155-649: Wright's Biscuits was established in 1790 as L Wright & Son , in South Shields . In the 1930s they implemented intensive factory methods for production and became a national supplier of biscuits and cakes, and a leading employer in Tyne and Wear . They also ran a large chain of grocery stores under various names, and controlled fellow grocery chain Moores Stores . The business became part of James Goldsmith's Cavenham Foods group in 1971. Wright's Biscuits
310-556: A temperate oceanic climate ( Cfb ) like the rest of the United Kingdom. The uplands of the Pennines to the west can create a cool, gloomy and wet environment, but they also provide shelter from the prevailing westerly winds, casting a " rain shadow " across the area. Between 1971 and 2000 Sheffield averaged 824.7 mm (32.47 in) of rain per year; December was the wettest month with 91.9 mm (3.62 in) and July
465-665: A 2% decline from the 1991 census. The city is part of the wider Sheffield urban area , which had a population of 640,720. In 2011 the racial composition of Sheffield's population was 84% White (81% White British , 0.5% White Irish , 0.1% Romani or Irish Traveller , 2.3% Other White ), 2.4% of mixed race (1.0% White and Black Caribbean, 0.2% White and Black African, 0.6% White and Asian, 0.6% Other Mixed), 8% Asian (1.1% Indian , 4% Pakistani , 0.6% Bangladeshi , 1.3% Chinese , 1.0% Other Asian), 3.6% Black (2.1% African, 1% Caribbean , 0.5% Other Black ), 1.5% Arab and 0.7% of other ethnic heritage. In terms of religion, 53% of
620-582: A 2008 report showed that the climate of Sheffield is warming faster than it has at any time during this period, with 1990 and 2006 being the hottest years on record. In collaboration with the Stockholm Environment Institute , Sheffield developed a carbon footprint (based on 2004–05 consumption figures) of 5,798,361 tonnes per year. This compares to the UK's total carbon footprint of 698,568,010 tonnes per year. The factors with
775-483: A Labour MP for the first time in its history. Sheffield is located at 53°22′59″N 1°27′57″W / 53.38297°N 1.4659°W / 53.38297; -1.4659 . It lies directly beside Rotherham , from which it is separated largely by the M1 motorway . Although Barnsley Metropolitan Borough also borders Sheffield to the north, the town itself is a few miles further away. The southern and western borders of
930-468: A brief winter skirmish on the outskirts of Boldon , though the topography is not favourable for a battle. In the 19th century, coal mining, alkaline production and glass making led to a boom in the town. The population increased from 12,000 in 1801 to 75,000 by the 1860s, bolstered by economic migration from Ireland, Scotland and other parts of England. These industries played a fundamental part in creating wealth both regionally and nationally. In 1832, with
1085-533: A collectable badge. Moores Stores was started as a single grocery store by William Moore in 1907. In 1935, the company was made public and had grown to 114 stores based in the North East. The company continued to grow before and after the war by purchasing smaller grocery business so by the early 1950s it had grown to nearly 600 shops trading under their original names, including Frank Farrands, Binyons, John Kay (Kays Modern Food Stores) and T . Seymour Mead to name
1240-561: A control hut in the pier blockyard. In the event of a power cut, each bell was designed to keep ringing for a further six hours. In 1961 the Commissioners installed a groundbreaking system by which the two fog bells would be switched on and off by the keepers on duty in the Tynemouth Pier lighthouse, using an ' infra-red ray ' beamed across the river. This was in turn replaced by a radio link to an automatic fog detector when
1395-417: A few. It was at the time the third largest grocery company behind Home and Colonial and International Tea Co. Stores . It was during the 1950s that Wright's Biscuits bought their shareholding in the business, with William Webster becoming Moores chairman. In 1958, the total net assets of Wright's Biscuits were about the same as Moores Stores at around £2.5 million. The 24 Tyneside grocery business of Hanlons
1550-596: A further 488 grocery stores under brands like Gowers & Burgon in Sheffield . However Cavenham's bid was met with hostility from shareholders, led by Liverpool accountant John C. Malthouse, as the company's assets were worth at least 110p a share compared to Cavenham's 45p offer. By November Wright's had announced losses of £1.23 million, far greater than previously predicted, but Cavenham did not withdraw its interest, and in December they formally released their offer to
1705-462: A huge expansion of its traditional cutlery trade, when processes for high-quality stainless steel and crucible steel were invented based on previous discoveries elsewhere. This fuelled an almost tenfold increase in the population. Sheffield received its municipal charter in 1843, becoming the City of Sheffield in 1893. International competition in iron and steel caused a decline in these industries in
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#17327870544721860-598: A lengthy battle, seized the town and its Royalist fortification, the fortification was close to the site of the original Roman fort. They also seized the town of Newburn . These raids were done to aid their ongoing siege of the heavily fortified Newcastle upon Tyne, and in a bid to control the River Tyne, and the North, and the Shields siege helped cause their battalions to maneuver south to York; this may have also led to
2015-479: A miniature steam railway; boating lake; a ten-pin bowling centre and an amphitheatre. There is a good choice of restaurants, cafes, public houses and nightlife as well as hotels, guest houses and caravan parks in and around the town. South Shields plays host to an annual free summer festival and each autumn the town is the seaside finish to the week as well as public gala shows at the Customs House. During
2170-468: A move to online shopping, which had increased because of the COVID-19 pandemic . John Lewis received £3 million of public funding from Sheffield City Council in 2020 to keep the local store open. The local Debenhams branches are expected to re-open after the lifting of the 2021 COVID-19 lockdown restrictions, but only to clear existing stock, after which it is expected the stores will close. With
2325-448: A now derelict windmill , both of which are listed and can be seen from many miles away and also out at sea. South Shields boasts extensive beaches, sand dunes and coves, as well as dramatic Magnesian Limestone cliffs with grassy areas above known as The Leas , which cover three miles of the coastline and are a National Trust protected area. Marsden Bay, with its famous Marsden Rock and historic Grotto public house and restaurant set in
2480-633: A permanent exhibition dedicated to the life and times of Catherine Cookson. From 1985 to 2009 the area marketed itself as " Catherine Cookson Country", which attracted many visitors. They are a number of trade related landmarks: this includes the headquarters, warehouse and factory of the fashion company Barbour ; the Customs House theatre and arts venue and the historic Mill Dam riverside. The town hosts traditional, continental and farmers' markets and has high street of shops. Geographical landmarks include The Leas cliff tops and Haven Point as well as
2635-545: A play on the subject of the 1930 Yemeni Riot. The resultant play RIOT was staged at the venue in 2005 and 2008. In 2008, South Shields resident and filmmaker Tina Gharavi unveiled plans for a plaque to mark Ali's visit. In 2008, a critically acclaimed exhibition about the South Shields Yemeni community was held entitled The Last of the Dictionary Men – Stories from South Shields' Yemeni Sailors ,
2790-553: A public space to link these two areas, the Millennium Square , was opened in May 2006. Additional developments included the remodelling of Sheaf Square , in front of the refurbished railway station: the square contains "The Cutting Edge", a sculpture designed by Si Applied Ltd and made from Sheffield steel. Recent development known as the 'Heart of the City' includes the restoration of the listed Leah's Yard complex. Sheffield
2945-750: A series of breaches and collapses meant that the North Pier was completed much later and to a different design. Following completion of the North Pier, in January 1908 the South Pier Lighthouse was provided with a bell, which sounded once every thirty seconds during foggy weather (in contrast to the reed fog horn sounded from the North Pier light). On 20 October 2023, Storm Babet hit the North East Coast with high winds. The South Pier Lighthouse lost its dome due to waves breaching
