘Heavy Plant’, also known as ‘The Thistle’. This brick furnace erupting with a spray of reclaimed metal, shards of glass and toolmakers off cuts sits in the middle of a car park in the courtyard of Sheffield Technology Park. The scrap materials used in the sculpture symbolise alchemy, while the weeds growing at its base are said to refer to the decay of traditional industry. The sculpture was commissioned in 1988 for the science park and designed by David Kemp.

You have to get up close to truly appreciate the thistle, have a wander around it and look out for little details such as the old furnace pressure gauge, a little red hook that looks like a miniature dragon and the bronze mosaic Philosopher’s egg, from which the thistle sprouts.

UFO Hotspot

10 THINGS TO LOVE



10 THINGS TO LOVE

The Harry Brearley Sundial was designed by the sculptor Wendy Taylor and was erected in 1991 to celebrate the achievements of, and to the memory of, Harry Brearley, the Sheffield man who discovered stainless steel in 1913. Harry went on to become the manager at the Brown Bayley steel works, which covered an extensive area around where the sundial is currently located. The sundial is located in Attercliffe behind Don Valley Stadium. Harry Brearley’s discovery transformed the metal industry.

The sundial dedicated to him is a working sundial. The shape was derived from the grab. A grab is a crane operated industrial lifting device, a machine popularly used in the steelworks.

1) Now in its 26th year of trading, Mercury is Sheffield’s longest established taxi company and is a household name around the city!

2) Chip and pin facilities are now available across the Mercury fleet, meaning that after scraping together your last bit of change for that final glass of wine you could have probably done without, you can be sure you will still get home safe.

3) You can now manage your bookings using Mercury’s free iPhone and Android apps – you can even see your car on a real-time map so when your driver says he’s just around the corner, you can see that he really is!

4) Mercury completes over 1.5 million journeys per year and each one is tracked by GPS for your safety.

5) Wheelchair access vehicles, minibuses, estate cars and executive vehicles are available – just let them know what you need when you book and Mercury will do the rest!

6) Mercury is passionate about supporting local charities and as well as organising lots of fund raising events, the team has donated over £150,000 to local charities in the last three years alone! So, next time you get in a Mercury cab, remember that some of your fare may go towards making Sheffield a better place for all!

7) Family and community is important to Mercury, it is and always has been a locally owned family-run business. The team likes to keep up to date with all things Sheffield to help them offer the best service possible to the locals.

8) All UK airports are serviced 24 hours a day. Your friends and family might not want to get up at 3am to send you off on your jollies, but you can rely on Mercury to get you to the airport on time, no matter what the time of day!

9) All Mercury’s drivers are self-employed so it’s in their interest to make your ride a good one.

10) In a tangle on Christmas day? That’s ok! Mercury operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year – they never close so you never have to miss out on the party!

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Beer festivals

10 THINGS TO LOVE ABOUT MERCURY!

by Kat BuckDuring the early 2000’s Sheffield became even more self-aware on the real ale front, with strong pockets of the city continuously fuelling a slowly burning revolution in good beer. Often, key pubs in some of the slightly more obscure locations dotted around the city’s fringes have been cited as sources of inspiration not just to beer drinking enthusiasts, but to the new wave of Craft Brewers. Places like the Hillsborough Hotel, Gardeners’ Rest and Fat Cat in Kelham, and The Commercial way out in Chapeltown inspired former Sheffield resident, David Bugg, to start work on his ‘Old Town Brewery’. He told Sync City this summer that his “Sheffield pub and festival experiences and fond recollections”, sparked his passion for what has grown into the modern phenomenon of ‘Craft Ale’. David, who is also a keen photographer, kindly agreed to send some snapshots of those very memories!

To embrace the phenomenon yourselves and to enjoy some great real ale in Sheffield this month then make sure you head down to Ponds Forge between 23 – 26 October for the 39th Steel City Beer and Cider Festival.

There will be a showcase of local ales, pub games and quizzes and, of course, a large selection of beers and ciders to enjoy. See you there for a pint (or more)!

Harry Brearley Sundial10

1. About you – make sure your website clearly describes who you are, products and services and so on. Do not bore the reader with reams of pages and tabs offering the same information. Keep everything relevant! Consider using a copywriter to make sure that all of your information is engaging and easily understandable.

2. Imagery – it is important that your site looks attractive as it encourages the visitor to continue browsing. Use headers and tabs so that they can find what they are looking for and be creative with branding by using bright colours and photographs. Branding needs to be memorable for example, green is Asda, orange is Sainsbury’s.

3. Spelling and grammar – check all of your site pages for any spelling or grammar mistakes.

4. Site map – try to create a site map for your website. This will help the reader to navigate around your site.

5. Search bar – if the reader is looking for something specific a search bar will help them find what they want without the hassle of searching through each page clicking unnecessarily to find the information.

