Handsworth, South Yorkshire
Encyclopedia
Handsworth is a suburb
of south eastern Sheffield
, in South Yorkshire
, England
. Handsworth has a population of approximately 15,000. It covers an overall area of approximately 5 square miles (13 km²). It has five schools, four churches, a variety of small shops, a large supermarket (whose former incarnation on a different site was featured in The Full Monty) and a range of commercial and light industrial businesses.
Today, Handsworth is a busy suburb in the South East part of the City of Sheffield. Although some of the older citizens of Handsworth still refer to it as "the village", some of the village atmosphere has inevitably disappeared as it enters the 21st century. Politically, Handsworth is part of the Woodhouse ward
in the Sheffield South East
parliamentary constituency.
At St. Mary's Parish Centre, there are displays including artefacts, documents, records, photographs and maps relating to Handsworth and its history.
There is little recorded detail about Handsworth prior to the Norman Conquest. No doubt a small number of people would have lived or hunted in the region and, much earlier, Roman soldiers would have marched through it since they had a settlement and fort nearby at Templeborough
. Although no evidence of actual Roman remains in Handsworth have yet been unearthed, names such as Ballifield ("Bale Enclosure")certainly indicate later Scandinavian settlements at the same site.
Under Norman
rule, the parish of Handsworth prospered and grew to include Darnall
, Gleadless, Richmond
and Woodhouse
.
account, Handsworth is spelt "Handeswrde" and is joined to Whiston
("Witestan") to form a single manor. Before the Conquest, Torchil (or Turchil) is reported as being the Lord, but some time after the Conquest, it was handed over to Robert, Count of Mortain
, who was the half-brother of William the Conqueror. Richard de Sourdeval held it for Count Robert. The Manor then passed, through marriage, to the Paynel and Lovetot families. It was a member of the Lovetot family who built the parish Church in Handsworth.
It is known that the lord of the manor
was Torchil, a man of Danish descent, because his name is mentioned, under the entry for Handsworth, in the Domesday Book.
In a survey in 1379, there were reported to be 9 smiths and perhaps one cutler in Sheffield, but by that time, Handsworth had 13 smiths and 3 cutlers. Clearly, the ancient parish of Handsworth had its own identity and history, almost as extensive as that of the City into which it became absorbed.
, or his father Richard, and the foundations were planned by William Paynel. (This church is not to be confused with St. Mary's Church, Handsworth
in Birmingham UK).
Standing in the shadow of St. Mary's Church is the Cross Keys Inn. This too is a very old building, but it has not always been a public house. When it was originally built in the mid-13th century, it was used as a Church House for the chaplains and lay clerks attached to St. Mary's Church.
Not much of the Tudor Rectory remains today, but Handsworth Parish Registers, dating back as far as the reign of Queen Elizabeth I still exist.
From 1558, the year that Elizabeth I
ascended the throne, there are written documents recording all the baptisms, marriages, and burials which have taken place in the Parish of St. Mary's.
, in America
, that Mahlon made his name and his fortune.
The Stayce family were Quakers, one of the new religious sects which surfaced in England after the English Civil War
. They dissented from traditional views and to "respectable" society, the Quakers appeared extreme and even revolutionary. Their leader, George Fox
, preached on Cinder Hill Green in Handsworth to thousands of people in the 1650s.
Under the parliamentary rule of Oliver Cromwell
, Quakers were treated with suspicion and hostility. During the restoration monarchy of Charles II
, persecution of the Quakers was severe, especially in the early years, as they still refused to conform, even outwardly, to the Church of England. Their refusal to take off their hats or speak respectfully when in the presence of "nobles" made them a particular object of hatred.
Some members of the Stayce are buried in their own special Quaker graveyard at Cinder Hill in Handsworth. In total, there are eight grave stones with plain inscriptions. This private family cemetery still exists, but it is now in the back garden of a house.
At this time the North America
n land mass was still being explored, colonised and fought over by a rival Europeans. It provided the perfect opportunity for a person such as Mahlon to make a fresh start in a land where he could practise his Quaker religion in freedom.