3100-486: A site in the High Street, Southend, for a department store, a supermarket, two other stores and an office block. The company grew by purchasing further grocery stores, including chains John Favers and A.E. Smith from Scribbans-Kemp, the 13 branches of George Barr and Bells (Cash Grocers). In 1966, Webster stated Modernisation of warehouses and distribution centres has proceeded steadily over the past two years, while it
3255-534: A variety of grocery store operating names: The factory was reopened in 1975 under the ownership of F.C. Lowe's for the production of dog biscuits. This stayed open until 1983. After the closure the factory and the chimney, a landmark for the Tyne and Wear Dock area, were demolished. South Shields South Shields ( / ʃ iː l z / ) is a coastal town in South Tyneside , Tyne and Wear , England; it
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#17327870544723410-602: A vessel approaching from seaward on the correct course, green to a vessel off-course to the north, and red to one off-course to the south. In 1928, both the South Pier and the Groyne lights were converted from incandescent gas to automatic electric operation. They were run off mains electricity (the gas lights being retained as an emergency standby). At the same time each lighthouse was equipped with an electrically activated fog bell; these were switched on and off remotely from
3565-661: A warehouse and offices in Oldham. This was followed up in 1959 by purchasing the Portsmouth-based chain of 49 grocery stores of W Pink & Sons. Pinks were one of the claimants to the origins of HP Sauce . In 1960, Wrights purchased the remaining shares in R. Middlemass & Co, while growing the retail business with the purchases of the Leeds-based grocery chain Gallon, which had 184 branches, and Thomas & Evans,
3720-480: A wide range of other flexible vocational and training courses. Local schooling is generally regarded as being very good, which is reflected in continuing improvements to school results and independent inspections. In 2007, Brinkburn Comprehensive and King George V Comprehensive merged forming South Shields Community School . The new school was built at a cost of £19 million on the King George V School site and
3875-475: Is Labour 36, Liberal Democrats 27, the Green Party 14, Conservative 0 and Independent 7. The city also has a Lord Mayor ; though now simply a ceremonial position, in the past the office carried considerable authority, with executive powers over the finances and affairs of the city council. The position of Lord Mayor is elected on an annual basis. For much of its history the council was controlled by
4030-494: Is South Shields Town Hall , built 1905–1910, a sumptuous building "the most convincing expression in the county of Edwardian prosperity". The architect was E. E. Fetch of London. Ornamentation includes several references to the town's nautical heritage: Britannia and other sculpted figures in the pediment above the front entrance, a figure of Mercury atop a globe on the dome of the Council chamber, fountains and nymph lampholders in
4185-482: Is " Cfb " (Marine West Coast Climate/ Oceanic climate ). Before 1820, South Shields was a predominantly sparse hamlet- and village-based rural economy with some small-scale shipbuilding, glass making and salt processing along the riverside. Beyond 1820 and into the Industrial Revolution , South Shields expanded into an urban settlement built around shipbuilding and coal mining. Migration came from up
4340-769: Is a mosque at Laygate, including the Yemeni School, which was visited by American boxer Muhammad Ali in 1977. He had his marriage blessed at the Al-Azhar Mosque, one of the earliest mosques in UK. It is often noted that Al-Azhar in South Shields is the first purpose-built mosque in the UK, however, this is the Shah Jahan Mosque in Woking. This story is covered in a documentary film, The King of South Shields . Throughout April and early May 2008,
4495-647: Is a corruption of shed or sheth , which refers to a divide or separation . The second half of the name Sheffield refers to a field, or forest clearing. Combining the two words, it is believed that the name refers to an Anglo-Saxon settlement in a clearing by the confluence of the River Don and River Sheaf. [REDACTED] Kingdom of England c. 12th century–1707 [REDACTED] Kingdom of Great Britain 1707–1801 [REDACTED] United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland 1801–1922 [REDACTED] United Kingdom 1922–present The area now occupied by
4650-411: Is further developing its freight and passenger activities. In 2007, it imported two million tonnes of coal. Manufacturing and ship repair/engineering are other significant sectors. South Shields benefits from significant public and private sector investment. More recently this has included primarily the town centre, riverside and foreshore areas, given the decline of once-traditional heavy industries with
4805-568: Is greater than that of the broader region of Yorkshire and the Humber. Sheffield had a population of 556,500 at the 2021 census, making it the second largest city in the Yorkshire and the Humber region. The Sheffield Built-up Area , of which the Sheffield sub-division is the largest part, had a population of 685,369 also including the town of Rotherham . The district borough , governed from
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4960-518: Is green space and a third of the city lies within the Peak District national park and is the fifth largest city in England. There are more than 250 parks, woodlands and gardens in the city, which is estimated to contain around 4.5 million trees. Sheffield played a crucial role in the Industrial Revolution , developing many significant technologies. In the 19th century, the city saw
5115-598: Is on the south bank of the mouth of the River Tyne . The town was once known in Roman times as Arbeia and as Caer Urfa by the Early Middle Ages . In 2021 it had a population of 75,337. It is the fourth largest settlement in Tyne and Wear , after Newcastle upon Tyne , Sunderland and Gateshead . Historically within the county of Durham , South Shields is south of North Shields and Tynemouth across
5270-676: Is particularly well known, is from 1297 when a tax return for 'Robert the Cutler' was submitted. A key reason for Sheffield's success in the production of cutlery lies in its geographic makeup. The abundance of streams in the area provided water power and the geological formations in the Hope Valley , in particular, provided sufficient grit stones for grinding wheels. In the 17th century, the Company of Cutlers in Hallamshire , which oversaw
5425-549: Is planned to speed up expansion into supermarkets and larger self-service stores, a considerable number will open in the later half of 1967 or early 1968. The closure of small counter service branches and the conversion of others to self-service will continue. In the year end April 1, 1967, 129 branches were closed and 44 converted. At the year end, the group had 663 counter shops and 337 self-service or supermarkets. These included new supermarkets opening in Ripley and Whitley Bay and
5580-542: Is the sole remaining independent steel works in the world and dominates the north-east of Sheffield around the Lower Don Valley . The firm has a global reputation for producing the largest and most complex steel forgings and castings and is certified to produce critical nuclear components, with recent projects including the Royal Navy 's Astute -class submarines. The firm also has the capacity for pouring
5735-536: Is the third largest in Tyne and Wear , after Newcastle upon Tyne and Sunderland with 1.7% of the town's population being Bangladeshi or 1300 people. Nearly all of the ethnic minority population in South Tyneside is concentrated in South Shields town centre and suburban areas immediately to the south such as Rekendyke and Westoe. There are hardly any in Jarrow , Hebburn which are the other two major areas in
5890-555: Is today. Many goods are sold to the housewife at prices which do not cover handling and distribution costs, and in my opinion profit margins are at a dangerously low level In 1962 J Lyons took control of the Wright's Cakes factory in Birkenhead with Wright's Biscuits considering national van sales of cakes to no longer be sufficiently profitable. In the same year Wright's Biscuits bought Kemp Biscuits from Scribbans-Kemp, while adding