6. FAQs – a frequently asked questions page is useful as it helps to answer the readers’ questions straight away (also, deter any repetitive questions to your email address).

7. Security - ensure your website has the correct security i.e. provide a login/register page for any accounts or email information.

8. Legal information – similarly to security, ensure your site covers all the necessary privacy laws and ensure you list your T&Cs clearly so the reader understands what they are getting involved in.

9. Social media – link to your site! Using social media expands your audience and provides another platform for promoting your business. This is a vital asset to your website as more and more people are using social media.

10. Finally, ensure your website has your correct contact details. Organisations or customers may wish to contact you regarding any questions or queries about your product or services so ensure your details are easy to find and up to date. The customer shouldn’t have to private message you on social media just to ask you a question.


BUSINESS SURGERY

Top tips for creating a user friendly website

by Becky Hannon


Share the Sparkle

Recommend a friend and get two hours free cleaning when they book a month’s worth* of

weekly cleaning!

10% off carpet and upholstery cleaning when you quote SYNC

Call Paul on 01246 230 848Email [email protected] www.mrsparkles.co.uk

*Terms and conditions apply, ask for details

The Internet is the platform for most companies in the 21st century. It is how businesses communicate to wider audiences showcasing what they have to offer. Without it companies would struggle to promote themselves in today’s society. With the advances in technology there is nothing more inexcusable than a slowly loading website, poorly written jargon and a contact page with no contacts. Here are Hydra Creative’s top tips for a user friendly website.

YOUR SHEFFIELD


A lovely walk through Ecclesfield and Greno Woods is perfect for autumn; easily accessed by public transport and starting from the gorgeous Ecclesfield Church. The church is steeped in history and well worth a look inside before heading off on your walk.

Once out of the church door turn right and through the gateway. Turn right along the road which soon becomes a path over fields to Whitley Lane. Turn left then immediately right on small roads, past the Whitley Hall Hotel. About a mile up the lane take the second footpath left down to the little hamlet of Woodseats.

Once through the hamlet turn right to reach the main A61 road. Cross the road and take the track opposite leading up into Greno woods. You pass horse riding stables and keep right until turning left steeply uphill on the Sheffield Country Walk (not waymarked). There are lots of little paths, but if you keep as straight uphill as you can you will eventually come out opposite the Car Park at Wheata Wood. Go through the car park and turn left to follow a path through the wood. This is an ancient wood with a great variety of trees and masses of huge holly.

After a little more than a kilometre a path leads left to an opening onto the road at Grenoside. Cross the road and take the path opposite that

skirts the edge of Greno Woods. Where there is a choice of paths take the one going roughly east along the edge of housing. Once at the road turn left and cross the main A61 again. Take the road opposite to the right of a closed pub.

After about 300 metres a path goes off into fields to the right, to a little row of cottages at Middleton Green. Keep ahead along the lane, finally passing the cricket club before meeting a junction. Turn left and then take a path almost immediately left beside houses. Cross a field, then a stile into a pleasant grassy area. Go diagonally uphill to the right to meet a small path, which you follow to a stable and paddock. Keep behind the paddock, across a stile to reach the lane opposite the church again.

At several points on this walk public transport can be accessed back to Sheffield.


LOCAL WALKS

Sheffield and Barnsley OS Map

Start at Ecclesfield Church

5 miles with 150 metres of ascent through Greno woods

3 hours

3 hours not enough for you?If you have a bit of extra time on your hands, why not call into one of the pubs in Grenoside or visit the lovely gardens of Whitley Hall – see if you can spot their peacocks! Make sure you take a camera; the church at Ecclesfield is very photogenic, as are the Wheata Woods. The little Hamlet of Woodseats that you will pass through at the start of the walk is very pretty too, somehow hidden below the level of the road.

An Autumn Trek:Ecclesfield and Greno Woodsby Sue Beardon

Photograph by Mick Knapton


DID YOU KNOW

The Winter Gardens have over 2,500 plants from around the world and this giant temperate glasshouse is large

enough to house 5,000 domestic greenhouses

Wortley Top Forge is the world’s oldest surviving water powered heavy iron forge dating back to 1640. Following the final

abandonment of the site in 1929, various bodies have been involved in securing the site which now forms the heart of an Industrial Museum.

Peace gardens has fountains at the centre, and cascades around the outside. These represent the flowing molten steel,

which made Sheffield famous, and also the water of Sheffield’s rivers, the Sheaf, River Don, River Rivelin, River Loxley and Porter Brook, which were used to power the mills which drove Sheffield’s industry.

