Sheffield is blessed with a wealth of historic pubs, many of which were named after influential figures and events from the era in which they were created.
Over the last few decades, the Steel City has earned a reputation for its brilliant boozers and breweries; and more recently, for the community of micro pubs selling some of the country’s best – and most potent – ales.
But some of the city’s most memorable pubs, such as the Cremorne and Brown Bear date back much further, and have been serving the people of Sheffield for more than a century.
Many of Sheffield’s most historic pubs have names that reflect the time in which they were established.
Here, we take you through the etymology of some of the more unusual monikers.
1. Unusual Sheffield pub names
Many of Sheffield’s most historic pubs have names that reflect the time in which they were established | Adobe/third party
2. The Cremorne
The London Road boozer dates back to the 19th century and is believed to have been named after a famous racehorse which won the Derby in 1872. Picture: Marie Caley Photo: Marie Caley
3. The Bessemer
Located on Leopold Street, The Bessemer was named after Henry Bessemer who was an inventor and became an integral figure in Sheffield's steel industry after moving to the city in 1858. Picture: Google Photo: Google
4. Fagan's
The iconic pub is named after the long-serving landlord, Joe Fagan, although it was never called that while he was at the helm. It was renamed Fagan's by his successors, Tom and Barbara Boulding, shortly after they took over in 1985. The couple retired after 38 years in January 2023, but were insistent they did not want to the pub to be renamed Boulding's when they departed. It has since been re-opened by a consortium of well-known Sheffielders, which includes Arctic Monkeys drummer Matt Helders. | NW