6045-473: Is visible during the day as well as by night), rendered the High and Low Lights of North Shields redundant, and they were therefore decommissioned at the same time. The Herd Groyne lighthouse was refurbished and repainted in 2014, and still acts as a navigational aid to ships entering the River Tyne. In 2015 it was stated that the fog bells on the two lighthouses were no longer operational. A prominent landmark
6200-847: The Advanced Manufacturing Park , situated just over the boundary in the borough of Rotherham, by Sheffield's universities and other independent research organisations. Organisations located on the AMP include the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC, a research partnership between the Boeing Company and the University of Sheffield ), Castings Technology International (CTI), The Welding Institute (TWI), Rolls-Royce plc and McLaren Automotive . Forgemasters , founded in 1805,
6355-528: The Antonine Wall . Divisions living at the fort included Tigris bargemen (from Persia and modern day Iraq), infantry from Iberia and Gaul, and Syrian archers and spearmen. The fort was abandoned as the Roman Empire declined in the fourth century AD. Many ruins still exist today and some structures have been rebuilt as part of a modern museum and popular tourist attraction. There is evidence that
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6510-677: The City Lofts Tower and accompanying St Paul's Place , Velocity Living and the Moor redevelopment, the forthcoming NRQ and the Winter Gardens , Peace Gardens , Millennium Galleries and many projects completed under the Sheffield One redevelopment agency. The Sheffield economy grew from £5.6 billion in 1997 (1997 GVA ) to £9.2 billion in 2007 (2007 GVA). The "UK Cities Monitor 2008" placed Sheffield among
6665-663: The House of Wessex . After the Norman conquest of England , Sheffield Castle was built to protect the local settlements, and a small town developed that is the nucleus of the modern city. By 1296, a market had been established at what is now known as Castle Square , and Sheffield subsequently grew into a small market town . In the 14th century, Sheffield was already noted for the production of knives , as mentioned in Geoffrey Chaucer 's The Canterbury Tales , and by
6820-551: The River Tyne , with other migrants from rural County Durham , Northumberland , Scotland and Ireland. The majority of the people living in South Shields are descendants of those who migrated and settled in the area during the Industrial Revolution in order to work in expanding coalmines and shipyards. Towards the end of the 19th century, with the British Navy needing seamen, Yemeni British sailors settled in
6975-527: The Royal Navy . While iron and steel have long been the main industries of Sheffield, coal mining has also been a major industry, particularly in the outlying areas, and the Palace of Westminster in London was built using limestone from quarries in the nearby village of Anston . Sheffield has a large public sector workforce, numbering 77,500 workers. During the period 1995 – 2008 (a period of growth for
7130-844: The Sheffield Arena , Don Valley Stadium and the Ponds Forge complex. Sheffield is changing rapidly as new projects regenerate some of the more run-down parts of the city. One such, the Heart of the City Project , has initiated a number of public works in the city centre: the Peace Gardens were renovated in 1998, the Millennium Galleries opened in April 2001, the Winter Gardens were opened in May 2003, and
7285-616: The Sheffield Blitz . The city was partially protected by barrage balloons managed from RAF Norton . More than 660 people died and many buildings were destroyed or left badly damaged, including the Marples Hotel, which was hit directly by a 500lb bomb, killing over 70 people. In the 1950s and 1960s, many of the city's slums were demolished, and replaced with housing schemes such as the Park Hill flats . Large parts of
7440-742: The West Riding of Yorkshire and some of its southern suburbs were transferred from Derbyshire to the city council. It is the largest settlement in South Yorkshire. The city is in the eastern foothills of the Pennines and the valleys of the River Don with its four tributaries: the Loxley , the Porter Brook , the Rivelin and the Sheaf . Sixty-one per cent of Sheffield's entire area
7595-441: The Wortley Rural District . This area includes a significant part of the countryside surrounding the main urban region. Roughly a third of Sheffield lies in the Peak District National Park . No other English city had parts of a national park within its boundary, until the creation in March 2010 of the South Downs National Park , part of which lies within Brighton and Hove . According to the Köppen classification , Sheffield has
7750-471: The 15th century, polluting the air and surrounding land. In 1864, a Tyne Commissioners dredger brought up a nine-pounder breech-loading cannon; more cannonballs have been found in the sands beside the Lawe; these artifacts belonged to the English civil war. At the outbreak of the war in 1642, the North , West and Ireland supported the King ; the South East and Presbyterian Scotland supported Parliament. In 1644 Parliament's Scottish Covenanter allies, in
7905-402: The 18th century, and was dubbed " Steel City ". Many innovations in these fields have been made in Sheffield, for example Benjamin Huntsman discovered the crucible technique in the 1740s at his workshop in Handsworth . This process was rendered obsolete in 1856 by Henry Bessemer 's invention of the Bessemer converter . Thomas Boulsover invented Sheffield plate (silver-plated copper) in
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#17327870544728060-641: The 1970s and 1980s, coinciding with the collapse of coal mining in the area. The Yorkshire ridings became counties in their own right in 1889; the West Riding of Yorkshire county was disbanded in 1974. The city then became part of the county of South Yorkshire ; this has been made up of separately-governed unitary authorities since 1986. The 21st century has seen extensive redevelopment in Sheffield, consistent with other British cities. Sheffield's gross value added (GVA) has increased by 60% since 1997, standing at £11.3 billion in 2015. The economy has experienced steady growth, averaging around 5% annually, which
8215-449: The 52.0 sq mi (134.7 km ) of national park and 4.20 sq mi (10.9 km ) of water this means that 61% of the city is greenspace . Despite this, about 64% of Sheffield householders live further than 300 m (328 yd) from their nearest greenspace, although access is better in less affluent neighbourhoods across the city. Sheffield also has a very wide variety of habitat , comparing favourably with any city in
8370-439: The 88-store South Wales based grocery business of the Beecham Group . A year later they purchased the Leeds-based grocery business of S. Driver and completed a 24 store exchange deal with rival brand Melias, gaining stores in the Hull area for those in North Wales owned by Gallon. During Webster's Christmas address, he expressed his worries about the state of the grocery trade, The food trade has never been more competitive than it
8525-414: The Arab Riots – in 1919 and 1930. However, over time, attitudes to Yemenis in the town were softened and there was no significant recurrence of this violence. After World War II , the Yemeni population declined, partly due to migrations to other industrial areas such as Birmingham , Liverpool and Sheffield . However, the main reason for the reduction in numbers was the end of the shipping industry and
8680-492: The Army. Around 300 employees, mostly women, worked shifts around the clock. After the war, in 1946, Wright's purchased the Golden Crunch Biscuit Company and Medibix from the Edinburgh -based R. Middlemas & Son, in which Wright's purchased a large shareholding three years later in 1949. In 1958, Wright's raised more capital by issuing new preference shares and purchased the 180 grocery store chain of James Duckworth . James Duckworth had opened its first store in 1868, and had
8835-428: The BALTIC Arts Centre in Gateshead chronicled the Yemeni community of South Shields, including interviews with the last remaining survivors of the first Yemeni generation. The exhibition depicted the Yemeni story as an example of early successful multi-cultural integration in Britain, as well as showcasing the high-profile 1977 visit by Muhammad Ali. In 2005, the Customs House commissioned author Peter Mortimer to write