It’s hard to believe that until 1988 the area where Ponds Forge is located was once occupied by George Senior’s

vast iron foundry, the gateway to which erected in 1900 has been rebuilt on Pond Hill. A water powered forge driven by the River Sheaf. The Midland Railway Station caused the river to be diverted in 1870. The only reminder of the original Ponds Forge is an 80 ton steam hammer anvil outside the baths on Sheaf Street.

The Old Queen’s Head is the oldest public house in central Sheffield. Built in 1475 and is the last remnant of timber framed

medieval Sheffield before it was rebuilt in brick and stone. It was once known as “The Hawle in the Pondes”.

At Catcliffe is a rare survival of the glass industry a brick built kiln. Some 68 feet high and 40 feet wide it is the oldest of its

type in Europe. In its hay day it once led to a series of furnaces where the glass was ‘founded’.

There are two unknown Sheffielders one at 20-22 Staveley Road, the other at 99-101 Abbeydale Road. They are two

carved stone male heads whose identities are unknown. Can you help solve the mystery of these nameless soles?

There is a stream that flows through Waterfall Wood in Graves Park. Situated there is a mystery well. It never freezes,

runs dry or alters in depth.

On Andover Street there is a Tudor cottage, now in residence was once the White house fish and chip shop and is

said to have been the only Tudor fish and chip shop in England.

The Picture Palace which closed in 1964, was situated on Union Street and was the first purpose built cinema in Sheffield.

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10THINGS YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW ABOUT

SHEFFIELDby Becky Hannon

18 SYNC CITY SHEFFIELD // ISSUE 8 SYNC CITY SHEFFIELD // ISSUE 8 19

App, App and Away!

ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE

Mercury Taxis like to keep up with the latest technology to offer their customers the best, most reliable service possible. They know how attached we all are to our smartphones which is why they have developed an app to make booking a taxi even easier!

The Mercury Taxis iPhone and Android app allows you to book and even track the location of your taxi, utilising cars in the Sheffield area.

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and future journeys

• Check the status of your bookings

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• Manage your favourite addresses

• Directly call the booking office with an easy dial shortcut for those more complex bookings

The Mercury Taxis app is compatible with iPhone, iPod touch, iPad and Android. To download the app, visit iTunes and search for Mercury Taxis.



Last month we introduced the lovely Sal Ulrich, an easy-going 27 year old who is looking for someone to share her interests with. Sal enjoys going to the cinema, dancing, fashion and modelling, and chilling with her friends.

Sal asked the single boys of Sheffield whether they thought romance is dead or alive, and why.

Here are some of the answers we received….

“We live in an age where people don’t communicate well so romance is hard to find in the traditional way.”Alex, Chapeltown

“Romance is very much alive when you have someone light hearted and fun to live it with.”Jonathan, Woodseats

“Romance is not dead, because if you are truly into someone, you will go to whatever lengths to show that person your feelings.”Luke, Stannington

“Despite being single for over a year, I think romance is well and truly alive and kicking.”Sam, Sharrow Vale

“Women don’t like surprises anymore so you can’t be romantic. Romance is dead.”Richard, Rotherham

Sal will be picking out one lucky man this month to take on a date to Graze Inn which we’ll hear all about next month!

SYNC CITY DATING

In sync with each other

If you’d like to be next month’s most eligible, please

get in touch at [email protected]

David Mellor, also known as “The King of Cutlery”, was born in Sheffield in 1930, and is described as one of the best known designers in Britain. Originally a silversmith he specialised in metalwork and cutlery producing several designs throughout his career including designs for bus shelters, post boxes and the traffic light system.

When he was growing up in the 1930s more than half of the city’s workforce, including David’s father, were employed in the cutlery and steel industry. So it isn’t surprising that his creations and designs involved steel.

From the age of eleven, he attended the Junior Art Department of Sheffield College of Art where he trained in metal work and craft skills. He then went on to study at the Royal College of Art in London from 1950.

After graduating he returned to Sheffield and set up a silversmithing workshop making one off pieces of commissioned silverware. He had a studio on Eyre Street, Sheffield, which was designed in the 1960s by Patric Guest.

Inspired by the design potential of stainless steel, his cutlery manufactured from 1963 at Walker & Hall’s in Bolsover, Derbyshire, was the first high-quality stainless steel cutlery to be produced in the UK.

David designed minimalist stainless steel cutlery produced in huge quantities for government canteens and NHS hospitals. When he was still a postgraduate, he developed an interest in street furniture. He designed street lighting, litter bins, bus shelters and designed a controversial new square post box. Only 200 of these boxes were made.