He was given permission to build a new settlement on his new home by the River Delaware. Gradually, this settlement grew into Trenton, the capital of what is now called New Jersey
. The first Church in Trenton was founded by Mahlon Stayce who lived out the rest of his life in America.
Mahlon died a wealthy and respected citizen. Some present day citizens of Trenton can trace their family histories back to one or another of the daughters of Mahlon Stayce.
A link between the Stayce families times in England and America still exists in the form of "Ballifield" — the name of the State House in New Jersey and the district adjacent to Handsworth.
. Although he was born in Lincolnshire, he lived for some years at Handsworth in the 1740s. Huntsman made a highly significant scientific discovery which enabled Sheffield to develop from small township into one of the leading northern industrial cities that shaped the destiny of Victorian Britain.
Huntsman revolutionised the technology of steel making through his invention was "cast" or "crucible steel
". Whilst in Handsworth, he developed the process whereby it became possible to melt down raw or "blister steel" and produce cast ingots of steel. This required an extremely high temperature of 1600 degrees Celsius, something which had never been achieved before in the steel industry. In order to produce and sustain such a high temperature in his furnace, Huntsman used coke
instead of charcoal
. To contain the steel he designed a clay crucible which could withstand the severe temperature and possible attack of the metal.
It seems probable that Hunstman moved to Handsworth because he was aware of the nearby glassworks in Catcliffe where vessels were used in which the materials were melted at very high temperatures. Huntsman found that he could benefit in Handsworth not only from the experience of the glass makers but also from the ready access to refractory materials and fireclays in the Sheffield district.
By devising this process of crucible steel making, Benjamin Huntsman transformed the nature of steel making in Sheffield and thereby made a most significant contribution to England's "industrial revolution
".
Without crucible steel, Sheffield could not have emerged as the major steel producing town in Europe. In 1740, Sheffield produced only 200 tons of steel per year; by 1860, this total had risen, because of the application of Huntsman's techniques, to over 80,000 tons per year — almost half of Europe's total tonnage.
Initially, Huntsman's achievements were given scant recognition in Sheffield. The local cutlers thought the new steel was too hard and difficult to handle. But rival Europeans nations, especially France, quickly took advantage of the superior quality of crucible steel. Eventually, this competition from overseas encouraged the Sheffield cutlers to adopt Huntsman's methods, thereby laying the foundations of Sheffield's Industrial Heritage.
William Jeffcock
was born in April 1800 in Handsworth. His baptism is recorded in the Parish Registers and, although he died in Ireland, he is buried in a family vault in Handsworth. Both his ancestors and his descendants were prominent local figures — wealthy and respectable. But the historical importance of William Jeffcock lies in the fact that in 1843, he became the very first Mayor of Sheffield.
The Jeffcock family settled in Handsworth in the 17th century, having moved from Eckington, Derbyshire
. The first record of the family name occurs in the Court Rolls of the Manor of Eckington in 1351. But they settled in the Handsworth parish and there are over 60 entries in the Parish Registers for members of the Jeffcock family between 1636 and a 1768.
John Jeffcock, the father of William, established the family name as coal Masters by becoming colliery engineer at Dore House Colliery in Handsworth. William was able to build upon his father's commercial success by entering the realm of the local government. He was keen to play an active role in the civic affairs and so became a candidate for Attercliffe
ward in the town's first municipal elections on 1 November 1843.
Although he polled only 80 votes, William was elected. Meeting for the first time on 9 November 1843, the new town council unanimously chose William Jeffcock to be the first Mayor of Sheffield. He also became an Alderman and remained on the Council for 10 years. He was also nominated as a Justice of the Peace for the West Riding of Yorkshire in 1846 and he held a Commission in the West Yorkshire Yeomanry Cavalry for some time.
For many years, the Jeffcocks lived in nearby High Hazels John Jeffcock was the first to live there, but it was his son William who built a new mansion on the site in 1850. The closeness of the Jeffcock connection to Handsworth can be seen in St. Mary's churchyard. Two box tombs in memory of the family bear inscriptions to over a dozen Jeffcocks. There are tributes to members of the Jeffcock family in St. Mary's Church and there is a (disused) fountain and water trough bearing inscriptions to the family on a curve of Handsworth Road.