8990-421: The Bangladesh Welfare Association was opened in South Shields. The last shipbuilder, John Readhead & Sons , closed in 1984 and the last pit, Westoe Colliery, closed in 1993. Today, the town relies largely on service industries, whilst many residents commute to work in nearby Newcastle , Gateshead , North Tyneside and Sunderland . Despite a skilled local workforce, for many years South Tyneside had
9145-553: The British flag. Later controversially removed and the bodies interred elsewhere. Gradually throughout the late 20th century, the coal and shipbuilding industries were closed, due to competitive pressures from more cost-effective sources of energy (including workers) and more efficient shipbuilding elsewhere in Eastern Europe (e.g. Poland) and in South East Asia. In the 21st century, the local economy primarily includes port-related, ship repair and offshore industries, manufacturing, retail (nearby Newcastle, Durham, Washington and Sunderland),
9300-484: The City of Sheffield is 548 m (1,798 ft) near High Stones and Margery Hill . The city's lowest point is just 29 m (95 ft) above sea level near Blackburn Meadows . However, 79% of the housing in the city is between 100 and 200 m (330 and 660 ft) above sea level and the highest residential street is Redmires Lane at 302 m (991 ft). This variation of altitudes across Sheffield has led to frequent claims, particularly among locals, that
9455-463: The City of Sheffield is believed to have been inhabited since at least the late Upper Paleolithic , about 12,800 years ago. The earliest evidence of human occupation in the Sheffield area was found at Creswell Crags to the east of the city. In the Iron Age the area became the southernmost territory of the Pennine tribe called the Brigantes . It is this tribe who are thought to have constructed several hill forts in and around Sheffield. Following
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#17327870544729610-417: The Environment Agency to clear local river channels since the 2007 event. In 2014 Sheffield Council's cabinet approved plans to further reduce the possibility of flooding by adopting plans to increase water catchment on tributaries of the River Don. Another flood hit the city in 2019 , resulting in shoppers being contained in Meadowhall Shopping Centre. Between 2014 and 2018, there were disputes between
9765-406: The Great Reform Act, South Shields and Gateshead were each given their own Member of Parliament and became boroughs, resulting in taxes being paid to the Government instead of the Bishops of Durham. However, the rapid growth in population brought on by the expansion of industry made sanitation a problem, as evident by Cholera outbreaks and the building of the now-listed Cleadon Water Tower to combat
9920-436: The Hay & Co brand were transferred to Allied Suppliers by Cavenham, after that company's purchase in 1972, to add to their existing Scottish portfolio of stores. By 1973, the company had 729 stores against a total of 1,173 it had at the time of the takeover, and the combined Wright's/Moores group of stores had made £2 million in profits. The number of stores had reduced to 624 stores by 1976, with most having been renamed under
10075-466: The Labour Party, and was noted for its leftist sympathies; during the 1980s, when Sheffield City Council was led by David Blunkett , the area gained the epithet the " Socialist Republic of South Yorkshire ". However, the Liberal Democrats controlled the Council between 1999 and 2001 and took control again from 2008 to 2011. The majority of council-owned facilities are operated by independent charitable trusts. Sheffield International Venues runs many of
10230-456: The Moores Stores brand, except for the larger discount stores which were branded under the Tower name. In December 1976, Cavenham purchased the 49.8% of Cavenham-Southland from the Southland Corporation that it didn't own, and renamed the company Moores-Wright's, but it not stay as a separate business for long, as it was merged into Cavenham's other grocery subsidiary Allied Suppliers during 1977. Wright's Biscuits and Moores Stores operated under
10385-533: The River Tyne; and east of Newcastle upon Tyne and Jarrow . Evidence of human inhabitation at South Shields dates from the Late Mesolithic. The first evidence of a settlement within what is now the town of South Shields dates from pre-historic times. Stone Age arrow heads and an Iron Age round house have been discovered on the site of Arbeia Roman Fort. The Roman garrison built a fort here around AD 160 and expanded it around AD 208 to help supply their soldiers along Hadrian's Wall as they campaigned north beyond
10540-401: The Sheffield district of Hallam was the highest ranking area outside London for overall wealth, the proportion of people earning over £60,000 a year standing at almost 12%. A survey by Knight Frank revealed that Sheffield was the fastest-growing city outside London for office and residential space and rents during the second half of 2004. This can be seen in a surge of redevelopments, including
10695-402: The South Yorkshire authorities, as well as Bolsover District , Borough of Chesterfield , Derbyshire Dales , North East Derbyshire and Bassetlaw District . In 2014, the Sheffield City Region Combined authority was formed by the South Yorkshire local authorities with the other councils as non-constituent members and the partnership integrated with the authority structure. In September 2020,
10850-419: The United Kingdom, and by 1971 the company had seen a 34% up turn in business. The stores of Wright's and Moores Stores were sold to a new company, Cavenham-Southland shortly after the takeover. It was part of the Southland Corporation (owners of 7-Eleven ) deal previously brokered by John Tigrett for Cavenham's newsagent business, with Southland owning 49.9% and Cavenham owning the remaining 50.1%. As part of
11005-420: The United Kingdom: urban, parkland and woodland, agricultural and arable land, moors, meadows and freshwater-based habitats. There are six areas within the city that are designated as sites of special scientific interest . The present city boundaries were set in 1974 (with slight modification in 1994), when the former county borough of Sheffield merged with Stocksbridge Urban District and two parishes from
11160-560: The Wright's own personal shares in Moores gave Cavenham 47% of the stock. Wright's and Webster's shares in Moores were "A" shares which had double voting power. The price of 36p a share valued the shareholdings at £6.5 million, which was less than the market value; however Wright's and Moores had both struggled. Wright's Biscuits had predicted losses of £500,000, while Moores Stores had seen profits tumble from over £1 million to £560,000 since 1968. Three of Wright's independent directors stated that
11315-677: The aforementioned government departments. Sheffield City Council , which is also a major public sector employer in the city, employs over 8,000 people, spread across four different sections (known as portfolios). Sheffield City Council is also the Local Education Authority (LEA) and as such manages all states schools and their associated staff. As part of its mandate to provide public services, Sheffield City Council maintains contracts with three private contractors – Amey , Veolia & Capita (contract ending in 2020). Together, these contractors provide additional employment in
11470-399: The annual AGM that he was "bitterly against the high costs of acquiring supermarket sites" and that "supermarket enthusiasts are in danger of over-reaching themselves" . He stated that between Wright's and Moores they would be planning no more than 30 big supermarkets. During 1963 it was announced that Moores subsidiary H. Garon, along with Debenhams and British Rail had agreed to develop
11625-456: The authority changed to its current name. The city returns five members of parliament to the House of Commons , with a sixth, the Member of Parliament for Penistone and Stocksbridge representing parts of Sheffield and Barnsley. The former Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg was an MP for Sheffield, representing Sheffield Hallam from 2005 until he was unseated 2017 , when the seat returned
11780-404: The bays of Littlehaven, Sandhaven and Marsden . Notable buildings in and around the town include: Work on the North and South Tyne Piers was begun in 1854 by the newly formed Tyne Improvement Commission , for the protection of shipping entering and leaving the river. The principal architect and engineer was James Walker , until his death in 1862 (whereupon John F. Ure took over). Construction