His designs made a significant impact; around 140,000 of his bus shelters have been installed since they were first produced in 1959. Examples of his work for Sheffield include the ‘Eclipse’ Saw and hacksaw frame designed in 1971 which was part of a large range of designs for Sheffield tool manufacturers, James Neill.

He was commissioned by the Department of the Environment to redesign the national traffic

MADE IN SHEFFIELD

Made in Sheffield:

David Mellor, King of Cutleryby Becky Hannon, photograpy by David Mellor Design

light system in 1965. David Mellor’s redesigned traffic lights are still in use today. He also created the pedestrian signal box.

In 1969 David began opening the first of his shops, at Sloane Square in London. The David Mellor shops quickly became internationally recognised. His stores specialised in tableware and kitchenware. Other shops soon followed including James Street, Covent Garden and King Street, Manchester.

In the 1970s David was living at Broom Hall, a Georgian mansion situated in Sheffield. Whilst residing there he embarked on the restoration of the site. Today the site has a new purpose. It has been converted into offices, however, the building itself is protected as it is a grade 2 listed building. The integration of the cutlery workshops at Broom Hall received an Architectural Heritage Year Award.

In 1957 he won his first of several Design Centre awards. In total, David won eight Design Centre awards including four for cutlery. He

was the youngest Royal Designer for Industry, elected in 1962 at the age of 32. In 1981 he was appointed OBE, and in 2001 received a CBE. He holds honorary Doctorates from the University of Sheffield, Sheffield Hallam University, De Montfort University, Loughborough University and the Royal College of Art.

Art and design runs in the family. David’s son Corin Mellor is Creative Director of David Mellor Design and he took over his father’s retailing company in 2002. He also designed the Winter


Garden’s benches in 2002 and in 2007 created the advent wreath for Sheffield Cathedral. His daughter Clare runs a graphic design company in London.

To see some of David Mellor’s work you could visit the David Mellor Design Museum which opened in 2006, in the Round Building designed by Sir Michael Hopkins alongside the cutlery factory in Hathersage. David could carry out each stage of the cutlery making process from cutting the metal to grinding and polishing in his specially designed workshop.

The museum also houses a collection of David’s best design pieces as well as work by his son Corin. The design and style of the building has won numerous architectural awards.

His ambition was to change the visual culture of Britain’s streets and he achieved this. At the David Mellor Design Museum, a mock-up of a street incorporating Mellor’s designs has been built. The street scene is outside the museum entrance and is dedicated to his street furniture. Corin Mellor says it is a tribute to his father’s

vision “that he could change the street scene”.

David Mellor made a positive impact on the design industry. He was a perfectionist who created elegant designs suitable for modern day needs. His work and ideas are still in use today and his work will be continued through his family and the Design Museum.

David Mellor

5 October 1930 – 7 May 2009

MADE IN SHEFFIELD


Chase the hare this Christmas!

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There are packages to suit all tastes, budgets and party sizes from private Executive Boxes to a table in the lively restaurant. Staff will be on hand to take your bets, food and drink orders so the only reason you’ll need to leave your seat is to cheer your dog on.

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Call 0114 2343074 or visit www.owlertonstadium.co.uk

SYNC CITYSHEFFIELD

SYNC CITYSHEFFIELD

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www.lyndseyscards.co.uk

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www.princessandp.com


SHEFFIELD EATS

Anything with the word Adventure in the title is always sure to spark my interest. So when I was invited on a Foodie Adventure to sample food from a selection of venues, learn how to play Roulette like a boss, bet on the dogs and become a cocktail shaker extraordinaire, I didn’t have to think about it for long!

In honour of Sheffield’s popular Food Festival, the guys at Owlerton Stadium and Napoleons Casino had arranged for a group of Sheffield writers and bloggers to go along to their venues in Hillsborough and Ecclesall Road to try out their special food festival menu.

We started at the Casino at Owlerton with introductions, drinks and hors d’oeuvres followed by our starters. I was coming down with a bad case of the flu so I went for the

chicken and sweetcorn soup but each of us tried something different. The grilled black pudding on a roasted flat cap mushroom with caramelised onions and béarnaise sauce looked amazing and, after hearing the sounds of approval coming from the people who had chosen it, I had serious food envy!

After our plates were cleared, we were taken down into the casino for a crash course in Roulette. Who knew there was actually a technique!? So much for sticking a fiver on number 13 – it’s no wonder I’ve never won! So, armed with our new knowledge and £10 of chips each, we set the ball rolling and between us won £72.50 for the food banks.

