Sheffield nursing home residents relive frightening memories of Sheffield Blitz

December 12 and 15, 1940 were two of the darkest nights in the history of Sheffield and care home residents have been reliving them to ensure their experiences are never forgotten.
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Local author Neil Anderson is collecting stories for an 80th-anniversary edition of his book Sheffield’s Date With Hitler.

Residents of Broomgrove Nursing Home on Broomgrove Road, Broomhall didn’t even let lockdown get in the way of retelling their stories – they used Skype.

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Resident Ernest Barron, a former director of Sheffield Wednesday, was living in Wadsley Bridge at the time and vividly remembers the devastation following the first night of the Blitz.

The remains of Atkinson's department store on The Moor after the BlitzThe remains of Atkinson's department store on The Moor after the Blitz
The remains of Atkinson's department store on The Moor after the Blitz

He said: “I still remember walking up Snig Hill and Angel Street and seeing the devastation. The Marples building had been flattened in Fitzalan Square, killing scores of people.

“Walsh’s department store had been destroyed - only cast iron girders remained erect.

“The Empire Theatre had a bomb crater on fire outside and it was nothing but devastation on The Moor.

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“I will never forget memory of seeing the body of a man laid on Ecclesall Road.”

Neil Anderson and one of his books on the Sheffield Blitz at the National Emergency Services MuseumNeil Anderson and one of his books on the Sheffield Blitz at the National Emergency Services Museum
Neil Anderson and one of his books on the Sheffield Blitz at the National Emergency Services Museum

The Sheffield Blitz killed and wounded more than 2,000 people and made a tenth of the city homeless. It took the city years to recover.

Fellow Broomgrove resident Hugh Bradbury recalls hearing the anti-aircraft fire springing into life. He knew the attack was no false alarm. He was 10 years old at the time.

He watched the stricken city burning from his bedroom in Ecclesfield and knew of two people that lost their lives.

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Home manager Donna Pierpoint said: “Our residents have lived such long and amazing lives and it’s great when their incredible knowledge can be used in this way. They were only too pleased to get involved.”

Sheffield United's ground in Bramall Lane was badly hit in the bombingsSheffield United's ground in Bramall Lane was badly hit in the bombings
Sheffield United's ground in Bramall Lane was badly hit in the bombings

The new edition of Sheffield’s Date With Hitler will be out to mark the 80th anniversary of the attacks and be published in the autumn.

Sheffield PR consultant Neil,who led a campaign to remember the sacrifices made by the city, is set to re-release the book that inspired the move which was first published a decade ago.

His Sheffield Blitz campaign – which was done in conjunction with The Star - culminated in the launch of a heritage trail and the opening of a permanent exhibition that is now housed inside Shalesmoor’s National Emergency Services Museum.

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Neil Anderson attributes much of the success of the initial campaign down to his ability to rally support for the cause through his PR skills.

Ernest Barron with the original edition of Sheffield’s Date With HitlerErnest Barron with the original edition of Sheffield’s Date With Hitler
Ernest Barron with the original edition of Sheffield’s Date With Hitler

He said: “The one thing that really struck me when I wrote the original book was how little there was to mark the devastating attacks of 1940.

“In fact, when the BBC turned my book into a documentary, they called it Sheffield – The Forgotten Blitz. I was on a mission to do something after that!”

Neil worked with two colleagues – Richard Godley and Bill Bevan – on an application to the Heritage Lottery Fund.

They backed their plans to the tune of over £80,000.

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The Sheffield Blitz exhibition has doubled the numbers of visitors attending the National Emergency Services Museum since it opened, with visitors travelling from as far as Australia to see it.

The Luftwaffe attacks killed and wounded more than 2,000 people and made nearly a tenth of the city’s population homeless in December 1940.

Sheffield is visited by the King and Queen following the attacksSheffield is visited by the King and Queen following the attacks
Sheffield is visited by the King and Queen following the attacks

The devastation changed the face of the city forever and flattened much of the city centre.

*The free Sheffield Blitz walking app can be downloaded on Playstore or the App Store.

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