11935-400: The booming cutlery industry in the area and remains to this day, was established and focused on markets outside the Sheffield area, leading to the gradual establishment of Sheffield as a respected producer of cutlery. this gradually developed from a national reputation into an international one. Playing a crucial role in the Industrial Revolution , the city became an industrial powerhouse in
12090-548: The borough. The population of the South Tyneside Metropolitan borough had decreased from 152,785 in 2001, to 148,127 in 2011. In 2001, the population of South Shields was 82,854. Population data from the 2011 United Kingdom Census return classifies South Shields as a medium-sized coastal town. South Shields has been home to a Yemeni British community since the 1890s. The main reason for the Yemeni arrival
12245-768: The city and many others in the UK), the number of jobs in the city increased by 22% and 50% of these were in the public sector. Major public sector employers include the National Health Service , The University of Sheffield, Sheffield Hallam University , and numerous government departments and agencies including the Home Office (Visas & Immigration), Department for Education & Department for Business, Innovation & Skills . Recently developed offices in St Paul's Place and Riverside Exchange play host to
12400-415: The city are shared with Derbyshire ; in the first half of the 20th century Sheffield extended its borders south into Derbyshire, annexing a number of villages, including Totley , Dore and the area now known as Mosborough Townships. Sheffield is a geographically diverse city. It nestles in the eastern foothills of the Pennines , between the main upland range and Peak District National Park to
12555-409: The city as the cutlery and steel industries flourished. The population continued to grow until the mid-20th century, at which point, due to industrial decline, the population began to contract. However, by the early 21st century, the population had begun to grow once again. The population of Sheffield peaked in 1951 at 577,050, and has since declined steadily. However, the mid-2007 population estimate
12710-480: The city centre were also cleared to make way for a new system of roads. In February 1962, the city was devastated by the Great Sheffield Gale ; winds of up to 97 mph (156 km/h) killed four people and damaged 150,000 houses, more than two-thirds of the city's housing stock at the time. Increased automation and competition from abroad resulted in the closure of many steel mills . The 1980s saw
12865-465: The city council and residents over the fate of the city's 36,000 highway trees. Around 4,000 highway trees have since been felled as part of the 'Streets Ahead' Private Finance Initiative (PFI) contract signed in 2012 by the city council, Amey plc and the Department for Transport to maintain the city streets. The tree fellings have resulted in many arrests of residents and other protesters across
13020-547: The city even though most felled trees in the city have been replanted, including those historically felled and not previously replanted. The protests eventually stopped in 2018 after the council paused the tree felling programme as part of a new approach developed by the council for the maintenance of street trees in the city. In May 2022, Sheffield was named a " Tree City of the World " in recognition of its work to sustainably manage and maintain urban forests and trees. This honour
13175-761: The city was built on Seven Hills. As this claim is disputed, it likely originated as a joke referencing the Seven Hills of Rome . Estimated to contain around 4.5 million trees, Sheffield has more trees per person than any other city in Europe and is considered to be one of the greenest cities in England and the UK, which was further reinforced when it won the 2005 Entente Florale competition. With more than 250 parks, woodlands and gardens, it has over 170 woodlands (covering 10.91 sq mi or 28.3 km ), 78 public parks (covering 7.07 sq mi or 18.3 km ) and 10 public gardens. Added to
13330-569: The city's sporting and leisure facilities, including Sheffield Arena and the English Institute of Sport, Sheffield . Museums Sheffield and the Sheffield Industrial Museums Trust take care of galleries and museums owned by the council. The city of Sheffield is part of the wider South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority , headed by mayor Oliver Coppard since 2022. The combined authority covers
13485-500: The city, had a population of 566,242 at the mid-2019 estimate, making it the 7th most populous district in England. It is one of eleven British cities that make up the Core Cities Group . In 2011, the unparished area had a population of 490,070. The city has a long sporting heritage and is home both to the world's oldest football club, Sheffield F.C. , and the world's oldest football ground, Sandygate . Matches between
13640-478: The city. Sheffield is a major retail centre, and is home to many High Street and department stores as well as designer boutiques. The main shopping areas in the city centre are on The Moor precinct, Fargate , Orchard Square and the Devonshire Quarter . Department stores in the city centre include Marks and Spencer and Atkinsons . Sheffield's main market was once Castle Market , built above
13795-412: The city; instead it is divided into 28 electoral wards , with each ward generally covering 4–6 areas. These electoral wards are grouped into six parliamentary constituencies . Sheffield is largely unparished , but Bradfield and Ecclesfield have parish councils, and Stocksbridge has a town council. The United Kingdom Census 2001 reported a resident population for Sheffield of 513,234,
13950-473: The cliffs, is home to one of the largest seabird colonies in Britain. One of the most historic parts of the town is the quaint and beautiful Westoe village, which consists of a quiet street of first grade and second grade Georgian and Victorian houses, many of which had been built by business leaders from the coal and shipping industries in the town. Given its beautiful setting, parks and trees, this street
14105-491: The company lacked the financial resources to make it viable economically again, while Cavenham believed it would cost £2 million to reorganise Wright's and Moores. Goldsmith offered 45p a share to the rest of the remaining stock owners in both companies, however this was below the market price of 82p. Moores Stores operated around 685 grocery stores under both their own name and those of subsidiaries like Hay & Co , while in addition to its biscuit manufacturing, Wright's operated
14260-466: The company sold the former Middlemass factory in Edinburgh. The turn around plan included opening supermarkets under the company's various brands including Peglers Stores and James Duckworth. On 22 September 1971, it was announced that Cavenham Foods had purchased Willie Webster and his wife's 41% shareholding in Wright's Biscuits, which owned a 42% shareholding in Moores Stores . This, together with
14415-595: The deal Southland paid $ 10.35 million. Cavenham appointed their retail chief, Jim Wood to the board, who had turned around their newsagent chain. He stayed with the company until he joined the Grand Union supermarket chain in the United States after Cavenham's purchase in 1974. The new company continued the programme of reorganisation started prior to the takeover, closing and selling off stores and distribution centres. Moores' Scottish stores, which operated under
14570-525: The decline in high street shopping around the UK, efforts have been made to rejuvenate Sheffield City Centre and improve the retail and leisure offering. Major developments include Leopold Square , The Moor , St Paul's Place (a mixed use development) and the Heart of the City I & II projects. In March 2022 Sheffield City Council announced that a new leisure hub would be constructed at the southern end of Fargate. The £300,000 hub will feature cafes, shops and large screen TVs for sports events. The development
14725-612: The departure of the Romans, the Sheffield area may have been the southern part of the Brittonic kingdom of Elmet , with the rivers Sheaf and Don forming part of the boundary between this kingdom and the kingdom of Mercia . Gradually, Anglian settlers pushed west from the kingdom of Deira . A Britonnic presence within the Sheffield area is evidenced by two settlements called Wales and Waleswood close to Sheffield. The settlements that grew and merged to form Sheffield, however, date from