After cleaning them out, we headed next door to Owlerton Stadium for our main courses and a flutter on the dogs. While we waited for our food, Managing Director, John Gilburn, explained the racing programme to us to give us a fighting chance at picking a winner. Again, my usual strategy of picking the dog with Sparkle or Glitter in its name was not the way it should be done. John

told us to check what positions the dogs had come in over their last few races and to check whether they had been recently moved up or down a grade as that is a good example of their performance. His tips paid off – literally – every dog I bet on came in first and we walked away with another £12 for the food banks. In all the excitement, I almost forgot to dig into my two cheese pancake cannelloni! Almost.

By the end of our meals and after cuddles with John’s greyhound-cross, Lucy, it was late but the night was only just getting started! A taxi arrived to take us on to the next leg of our journey where our final course awaited – chocolate and orange pot with tuille biscuit and clotted cream. Yum. And as if that wasn’t treat enough, we were set loose behind the bar where barman, Will, got us shaking our thang to make our very own cocktails. Will had just come back from a 6 week mixology course in Barcelona so we were in good hands! Each of us made something different so there was plenty to

A Foodie Adventureby Kat Buck

OUTDOORS

The best of Sheffield, for kidsby Graeme Tidd, photography copyright © Sheffield Kids 2013

Our City’s parks provide beautiful spaces in which to ponder, play and picnic. Sheffield has a reputation as one of the greenest cities in the country, winning 21 Green Flag Awards last year - more than any other place in the Yorkshire and Humber region.

Here are our top 3 parks for kids:

Rivelin Valley ParkRivelin may not be as open as many other parks

in Sheffield, or as large, but it is conveniently

nestled within the magnificent Rivelin Valley, only

minutes from Hillsborough.

The Rivelin valley is host to one of Sheffield’s

most popular walks, in addition to a wonderful

newly developed water park that is

adjacent to the play park, along with

Rivelin Valley Café.

Top 5 Features:

- Play park- Café- Water park- Stepping stones

- Fishing pond

Best for:Woodland adventure

and water fun!

Millhouses ParkMillhouses Park is extensive in its supply of kids’ entertainment, focusing on pure park-action. It boasts many features, such as a mini assault course, small water play area and even a skate park.

There is also a small boating lake, a café and a large open space that often hosts events.Top 5 Features:- Play park- Café- Water play area- Boating lake- Skate park

Best for:Total play and skate park!

Endcliffe Park

Host to Jon Pullin’s famous

inflatable slide and rides, Endcliffe Park is always

immersed in a warm atmosphere of fun.

A well-equipped play park, stepping stones and

café sit next to a wide open space that is often

utilised by sports groups and events.

Top 5 Features:

- Play park

- Café- Jon Pullin’s amusements

- Stepping stones

- Next to Ecclesall Road

Best for:

Slides, rides and stepping stones!

Visit www.sheffieldkids.co.uk for more fun ideas!


dip our straws into, from Mai Tai to Mojitos we had plenty to keep us merry.

With an extra spring in our step, we stumbled downstairs to the casino to have another spin on the Roulette wheel. Some of us seemed to have lost our lucky streak at this point but we still managed to win another £32.50 for our cause.

With £117 raised in total, we all agreed that we’d had one heck of a night and are looking forward to our next adventure together!

In addition to our winnings, Napoleons raised a further £1,700 during the Food Festival with sales of their delicious dessert platters.

Food banks collect donated food and work with social services and other health care organisations to distribute the food to families and individuals who find themselves in short term financial crisis. Visit www.sheffieldfoodbank.org to find out more about Sheffield’s food banks and how you can help.

SHEFFIELD EATS

2, 16, 30 October, 18:00-20:00 & 3, 17, 31 October 07:00-08:30 & 12:00-14:00 – BforB Networking Dinner - £12/£10 Holiday Inn Royal Victoria. Contact Peter to book [email protected]

3 October – 14 December – Festival of Contemporary Art Graves Art Gallery

3–31 October – Last Laugh Comedy Festival – Various pricesVenues around the city Visit http://lastlaughcomedyfestival.co.uk for full listings

12 October 20:00-22:00 – Halloween at Greentop Circus - £12Greentop Community Circus Centre, 74 Hollywell Road, S4 8ASTickets available from www.eventelephant.com/greentopcircuscabaret-halloween

12 October–2 November – Off the Shelf Festival of Words – Events individually priced. Look out for the programme which is coming soon or join the mailing list at [email protected]

16 October, 18:30-19:45 – Decomposing Sheffield - £2Grizzly stories of body snatching, exploding coffins and putrid churchyards in Victorian Sheffield. Sheffield Central Library

19 October – The Everly Pregnant Brothers at the Lyceum - £16.50Tickets are available from 0114 249 6000, on-line at the Sheffield Theatres website or in person at the Sheffield Theatres Box Office.