Dunn had a considered Liberal point of view and he took an active and prominent role in Sheffield politics. His intellect and popularity made many national Liberals, as well as local ones, seek to persuade him to stand for parliament. His funeral in 1871 was attended by many local dignatories — an indication of the very high esteem in which he was held by his friends and colleagues.
, born 1959, grew up in Handsworth, where his parents still live. He also attended school in Handsworth at Brook School (which is now a housing estate). Sean has starred in a number of Hollywood films, such as Lord of the Rings, Patroit Games and Goldeneye. He also starred in the historical TV series, Sharpe.
. The origins of this ancient ritual are unknown, but written records held by the team go back to the middle of the nineteenth century.
Using long steel swords, a team of eight men perform a dance which lasts about nine minutes and ends with all the swords being interlocked and held aloft by one man. Traditional music is played and the dancers wear a military style uniform similar to the Dragoons.
Formerly there were two clowns who performed for the crowd and collected money. At Christmas
time, the sword dancers would tour the local villages and public houses. The sword dancing continued until the First World War and there was a revival of interest during the late 1920s. It survived through the Second World War because the sword dancers had priority occupations in the coal mines and in the steel works, so they were not conscripted.
The traditional dancing on Boxing Day
in Handsworth and Woodhouse was revived in 1963, and in 1976 the clowns were reintroduced, though they later lapsed. The historic sight of Handsworth sword dancing can still be seen on Boxing Day (or the day after if it falls on a Sunday). They dance at Woodhouse Cross at 11.15 and in front of St. Mary's Church, Handsworth, at noon. The dancers and their audience then adjourn to the pub for well-earned refreshment and communal Carol singing.
, competes in the Northern Counties East Football League Division One for the 2010-11 season.
Suburb
The word suburb mostly refers to a residential area, either existing as part of a city or as a separate residential community within commuting distance of a city . Some suburbs have a degree of administrative autonomy, and most have lower population density than inner city neighborhoods...
of south eastern Sheffield
Sheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
, in South Yorkshire
South Yorkshire
South Yorkshire is a metropolitan county in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England. It has a population of 1.29 million. It consists of four metropolitan boroughs: Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham, and City of Sheffield...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. Handsworth has a population of approximately 15,000. It covers an overall area of approximately 5 square miles (13 km²). It has five schools, four churches, a variety of small shops, a large supermarket (whose former incarnation on a different site was featured in The Full Monty) and a range of commercial and light industrial businesses.
Today, Handsworth is a busy suburb in the South East part of the City of Sheffield. Although some of the older citizens of Handsworth still refer to it as "the village", some of the village atmosphere has inevitably disappeared as it enters the 21st century. Politically, Handsworth is part of the Woodhouse ward
Woodhouse, South Yorkshire
Woodhouse ward—which includes the district of Woodhouse and most of Handsworth—is one of the 28 electoral wards in City of Sheffield, England. It is located in the southeastern part of the city and covers an area of 7 km2. The population of this ward in 2001 was 17,900 people in...
in the Sheffield South East
Sheffield South East (UK Parliament constituency)
Sheffield South East is a parliamentary constituency in the City of Sheffield, first used in the General Election 2010. It succeeded the existing Sheffield Attercliffe represented by the Labour MP Clive Betts following boundary changes in the South Yorkshire region recommended by The Boundary...
parliamentary constituency.
At St. Mary's Parish Centre, there are displays including artefacts, documents, records, photographs and maps relating to Handsworth and its history.
History
Templeborough
Templeborough is a suburb of Rotherham, South Yorkshire, England. The area takes its name from the remains of the Roman fort found there which were mistakenly believed to be that of a Roman Temple.-Roman fort:...
. Although no evidence of actual Roman remains in Handsworth have yet been unearthed, names such as Ballifield ("Bale Enclosure")certainly indicate later Scandinavian settlements at the same site.