14880-424: The designation. A subsidiary aim of the green belt is to encourage recreation and leisure interests, with many rural landscape features and facilities included. Sheffield is made up of many suburbs and neighbourhoods, many of which developed from villages or hamlets that were absorbed into Sheffield as the city grew. These historical areas are largely ignored by the modern administrative and political divisions of
15035-481: The driest with 51.0 mm (2.01 in). July was also the hottest month, with an average maximum temperature of 20.8 °C (69.4 °F). The highest temperature ever recorded in the city of Sheffield was 39.4 °C (102.9 °F), on 19 July 2022. The average minimum temperature in January and February was 1.6 °C (34.9 °F), though the lowest temperatures recorded in these months can be between −10 and −15 °C (14 and 5 °F), although since 1960,
15190-497: The early 1600s it had become the main centre of cutlery manufacture in England outside London, overseen by the Company of Cutlers in Hallamshire . From 1570 to 1584, Mary, Queen of Scots , was imprisoned in Sheffield Castle and Sheffield Manor . During the 1740s, a form of the crucible steel process was discovered that allowed the manufacture of a better quality of steel than had previously been possible. In about
15345-407: The early 18th century. Stainless steel was invented by Harry Brearley in 1912, bringing affordable cutlery to the masses. The work of F. B. Pickering and T. Gladman throughout the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s was fundamental to the development of modern high-strength low-alloy steels. Further innovations continue, with new advanced manufacturing technologies and techniques being developed on
15500-467: The forecourt alongside a statue of Queen Victoria. The 145-foot clock tower contains a Potts chiming clock and five bells, and is topped by a weathervane in the shape of a galleon . The Old Town Hall, a square building of 1768, provides the centrepiece of the Market Place and closes the vista along King Street. The ground floor is open with arches on each side (and a central pillar which predates
15655-596: The former 1974–1986 South Yorkshire County Council area which functions either went to local or regional authorities. In 2004, as part of the Moving Forward: The Northern Way document, city regions were created in a collaboration with the three northern regional development agencies . These became independent Local enterprise partnerships in 2011. The area's partnership retains the Sheffield City Region name, covering
15810-462: The greatest impact are housing (34%), transport (25%), consumer (11%), private services (9%), public services (8%), food (8%) and capital investment (5%). Sheffield City Council has signed up to the 10:10 campaign. Sheffield is within a green belt region that extends into the wider surrounding counties, and is in place to reduce urban sprawl , prevent the towns and areas in the Sheffield built-up area conurbation from further convergence, protect
15965-446: The green sector is used to indicate safe waters near the coast to the north of Tynemouth, while red indicates an area with numerous wrecks to the east and south of the lighthouse. The pier is 5,150 ft (1,570 m) long (accessible from South Shields seafront, it is open to the public except in bad weather). It was originally intended that the North ( Tynemouth ) Pier and lighthouse would mirror their South Shields counterparts, but
16120-428: The grocery business of W Morton & Sons. Kemps, who factory was based at Great Coates , had previously been looked at by both Cavenham Foods and Lyons. In 1963 the company announced record year in both turnover and profits. By 1965, Wright's grocery business had over 750 branches, which 140 had been converted to self-service and 11 supermarkets. However by 1966, the growth of Wright's Biscuits and its sister firm Moores
16275-527: The highest unemployment rate in mainland Britain, although between December 2002 and December 2008 unemployment in South Shields fell by 17.8%, and that of South Tyneside by 17.7%, the best performance in the North East region over that time period. In January 2011, the Guardian reported the unemployment rate at 6.5%, and at 7.5% in October 2011. The Port of Tyne is one of the UK's most important and
16430-418: The identity of outlying communities, encourage brownfield reuse, and preserve nearby countryside. This is achieved by restricting inappropriate development within the designated areas, and imposing stricter conditions on permitted building. The main urban area and larger villages of the borough are exempt from the green belt area, but surrounding smaller villages, hamlets and rural areas are 'washed over' with
16585-415: The ironmongers, from owner Timothy Whites . Of the 102 Mence Smith stores purchased only 36 were converted to grocery stores, with the rest leased or sold off to generate funds, while H. Garon's bakery and two of its buildings were sold to raise £791,000. The company had nearly 1,000 branches at this time, however only 125 were self service and five of these were supermarkets at this time. William Webster told
16740-500: The largest single ingot (570 tonnes) in Europe and is currently in the process of expanding its capabilities. In July 2021 Forgemasters was bought outright by the UK Ministry of Defence for £2.56 million, with the intention of investing a further £400 million over the next decade. The decision was based on the important role Forgemasters plays in the construction of the UK nuclear submarine fleet as well other vessels for
16895-467: The largest. During World War I , German Zeppelin airships bombed South Shields in 1916. Later during World War II , the German Luftwaffe repeatedly attacked the town and caused massive damage to industries which supported the war effort, killing many innocent residents. Particularly, a bomb shelter in the market place of South Shields, where the deceased were commemorated in a cobblestone of
17050-469: The latter lighthouse was automated in 1967. At the same time the South Shields lights were themselves fully automated, with the addition of standby diesel alternators and automatic lamp changers . In 1999, the white sector of the light was intensified by the addition of a PEL sector light above the optic, with the same occulting characteristic but a range of 19 nautical miles (rather than 13, as previously). The installation of this powerful light (which
17205-712: The massive North and South Piers at the mouth of the Tyne. These are best viewed from the Lawe Top, which also houses two replicas of cannon captured from the Russians during the Crimean War , the originals having been melted down during World War II. The town slopes gently from Cleadon Hills down to the river. Cleadon Hills are made conspicuous by the Victorian Cleadon Water Tower and pumping station (opened in 1860 to improve sanitation) and
17360-494: The need for sailors as coal-burning ships decreased in numbers. Today, the Yemeni population of South Shields numbers around 1,000. Many Yemeni sailors married local women and became integrated with the wider community, resulting with a migrant population less distinct than in other mixed communities across the UK. The Yemeni are the first, settled Muslim community in Britain and have been used to justify multiculturalism . There
17515-500: The outskirts of the town. The collapse of the dam wall of one of these reservoirs in 1864 resulted in the Great Sheffield Flood , which killed 270 people and devastated large parts of the town. The growing population led to the construction of many back-to-back dwellings that, along with severe pollution from the factories, inspired George Orwell in 1937 to write: "Sheffield, I suppose, could justly claim to be called
17670-491: The pier wall. There is a third lighthouse, just upstream of the pier, on the Herd Groyne at South Shields (which was constructed in 1861–67 to preserve Littlehaven Beach, then known as Herd Sands, which had begun to be washed away by the change of currents caused by the new piers). This very unusual lighthouse resembling a 1940s sci-fi movie space craft was built by Newcastle-upon-Tyne Trinity House in 1882 (ownership
17825-474: The population are Christian, 6% are Muslim, 0.6% are Hindu, 0.4% are Buddhist, 0.2% are Sikh, 0.1% are Jewish, 0.4% belong to another religion, 31% have no religion and 7% did not state their religion. The largest quinary group is 20- to 24-year-olds (9%) because of the large university student population. The Industrial Revolution served as a catalyst for considerable population growth and demographic change in Sheffield. Large numbers of people were driven to