25-27 October – Celluloid Screams Horror Film Festival – Weekend pass £80Showroom Cinema – For further details see http://celluloidscreams.co.uk/

27 October, 15:30-20:30 – Fright Night – FREEBritain’s biggest Halloween festival is here again! Sheffield city centre.

27 October, 12:00-15:00 – Fright Night’s Little Brother – FREEFright Night for the little ones – The Moore

Do you have any events that you’d like us to help promote? Get in touch! [email protected]

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

GOING OUT


SUPERNATURAL SHEFFIELD


Supernatural Sheffield The faceless monk of Stocksbridgeby M. Roberts

Stocksbridge, an old town to the northwest of Sheffield, is an area steeped in history and known for playing a major role during the industrial revolution.

In recent times, the Stocksbridge bypass section of the A616 (previously referred to as ‘The Killer Road’), which goes by the town, has become the location of disturbing paranormal events.

Since September of 1987, around the time construction work for the bypass began, the apparition of a hooded monk has been witnessed. The first of which was reported to local police by two security guards, employed to patrol the building site. They reported seeing somebody on a bridge overlooking the area. Upon investigation, the faceless figure wore a dark hooded robe and light shone through it.

The guards were visibly shaken by this experience, claiming that the ‘thing’ felt ‘evil’ and the police should attend.

The police initially made light of the situation and advised the guards to seek a priest.

So they did.

The clergyman called the police to have the hysterical guards removed from his church, at which time the police were forced to investigate the claims.

They went to check the area the following night.

After an uneventful wait on the site, the officer driving the squad car saw a figure instantaneously appear next to his side of the car. The officer in the passenger seat then experienced the same thing on his side of the vehicle. Both of them said it was wearing a monk’s vestment. Then the vehicle shook violently and felt like it was being struck with a baseball bat. The police, understandably, left the place in quite a hurry.

Other sightings have been reported on ‘Pearoyd Lane Bridge’ and ‘Underbank Lane’ of the monk running by the roadside, jumping in front of oncoming traffic, appearing inside vehicles, and even attempting to steer one driver off the road. Sightings are said to be very unsettling with a sensation of ill intent, accompanied by a rotten, inexplicable stench.

Local historians believe the apparition could be connected to an apostate monk who left the service of ‘Hunshelf Priory’ to work at ‘Underbank Hall’, around the time of the 16th century. It’s also claimed that the haunting began because the unknown monk’s grave was desecrated during the building of the bypass.

Seen a ghost? Heard any bumps in the night?We’d love to hear about it.

Tweet @synccitysheffield or email [email protected]


Forgotten AbstractsJubby Taylor is a talented musician turned artist who, after 8 years of chasing his dreams of playing music for a living, decided to put down his guitar for a while and seek out another creative outlet.

Art is an early passion of Jubby’s, and a road he almost went down when he studied Art and Design at Sheffield College, so he wondered about giving it another try. Always inspired by the work of Picasso, Hockney and Bacon, he bought a few books and avidly thumbed his way through them picking up on their styles and influences. He bought his first canvas and got to work and was pleasantly surprised by the results. His old love was rekindled and he has never looked back.

Eventually his work was picked up by The Forum and has been exhibited and sold there on several occasions since.

His latest exhibition, Forgotten Abstracts, started with a trio of paintings inspired by Sheffield during the Blitz of World War II. He created buildings with original headlines from newspapers at the time, printed out clippings in the Local History Library, cut them up and built the scene in a collage effect, painting around them, adding people and bringing life to the canvas. His other paintings in the Forgotten Abstracts series cast an eye on the people who get left behind as the pages of history turn; those who exist on the fringes, an actress from a bygone era, the people whose luck is always down, the lonely.

THE SHOWCASE

Jubby TaylorTHE SHOWCASE

Jane Horton loves many aspects of

Sheffield: the romantic urban decay as well as

the brash new buildings.



HISTORY

What’s in a Name? The Origins of ‘Jaw Bone Hill’

Have you ever stopped to think about the origin of the names of the places you live? Based on previous articles I’ve written for Sync City I can see a direct correlation between area and road names and their history. Leppings Lane takes its name from the ‘lepping stones’ previously used to cross over the marshland that once existed there, while nearby Livesey Street is named for Reverend John Livesey, who became caught up in a gruesome bodysnatching scandal in the 1860s.

But what about Jawbone Hill - the long, winding road that connects Oughtibridge to Grenoside? What could explain its curious name? Although I’ve often used the road I’ve never really considered it. So when I was asked to see what I could find out I jumped at the chance…

When I consulted an old map of the area I found the road listed as ‘Whale Jaw Hill’. From then on Google searches turned up endless speculation from locals discussing the name.

It seems the name has its origins in a huge whale’s jawbone arch that had once stood atop the hill. Anyone who’s ever visited the seaside town of Whitby will recall the more famous example that stands outside the Royal Hotel. Although considering its location, it’s much easier to draw conclusions about that one!