Under Norman
Normans
The Normans were the people who gave their name to Normandy, a region in northern France. They were descended from Norse Viking conquerors of the territory and the native population of Frankish and Gallo-Roman stock...
rule, the parish of Handsworth prospered and grew to include Darnall
Darnall
Darnall ward—which includes the districts of Attercliffe, Carbrook, Darnall, Tinsley, and parts of Handsworth—is one of the 28 electoral wards in City of Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England. It is located in the eastern part of the city and covers an area of 17.4 km2. The...
, Gleadless, Richmond
Richmond, South Yorkshire
Richmond ward—which includes the districts of Four Lane Ends, Intake, Richmond, and Woodthorpe—is one of the 28 electoral wards in City of Sheffield, England. It is located in the southern part of the city and covers an area of 4.5 km2. The population of this ward in 2001 was...
and Woodhouse
Woodhouse, South Yorkshire
Woodhouse ward—which includes the district of Woodhouse and most of Handsworth—is one of the 28 electoral wards in City of Sheffield, England. It is located in the southeastern part of the city and covers an area of 7 km2. The population of this ward in 2001 was 17,900 people in...
.
Handsworth and the Domesday Book
In the Domesday BookDomesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
account, Handsworth is spelt "Handeswrde" and is joined to Whiston
Whiston, South Yorkshire
Whiston is a village and civil parish in the Metropolitan Borough of Rotherham in South Yorkshire, England. It has a population of 5,115.Originally a small rural village between Sheffield and Rotherham, within the Saxon "Shire of Hallun" , Whiston is now a suburb of Rotherham, close to its border...
("Witestan") to form a single manor. Before the Conquest, Torchil (or Turchil) is reported as being the Lord, but some time after the Conquest, it was handed over to Robert, Count of Mortain
Robert, Count of Mortain
Robert, Count of Mortain, 1st Earl of Cornwall was a Norman nobleman and the half-brother of William I of England. Robert was the son of Herluin de Conteville and Herleva of Falaise and was full brother to Odo of Bayeux. The exact year of Robert's birth is unknown Robert, Count of Mortain, 1st...
, who was the half-brother of William the Conqueror. Richard de Sourdeval held it for Count Robert. The Manor then passed, through marriage, to the Paynel and Lovetot families. It was a member of the Lovetot family who built the parish Church in Handsworth.
It is known that the lord of the manor
Lord of the Manor
The Lordship of a Manor is recognised today in England and Wales as a form of property and one of three elements of a manor that may exist separately or be combined and may be held in moieties...
was Torchil, a man of Danish descent, because his name is mentioned, under the entry for Handsworth, in the Domesday Book.
In a survey in 1379, there were reported to be 9 smiths and perhaps one cutler in Sheffield, but by that time, Handsworth had 13 smiths and 3 cutlers. Clearly, the ancient parish of Handsworth had its own identity and history, almost as extensive as that of the City into which it became absorbed.
St. Mary's Church
St. Mary's was built in about 1170. It was founded by the Norman lord, William de LovetotWilliam de Lovetot
William de Lovetot, Lord of Hallamshire, possibly descended from the Norman Baron Ricardus Surdus, was an Anglo-Norman Baron from Huntingdonshire, often credited as the founder of Sheffield, England....
, or his father Richard, and the foundations were planned by William Paynel. (This church is not to be confused with St. Mary's Church, Handsworth
St. Mary's Church, Handsworth
St. Mary's Church, Handsworth, also known as Handsworth Old Church, is an Anglican church in Handsworth, Birmingham, England. Its ten-acre grounds are contiguous with Handsworth Park and it is just off the Birmingham Outer Circle and south of a cutting housing the site of the former Handsworth...
in Birmingham UK).
Standing in the shadow of St. Mary's Church is the Cross Keys Inn. This too is a very old building, but it has not always been a public house. When it was originally built in the mid-13th century, it was used as a Church House for the chaplains and lay clerks attached to St. Mary's Church.
Not much of the Tudor Rectory remains today, but Handsworth Parish Registers, dating back as far as the reign of Queen Elizabeth I still exist.