17980-439: The port of Aden , then under British protection. At the end of the war, the Yemeni population of South Shields had swelled to well over 3,000. Shields lost one of the largest proportions of Merchant Navy sailors. Approximately 1 in 4 of these men was of Yemeni background. The port in South Shields employed men of Yemen, Aden, Somalia, African, Indian and Malaysian nationalities. Disputes over jobs led to race riots – also called
18135-526: The present-day church of St Hilda , by the Market Place, is said to stand on the monastic site. In the ninth century, Scandinavian peoples made Viking raids on monasteries and settlements all along the coast, and later conquered the Anglian Kingdoms of Northumbria, Mercia and East Anglia, who hailed from Angelnen in Denmark (modern day Germany). It is said in local folklore that a Viking ship
18290-459: The problem. In the 1850s 'The Tyne Improvement Commission' began to develop the river, dredging it to make it deeper and building the large, impressive North and South Piers to help prevent silt build up within the channel. Shipbuilding (along with coal mining), previously a monopoly of the Freemen of Newcastle, became another prominent industry in the town, with John Readhead & Sons Shipyard
18445-456: The public sector and the ever-increasing role of tourism. This is illustrated by the new multi-million Haven centre, Dunes centre and seaside improvements in the coastal area and a new multimillion-pound library The Word . South Shields is situated in a peninsula setting, where the River Tyne meets the North Sea . It has six miles of coastline and three miles of river frontage, dominated by
18600-472: The purchase of the 21 store south east based grocery chain of Cave Austin and Company from Burton, Son and Sanders of Ipswich. In 1968, Moores Stores were listed at number 402 in The Times 500 Leading Companies in Britain and Overseas, but the company announced a drop in profits and stated that government policies would see food prices rise. By 1970, Moores was still one of the four largest grocery groups in
18755-402: The remains of the castle. This has since been demolished. Sheffield Moor Market opened in 2013 and became the main destination for fresh produce. The market has 196 stalls and includes local and organic produce, as well as international fusion cuisine such as Russian, Jamaican and Thai. In March 2021 it was announced that the Sheffield branch of John Lewis would close due to falling sales and
18910-475: The rest of the structure); the enclosed first floor has pitched roof, topped by a wooden bell turret. Originally built and used by the Dean and Chapter of Durham , it was sold by them to the town Corporation in 1855. South Shields is home to South Tyneside College , one of the two leading maritime training centres in the UK, with facilities including a marine safety training centre and a simulated ship's bridge for
19065-473: The same period, a technique was developed for fusing a thin sheet of silver onto a copper ingot to produce silver plating, which became widely known as Sheffield plate . These innovations spurred Sheffield's growth as an industrial town, but the loss of some important export markets led to a recession in the late 18th and early 19th century. The resulting poor conditions culminated in a cholera epidemic that killed 402 people in 1832. The population of
19220-424: The second half of the first millennium, and are of Anglo-Saxon and Danish origin. In Anglo-Saxon times, the Sheffield area straddled the border between the kingdoms of Mercia and Northumbria . The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle reports that Eanred of Northumbria submitted to Egbert of Wessex at the hamlet of Dore (now a suburb of Sheffield) in 829, a key event in the unification of the kingdom of England under
19375-545: The shareholders, offering ordinary shares in Cavenham. Cavenham completed the purchase of the remaining shares against hostile shareholders at a total cost of £10 million in shares. In 1972, United Biscuits took over Wright's Biscuits, its subsidiary Kemp Biscuits, along with fellow biscuit manufacturer Carr's of Carlisle from the Cavenham Foods, who retained the grocery business. In October 1972, Wright's Biscuits
19530-408: The site was used in the early post-Roman period as a British settlement. It is believed it became a royal residence of King Osric of Deira ; records show that his son Oswin was born within ' Caer Urfa', by which name the fort is thought to be known after the Romans left. Furthermore, Bede records Oswin giving a parcel of land to St Hilda for the foundation of a monastery here in c. 647 ;
19685-402: The street-trees dispute, and we wish to reiterate our previous apologies for our failings". Sheffield is governed at the local level by Sheffield City Council and is led by Councillor Tom Hunt (Assumed office 16 May 2023). It consists of 84 councillors elected to represent 28 wards : three councillors per ward. Following the 2024 local elections , the distribution of council seats
19840-546: The temperature at −8.7 °C (16.3 °F), recorded on 20 December, and states that to be the lowest December temperature since 1981.) The coldest temperature ever recorded in the city of Sheffield at Weston Park , since records began in 1882, is −14.6 °C (5.7 °F), registered in February 1895. The lowest daytime maximum temperature in the city since records began is −5.6 °C (21.9 °F), also recorded in February 1895. More recently, −4.4 °C (24.1 °F)
19995-504: The temperature has never fallen below −9.2 °C (15.4 °F), suggesting that urbanisation around the Weston Park site during the second half of the 20th century may prevent temperatures below −10 °C (14 °F) occurring. The coldest temperature to be recorded was −8.2 °C (17.2 °F) in 2010. (Note: The official Weston Park Weather Station statistics, which can also be viewed at Sheffield Central Library , has
20150-467: The top ten "best cities to locate a business today", the city occupying third and fourth places respectively for best office location and best new call centre location. The same report places Sheffield in third place regarding "greenest reputation" and second in terms of the availability of financial incentives. Sheffield has an international reputation for metallurgy and steel-making. The earliest official record of cutlery production, for which Sheffield
20305-425: The town grew rapidly throughout the 19th century; increasing from 60,095 in 1801 to 451,195 by 1901. The Sheffield and Rotherham railway was constructed in 1838, connecting the two towns. The town was incorporated as a borough in 1842, and was granted city status by letters patent in 1893. The influx of people also led to demand for better water supplies, and a number of new reservoirs were constructed on
20460-421: The town's growing importance as a major commercial centre and tourist destination. The town is a popular seaside resort with multiple landmarks and tourist attractions. As with other resorts tourism is a large part of the town's economy: to attract tourists the town has an extensive network of cycle paths and walking trails; a promenade; parks-and-gardens; fairground rides; amusement arcades, crazy golf, laser tag,
20615-625: The town, this resulted in the first roots of the Yemeni British community in the town. In South Shields, 6.7% of the population are from an ethnic minority (non white British), compared with 5.0% in the surrounding borough of South Tyneside . Most of the Asians in South Shields are Bangladeshi, with the Beacon and Bents ward that covers South Shields town centre, had 9.9% of the population registering as that ethnicity. The Bangladeshi community
20770-417: The training of deck officers. The college was also home to the only planetarium in the region, and to an observatory ; and in its time was a popular visitor attraction for local schools and visitors in general. The observatory was used for 20 years and in 2008 it was deemed redundant to the future curriculum needs of the college. The domed room that housed the planetarium is now a mosque. The college provides
20925-722: The two professional clubs, Sheffield United and Sheffield Wednesday , are known as the Steel City derby . The city is also home to the World Snooker Championship and the Sheffield Steelers , the UK's first professional ice hockey team. The name Sheffield , has its origins in Old English and derives from the name of a principal river in the city, the River Sheaf . This name, in turn,