Much speculation surrounds the reason for the former Sheffield landmark, and even when it may have been placed – while some suggest it’s little more than an early example of modern art; a 1920s newspaper article proposes it was placed as a commemoration of the Napoleonic Wars, and I also found suggestions that it was used as a route marker towards Manchester, where whalebone was often required to create stays for corsets in the booming textile industry. One on top of a hill in North Berwick was used as a beacon for sailors returning into the harbour – although Sheffield probably wouldn’t see many of those!

Details are equally as vague about what may have become of the whalebone, described as being ‘so tall that a loaded hay cart could have driven through it.’ Newspaper correspondence, from an anonymous member of the Sheffield Debating Society, dated 25th February 1926, claims that a fragment was presented to the Wadsley Bridge Working Men’s Club in 1925, whilst I also found suggestions that another piece was used as part of the gateposts of the nearby Stubbin Farm.

Whatever the purpose for its placement and whenever and however it got there, the whalebone arch really got me thinking about local place names. I’ve turned up some interesting information about the meaning of the name of my own estate, and urge everyone to do the same with their own local curiosities.

I’d love to hear from anyone with more information on Jaw Bone Hill and the whalebone arch, as well as any interesting discoveries regarding other localities with an unusual tale to tell. Don’t be shy – [email protected]

by Jordan Lee Smith


SHORT STORY

Your short stories:

Autumn’s TaleWords and photography by Toby Newton

Sunna reached for ‘The Horn of All Tomorrow’s Victories’, given to her by her brother, the Moon God, when they last met. It would summon those brave enough to vanquish any foe, so the legends told. Her hands trembled as she held it. Though not normally fearful of the night, she feared the coming ones, and that nobody would hear her calling. Blackness crept all around, silently infiltrating her courtyard; yearning to find her and take her away.

The Goddess of Summer felt her radiance softening, a pale hue appearing on cheeks once full of blissful colour. She touched one of them and it was cold, then she coiled locks of curls around her finger as she contemplated her fate. Her hair too began to fade as she looked down, the gold draining away along with her hope. She had known Hel would not rest until she had her vengeance, she just had not expected it to come so soon.

It seemed with each old leaf that fell from every tree had come a new tale of farmers and their cattle, devoured by some dragon or demon sent on the night winds plaguing the surrounding lands. Finally, Sunna put the ancient instrument to her soft lips and sounded her alarm. She knew she would not see out one more night if she stayed and when the morning sun finally struggled to raise itself she fled through mournful fields to her stables. She would ride for Ravensbrow, and seek out the sister she SE

P1813BOSC

OPEN EVENINGS16 October and 27 November 2013

6.00pm to 8.00pmTel: 01226 216 123 Web: www.barnsley.ac.uk

had not seen since childhood in the hope that Autumn had not already succumbed to the dark magic sweeping their realm. She turned and looked back over her shoulder as she ran, casting a final glance at her beloved home. She knew it would be but ashes if she ever made it back.

Parts I - III of ‘Battle of the Seasons’ are available in back issues of Sync City at www.synccitymagazine.com and email us here if you want to read more.

Send your short stories to [email protected] - maximum 800 words

What exactly do you do, Amy?My position at Support Dogs is an Assistance Dog Trainer in Dog Supply, but we all try to help out in fundraising and awareness events where we can.

I have been at Support Dogs in this role since 2012, for the first year as a trainee.

How did you get into this type of work?I have worked for Assistance Dog organisations since leaving college in 2002, in various roles, but not as a trainer, so I jumped at the opportunity to apply for this position at Support Dogs when it came up, as this is the area I have always wanted to work in.

What is a typical day as an assistance dog trainer – is it all licks and cuddles?It is difficult to have a typical day working with dogs as your plans can change last minute depending on what areas you need to work on with them. But generally my day to day time is spent visiting my puppy to check how they are getting on with their socialisation, such as taking them on public transport and to busy shopping centres. With my older training dogs I do everything from basic obedience training, socialisation and recall to task training such as opening and closing doors, loading and unloading the washing machine and teaching them to get help. Other things that come up regularly are sourcing dogs, taking part in fundraising events and giving talks and demonstrations.

What is the best part of your job (as if we can’t guess!)?A lot of people might think it is working with the puppies, which are very cute but a lot of hard work, but for me the best part of the job is seeing a dog you have sourced, assessed and taken through the training programme, graduate with their new owner and hearing how they have transformed that person’s life.

What kind of difficulties and disabilities can the dogs support?Once our dogs have graduated from their training, they will go off to work with and support people with epilepsy, physical disabilities and children with autism.