From 1558, the year that Elizabeth I
Elizabeth I of England
Elizabeth I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. Sometimes called The Virgin Queen, Gloriana, or Good Queen Bess, Elizabeth was the fifth and last monarch of the Tudor dynasty...
ascended the throne, there are written documents recording all the baptisms, marriages, and burials which have taken place in the Parish of St. Mary's.
The Stayce Family in Handsworth
The Handsworth Parish Registers reveal that on 1 July 1638, Mahlon Stayce was baptised in St. Mary's Church. The Stayce family had lived at Ballifield Hall in Handsworth for centuries but it was in Trenton, New JerseyTrenton, New Jersey
Trenton is the capital of the U.S. state of New Jersey and the county seat of Mercer County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Trenton had a population of 84,913...
, in America
British colonization of the Americas
British colonization of the Americas began in 1607 in Jamestown, Virginia and reached its peak when colonies had been established throughout the Americas...
, that Mahlon made his name and his fortune.
The Stayce family were Quakers, one of the new religious sects which surfaced in England after the English Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
. They dissented from traditional views and to "respectable" society, the Quakers appeared extreme and even revolutionary. Their leader, George Fox
George Fox
George Fox was an English Dissenter and a founder of the Religious Society of Friends, commonly known as the Quakers or Friends.The son of a Leicestershire weaver, Fox lived in a time of great social upheaval and war...
, preached on Cinder Hill Green in Handsworth to thousands of people in the 1650s.
Under the parliamentary rule of Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell was an English military and political leader who overthrew the English monarchy and temporarily turned England into a republican Commonwealth, and served as Lord Protector of England, Scotland, and Ireland....
, Quakers were treated with suspicion and hostility. During the restoration monarchy of Charles II
Charles II of England
Charles II was monarch of the three kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland.Charles II's father, King Charles I, was executed at Whitehall on 30 January 1649, at the climax of the English Civil War...
, persecution of the Quakers was severe, especially in the early years, as they still refused to conform, even outwardly, to the Church of England. Their refusal to take off their hats or speak respectfully when in the presence of "nobles" made them a particular object of hatred.
Some members of the Stayce are buried in their own special Quaker graveyard at Cinder Hill in Handsworth. In total, there are eight grave stones with plain inscriptions. This private family cemetery still exists, but it is now in the back garden of a house.
Mahlon Stayce in Trenton, New Jersey
In his youth, Mahlon Stayce, in common with a great many other Quakers, decided to leave England. He and his family emigrated to America in the 1670s to begin a new life away from hatred and persecution.At this time the North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
n land mass was still being explored, colonised and fought over by a rival Europeans. It provided the perfect opportunity for a person such as Mahlon to make a fresh start in a land where he could practise his Quaker religion in freedom.
He was given permission to build a new settlement on his new home by the River Delaware. Gradually, this settlement grew into Trenton, the capital of what is now called New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
. The first Church in Trenton was founded by Mahlon Stayce who lived out the rest of his life in America.
Mahlon died a wealthy and respected citizen. Some present day citizens of Trenton can trace their family histories back to one or another of the daughters of Mahlon Stayce.
A link between the Stayce families times in England and America still exists in the form of "Ballifield" — the name of the State House in New Jersey and the district adjacent to Handsworth.
Benjamin Huntsman
Another, more famous, Quaker buried near Handsworth is Benjamin HuntsmanBenjamin Huntsman
Benjamin Huntsman was an English inventor and manufacturer of cast or crucible steel.-Biography:Huntsman was born the third son of a Quaker farmer in Epworth, Lincolnshire. His parents were Germans who had emigrated only a few years before his birth.Huntsman started business as a clock, lock and...
. Although he was born in Lincolnshire, he lived for some years at Handsworth in the 1740s. Huntsman made a highly significant scientific discovery which enabled Sheffield to develop from small township into one of the leading northern industrial cities that shaped the destiny of Victorian Britain.
Huntsman revolutionised the technology of steel making through his invention was "cast" or "crucible steel
Crucible steel
Crucible steel describes a number of different techniques for making steel in a crucible. Its manufacture is essentially a refining process which is dependent on preexisting furnace products...