21080-541: The ugliest town in the Old World ". The Great Depression hit the city in the 1930s, but as international tensions increased and the Second World War became imminent; Sheffield's steel factories were set to work manufacturing weapons and ammunition for the war effort. As a result, the city became a target for bombing raids, the heaviest of which occurred on the nights of 12 and 15 December 1940, now known as
21235-609: The week is the Magic Convention – 3 days of lectures and shows by the world's best magicians. A notable landmark in the town is the reconstructed Roman fort and excavations of the ancient Arbeia Roman Castra . This form part of the Hadrian's Wall World Heritage Site . South Shields is also home of the oldest provincial newspaper in the UK, the Shields Gazette . The town's museum & art gallery, includes
21390-457: The west, and the lower-lying South Yorkshire Coalfield to the east. It lies at the confluence of five rivers: Don , Sheaf , Rivelin , Loxley and Porter . As such, much of the city is built on hillsides with views into the city centre or out to the countryside. Blake Street, in the S6 postcode area, is the third steepest residential street in England, with a gradient of 16.6°. The highest point in
21545-511: The worst of this run-down of Sheffield's industries, along with those of many other areas of the UK. The building of the Meadowhall Centre on the site of a former steelworks in 1990 was a mixed blessing, creating much-needed jobs but hastening the decline of the city centre. Attempts to regenerate the city were kick-started when the city hosted the 1991 World Student Games , which saw the construction of new sporting facilities such as
21700-453: Was 530,300, representing an increase of about 17,000 residents since 2001. Although a city, Sheffield is informally known as "the largest village in England ", because of a combination of topographical isolation and demographic stability. It is relatively geographically isolated, being cut off from other places by a ring of hills. Local folklore insists that, like Rome, Sheffield was built "on seven hills". The land surrounding Sheffield
21855-538: Was added in 1960, along with the 87 strong Nottingham chain of J D Marsden. In 1961, Moores added the East of Scotland grocery business of James Walker & Sons, with their further 14 stores added to their 18 Hay & Co stores based in Edinburgh. The company continued to expand during 1962, purchasing the 45 store Southend on Sea based grocery chain of H. Garon (founded in 1880), and the 175 store Yorkshire chain of Thrift Stores, while they purchased 102 stores of Mence Smith,
22010-402: Was delayed by storm damage in 1862, which led to parts of the foundations having to be rebuilt. The South Pier was finished in 1895 and its lighthouse was operational that same year (it was equipped with a third-order fixed optic and a clockwork occulting mechanism , by Chance Brothers & Co. ). The lighthouse currently displays an occulting sector light with white, red and green sectors;
22165-612: Was established in 1790 at Holborn in South Shields to produce ship's biscuits. After a fire in 1898, completely new buildings were created at Tyne Dock. In 1933, Willie Webster became a director of the company with Frederick Cross, and the business name changed from L Wright & Son to Wright's Biscuits Ltd. It became a public company in 1936. At the first AGM , the company was described as "commenced from nothing only four years ago". During this period Wright's installed modern ovens and equipment to produce biscuits on an industrial scale. The Second World War saw day and night production for
22320-404: Was given before the release of the independent inquiry's report on the so-called "Sheffield Chainsaw Massacre". The report concluded that "thousands of healthy and loved trees were lost. Many more could have been" and was critical of Sheffield City Council. The latter issued this statement on receipt of the report: "the council has already acknowledged that it got many things wrong in the handling of
22475-521: Was hampered due to the losses incurred at Kemp Biscuits Ltd. In 1969, Webster set up the William Webster Welfare Fund, for the relief of poor incapacitated or necessitous employees or former employees of Wright's Biscuits Limited . Wright's financial performance struggled in 1969, with the company planning to close more of its loss making stores and replace them with supermarkets as part of its turn around plan. As part of its plan,
22630-556: Was held at the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art , Gateshead . In 2009, the detective series George Gently , based on the novels by Alan Hunter , portrayed the Yemeni integration in a 1960s setting. The Bangladeshi community is actually larger than the Yemeni community. However, Yemenis have been in South Shields a lot longer. The Bangladeshi community is the third largest in the North East of England . In 2008,
22785-469: Was often the setting for a number of books by the novelist Catherine Cookson . Westoe village was once a separate village about a mile from South Shields, but urban sprawl has now consumed it, along with the village of Harton to the south on the main route towards Cleadon and Sunderland . Climate in this area has mild differences between highs and lows, and there is adequate rainfall year-round. The Köppen Climate Classification subtype for this climate
22940-577: Was opened in September 2011. However this school closed in 2020. Sheffield Sheffield is a city in South Yorkshire , England, situated 29 miles (47 km) south of Leeds and 32 miles (51 km) east of Manchester . Its name derives from the River Sheaf which runs through it. The city serves as the administrative centre of the City of Sheffield . It is historically part of
23095-470: Was particularly hard hit during the 2007 United Kingdom floods and the 2010 'Big Freeze' . Many landmark buildings such as Meadowhall and the Hillsborough Stadium flooded due to being close to rivers that flow through the city. In 2010, 5,000 properties in Sheffield were identified as still being at risk of flooding. In 2012 the city narrowly escaped another flood, despite extensive work by
23250-482: Was passed to the Tyne Improvement Commission the following year). It consists of an upper hexagonal part (including the lantern) of wood and corrugated iron construction, sitting on twelve cylindrical steel legs. The whole structure is painted red and stands 49 ft (15 m) in height. The Groyne shows an occulting light which marks a safe entrance course between the piers, showing white to
23405-408: Was put into administration with the South Shields factory finally closing in 1973. The former Kemp Biscuits factory at Great Coates was retained by United Biscuits, finally closing in 1995. Children's illustrator Mabel Lucie Attwell was employed by William Webster in the 1930s to create the Wright's logo, a curly-haired boy called Mischief. There was a Mischief Club for children, with members getting
23560-548: Was recorded as a daytime maximum at Weston Park, on 20 December 2010 (from the Weston Park Weather Station statistics, which also can be viewed at Sheffield Central Library.) On average, through the winter months of December to March, there are 67 days during which ground frost occurs. The Weston Park Weather station, established in 1882, is one of the longest running weather stations in the United Kingdom. It has recorded weather for more than 125 years, and
23715-591: Was the supply of seamen, such as engine room firemen, to British merchant vessels. Similar communities were founded in Hull , Liverpool and Cardiff . In 1909, the first Arab Seamen's Boarding House opened in the Holborn riverside district of the town. At the time of the First World War there was a shortage of crews due to the demands of the fighting and many Yemenis were recruited to serve on British ships at
23870-400: Was unsuitable for industrial use, and now includes several protected green belt areas. These topographical factors have served to restrict urban spread, resulting in a relatively stable population size and a low degree of mobility. After many years of decline, the Sheffield economy is going through a strong revival. The 2004 Barclays Bank Financial Planning study revealed that, in 2003,
24025-528: Was wrecked at Herd Sands in South Shields in its attempts to disembark at a cove nearby. Other Viking ships were uncovered in South Shields Denmark Centre and nearby Jarrow. The current town was founded in 1245 and developed as a fishing port. The name South Shields developed from the 'Schele' or 'Shield', which was a small dwelling used by fishermen. Another industry that was introduced, was that of salt-panning, later expanded upon in
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