What difference can a support dog make to a person’s life?Support dogs can help with everyday tasks such as opening and closing doors and picking up objects for people with physical disabilities, give advanced warning of seizures for people with epilepsy and provide safety and companionship for children with autism.

How can people get involved and support the work you do at Support Dogs?There are lots of ways people can get involved. The things we desperately need at the moment are:

1. Foster Carers that are home full time who we can place dogs with for holiday cover or whilst dogs we have sourced are in the quarantine/ settling in period as we don’t use kennels.

2. Puppy Socialisers that will care for and socialise our pups from approximately 8 weeks to 15 months.

3. Members of the public who are interested in using their pet dogs as Fundraising and/or demo dogs.

4. Pet dogs in need of rehoming aged between 14 months and 3 years old that we can assess to train as assistance dogs. We must be able to get the dog’s full history and for our Autism programme we are looking at Labrador/ Retriever/Labradoodle type breeds that weigh at least 27kg.

What about funding?Support dogs receives no government funding and relies solely on donations to continue training dogs to transform lives. Because of the extraordinary impact and demand for our work, we have long waiting lists for all our services. Unfortunately it is also expensive. Each assistance dog costs the charity approximately £30,000. Over the past six months we have had a worrying drop in the number of donations. We rely entirely on voluntary donations and any unexpected dips in income have serious implications on our work. At the moment money is very tight so we are appealing for urgent support in raising vital funds.

What do you love most about Sheffield?I live on the outskirts of Sheffield so I love the mix of nightlife, places to eat and entertainment venues. With being so close to Derbyshire and the Peak District - perfect for dog walking!

Is there anything you’d change about Sheffield?If there was anything I could change about Sheffield it would be to make people more aware about Support Dogs and the work we do and have a bigger profile within the city.

If you’d like to offer financial or physical support to the Support Dogs team, visit http://support-dogs.org.uk/support-us

MY STORY

Amy Mosforth works for Support Dogs as an Assistance Dog Trainer, teaching the dogs all they need to know to transform a life.


A DAY IN THE LIFE OF...

a support dog trainer

by Kat Buck


Dave Pickersgill is involved with the Stocksbridge Walkers are Welcome group and has led a number of walks in the area. http://www.stocksbridge-walkers.org.uk

YOUR SHEFFIELD

SEND US PICTURES of the Sheffield you love and let us know why it’s so special to you for a chance to be featured in next month’s issue: [email protected]

ph tosShow us your Sheffield - the hidden gems you’ve been keeping to yourself Send your pictures to [email protected]

Wharncliffe Crags“Situated less than 10 miles from the centre of Sheffield, Wharncliffe Crags and Woods cover a large area. Wildlife includes Grass Snakes, Linnets, Lizards, Nightjar and Tree Pipits. It became a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) in 1988. There are also Iron Age and Roman quern workings.

The Crags have a long history of rock climbing and could be seen as the birth place of climbing in the UK. Climbing legend James W. Puttrell pioneered many routes. This popularity was helped by the presence of Deepcar Station.

The Crags are a beautiful, unspoilt place on the edge of Sheffield.”

Michael Priestman is a software engineer from Crookes who likes to spend his time running in the Peak District, climbing and taking photographs.

Sheffield Icons“The Park Hill regeneration project has been done so well, it is a real focal point and icon for the city skyline. From just behind the station, you get this great view of the public space just below Park Hill flats, with the city in the foreground and the countryside in the distance.

Another favourite spot is this view above Hathersage, which I think captures the Peak District at its best.”

42 SYNC CITY SHEFFIELD // ISSUE 7 SYNC CITY SHEFFIELD // ISSUE 7 4342 SYNC CITY SHEFFIELD // ISSUE 242 SYNC CITY SHEFFIELD // ISSUE 8

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We want you to enjoy reading this magazine and really feel like it’s “yours”....

Whether you want to contribute to our short story/poetry feature, tell us about your favourite walk, share your photos, feature your artwork or even write an article for us, we want to hear from you! Check each page for ways to join in!


DOODLE PAGE

Doodle PageUse this page to doodle to your heart’s content!

Send your doodles to [email protected] or tweet @synccitysheff using #syncdoodle for a chance to be featured as next month’s doodler!

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OUR CITY IN PRINT


CELEBRATING ALL THINGS SHEFFIELD: ATTRACTIONS / FOOD & DRINK / EVENTS / PEOPLEsynccitymagazine.com

OUR CITY IN PRINT


ISSUE 8CELEBRATINGALL THINGSSHEFFIELD

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for reading this issue & we look forward to seeing you next time.

Sync City | Issue 8 | October 2013

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Transcript of Sync City | Issue 8 | October 2013