". Whilst in Handsworth, he developed the process whereby it became possible to melt down raw or "blister steel" and produce cast ingots of steel. This required an extremely high temperature of 1600 degrees Celsius, something which had never been achieved before in the steel industry. In order to produce and sustain such a high temperature in his furnace, Huntsman used coke
Coke (fuel)
Coke is the solid carbonaceous material derived from destructive distillation of low-ash, low-sulfur bituminous coal. Cokes from coal are grey, hard, and porous. While coke can be formed naturally, the commonly used form is man-made.- History :...
instead of charcoal
Charcoal
Charcoal is the dark grey residue consisting of carbon, and any remaining ash, obtained by removing water and other volatile constituents from animal and vegetation substances. Charcoal is usually produced by slow pyrolysis, the heating of wood or other substances in the absence of oxygen...
. To contain the steel he designed a clay crucible which could withstand the severe temperature and possible attack of the metal.
It seems probable that Hunstman moved to Handsworth because he was aware of the nearby glassworks in Catcliffe where vessels were used in which the materials were melted at very high temperatures. Huntsman found that he could benefit in Handsworth not only from the experience of the glass makers but also from the ready access to refractory materials and fireclays in the Sheffield district.
By devising this process of crucible steel making, Benjamin Huntsman transformed the nature of steel making in Sheffield and thereby made a most significant contribution to England's "industrial revolution
Industrial Revolution
The Industrial Revolution was a period from the 18th to the 19th century where major changes in agriculture, manufacturing, mining, transportation, and technology had a profound effect on the social, economic and cultural conditions of the times...
".
Without crucible steel, Sheffield could not have emerged as the major steel producing town in Europe. In 1740, Sheffield produced only 200 tons of steel per year; by 1860, this total had risen, because of the application of Huntsman's techniques, to over 80,000 tons per year — almost half of Europe's total tonnage.
Initially, Huntsman's achievements were given scant recognition in Sheffield. The local cutlers thought the new steel was too hard and difficult to handle. But rival Europeans nations, especially France, quickly took advantage of the superior quality of crucible steel. Eventually, this competition from overseas encouraged the Sheffield cutlers to adopt Huntsman's methods, thereby laying the foundations of Sheffield's Industrial Heritage.
William Jeffcock — Sheffield's First Lord Mayor
William Jeffcock
William Jeffcock was the first Mayor of Sheffield.Jeffcock was born in April 1800 in Handsworth, South Yorkshire, the son of John Jeffcock, a colliery owner . On 2 January 1827 he married Judith Stobart...
was born in April 1800 in Handsworth. His baptism is recorded in the Parish Registers and, although he died in Ireland, he is buried in a family vault in Handsworth. Both his ancestors and his descendants were prominent local figures — wealthy and respectable. But the historical importance of William Jeffcock lies in the fact that in 1843, he became the very first Mayor of Sheffield.
The Jeffcock family settled in Handsworth in the 17th century, having moved from Eckington, Derbyshire
Eckington, Derbyshire
Eckington is a town in North East Derbyshire, 7 miles north of Chesterfield and 8.5 miles south of Sheffield on the border with South Yorkshire.Eckington has a population of 11,152....
. The first record of the family name occurs in the Court Rolls of the Manor of Eckington in 1351. But they settled in the Handsworth parish and there are over 60 entries in the Parish Registers for members of the Jeffcock family between 1636 and a 1768.
John Jeffcock, the father of William, established the family name as coal Masters by becoming colliery engineer at Dore House Colliery in Handsworth. William was able to build upon his father's commercial success by entering the realm of the local government. He was keen to play an active role in the civic affairs and so became a candidate for Attercliffe
Attercliffe
Attercliffe is an industrial suburb of northeast Sheffield, England on the south bank of the River Don.-History:The name Attercliffe can be traced back as far as an entry in the Domesday book -Ateclive- meaning at the cliffe, a small escarpment that lay alongside the River Don...
ward in the town's first municipal elections on 1 November 1843.
