George Barnsley & Sons (Cornish Works), Sheffield - November 2012
Visited with non-member Doug
It's been at least a week since anyone has posted a report on Geo. Barnsleys, so it's high time I posted mine...
Apparently every Yorkshire derp lover should visit GB's at least once, so it's been on the list for a while. I had heard talk that it had suffered somewhat in recent times and was on the decline, so I thought I'd better get off my arse and see it before it gets much worse. To say the place has gone downhill, I found it a really interesting explore. The hodgepodge of different buildings, extended and added to over 150 years, really do take a bit of exploring. Doorways, passages, staircases, walkways and bridges link room after room over various levels, each one with more character than the last. I like nothing better than old buildings like this, built before the powers that be came up with modern building regs stipulating that all new buildings must be safe and boring.
History, as seen in every other Geo. Barnsley report ever written...
George Barnsley and Sons Ltd. (founded 1836) They were in Cornish Place on the Don and specialised in forge filing and cutting tools for leather workers and shoe makers. One George Barnsley was Master Cutler in 1883.
George Barnsley and Son is listed in the 1837 Sheffield directory as a file manufacture situated on Wheeldon Street, The 1849 listing records a move to Cornhill and the 1852 to Cornish works Cornish street they had by this time also increased there product range to include steel files, shoe and butchers knives.
They are again listed in 1944 as manufactures of files and blades shoe knives and leather workers tools.
In the 1948 listing the business had become George Barnsley and Son Ltd George Barnsley died at his home at No 30 Collegiate Crescent on 30th March 1958, he lived there with his wife Mabel and mother-in-law Elizabeth. He was a partner in the firm which were steel and file manufacturers and the business was converted into a limited company about 10 years before his death.
For anyone wanting to read a bit more about the companys history, there is actually a book written about them...
ISBN: 9781906722166
Sheffield Library has a number of copies, although I've not managed to get there myself for a read yet.
It's also available from Amazon if you can't stomach the smell of urine at the library.
Photographicals
There have been some spanking reports of this place over the years. After browsing through the archives I realised just how nice the place used to be before the rogues had their way with it. I also realised how average my shots are in comparison, but sod it, here's some mediocre shots of a place that's passed it's best...
I must admit I really enjoyed this explore. I wish I'd seen it a few years ago when it was a bit more intact in terms of 'artefacts', but there was still enough left to keep us busy for over four hours. It was getting pretty dark by the time we exited, meaning the externals don't really fit with the rest of the set. Oh well.
Big thanks to Muttley for the info on this one. Cheers fella
Ta very much