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Sheffield ARTICLES

More To Sheffield Than Just Cutlery

13th January 2009

William de Lovetot, the Lord of the manor founded Sheffield in the early 12th century. He built a castle that was defended by a river to the north and east and a moat on the south and west.

Sheffield Castle had to be rebuilt in 1270 after it was attacked and burnt to the ground by rebels. At this time Sheffield had a population of a few hundred, which was average for a small town during this period.

In1297 Sheffield was granted a charter that allowed the town certain rights, which included a weekly market and an annual fair.

It was during the 14th century that Sheffield started to gain recognition for their cutlery. However Sheffield had many different trades including butchers, bakers, brewers and shoemakers.

The 16th century saw many of Sheffield's watermills converted to house grinding tools for the cutlery trade.

Even though Sheffield had thriving industry there was plenty of poverty, with over a third of the population having to rely on charity. This led to the building of a workhouse for the destitute in 1628.

The Company of Cutlers was founded in 1624, which gave the right to mark artefacts that had reached a certain standard.

Towards the end of the 17th century Sheffield's population was around 5, 000, by the 18th century it had risen to 10, 000.

In the 18th century Sheffield, Derby and Chesterfield were turnpiked and in 1758 it also included Barnsley and Leeds.

Sheffield saw the introduction of the census in 1801 and the population had grown to over 31, 000. By 1851 the town was dirty and the population was now well over
135, 000.

This led to the outbreak of cholera killing 402 people, with most of them dwelling in the slums. The houses in the slums were back-to-back with little or no sanitation.

An Act of Parliament in 1818 called for a body of men to take charge of cleaning and paving the streets.

From 1843 Sheffield was able to elect a town council, which took over the sanitation of the town. In 1893 Sheffield was made into a city leading to the Town Hall being built 1897.