Although he polled only 80 votes, William was elected. Meeting for the first time on 9 November 1843, the new town council unanimously chose William Jeffcock to be the first Mayor of Sheffield. He also became an Alderman and remained on the Council for 10 years. He was also nominated as a Justice of the Peace for the West Riding of Yorkshire in 1846 and he held a Commission in the West Yorkshire Yeomanry Cavalry for some time.
For many years, the Jeffcocks lived in nearby High Hazels John Jeffcock was the first to live there, but it was his son William who built a new mansion on the site in 1850. The closeness of the Jeffcock connection to Handsworth can be seen in St. Mary's churchyard. Two box tombs in memory of the family bear inscriptions to over a dozen Jeffcocks. There are tributes to members of the Jeffcock family in St. Mary's Church and there is a (disused) fountain and water trough bearing inscriptions to the family on a curve of Handsworth Road.
Thomas Dunn
In 1844, William Jeffcock was succeeded as Sheffield's Mayor by his first cousin, Thomas Dunn, who was also a Handsworth resident. Dunn was elected to the first town council in 1843 and served on it for 16 years. He was an Alderman and soon became a distinguished figure in mid-Victorian Sheffield.Dunn had a considered Liberal point of view and he took an active and prominent role in Sheffield politics. His intellect and popularity made many national Liberals, as well as local ones, seek to persuade him to stand for parliament. His funeral in 1871 was attended by many local dignatories — an indication of the very high esteem in which he was held by his friends and colleagues.
Sean Bean
Actor Sean BeanSean Bean
Shaun Mark "Sean" Bean is an English film and stage actor. Bean is best known for playing Boromir in The Lord of the Rings Trilogy and, previously, British Colonel Richard Sharpe in the ITV television series Sharpe...
, born 1959, grew up in Handsworth, where his parents still live. He also attended school in Handsworth at Brook School (which is now a housing estate). Sean has starred in a number of Hollywood films, such as Lord of the Rings, Patroit Games and Goldeneye. He also starred in the historical TV series, Sharpe.
Handsworth Sword Dancers
One aspect of Handsworth history which remains very much alive is the traditional sword dancingLong Sword dance
right|YorkshireThe Long Sword dance is a hilt-and-point sword dance recorded mainly in Yorkshire, England. It is related to the rapper sword dance of Northumbria, but the character is fundamentally different as it uses rigid metal or wooden swords, rather than the flexible spring steel rappers used...
. The origins of this ancient ritual are unknown, but written records held by the team go back to the middle of the nineteenth century.
Using long steel swords, a team of eight men perform a dance which lasts about nine minutes and ends with all the swords being interlocked and held aloft by one man. Traditional music is played and the dancers wear a military style uniform similar to the Dragoons.
Formerly there were two clowns who performed for the crowd and collected money. At Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
time, the sword dancers would tour the local villages and public houses. The sword dancing continued until the First World War and there was a revival of interest during the late 1920s. It survived through the Second World War because the sword dancers had priority occupations in the coal mines and in the steel works, so they were not conscripted.
The traditional dancing on Boxing Day
Boxing Day
Boxing Day is a bank or public holiday that occurs on 26 December, or the first or second weekday after Christmas Day, depending on national or regional laws. It is observed in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and some other Commonwealth nations. In Ireland, it is recognized as...
in Handsworth and Woodhouse was revived in 1963, and in 1976 the clowns were reintroduced, though they later lapsed. The historic sight of Handsworth sword dancing can still be seen on Boxing Day (or the day after if it falls on a Sunday). They dance at Woodhouse Cross at 11.15 and in front of St. Mary's Church, Handsworth, at noon. The dancers and their audience then adjourn to the pub for well-earned refreshment and communal Carol singing.
Sport
The local association football team, Handsworth F.C.Handsworth F.C.
Handsworth Football Club is an English football club based in Handsworth, a suburb of Sheffield, South Yorkshire. The club are currently members of Division One of the Northern Counties East League and play at Olivers Mount.-History:...
, competes in the Northern Counties East Football League Division One for the 2010-11 season.