Former Lord Mayor of Sheffield, Dr Sylvia Dunkley, dies aged 81

A commemorative service in the cathedral is planned.

The former Lord Mayor of Sheffield, Dr Sylvia Dunkley, has died at the age of 81.

placeholder image — Dr Sylvia Dunkley | Submitted

The news of the distinguished public servant and scholar’s passing on May 5 in the Royal Hallamshire Hospital comes after a short illness.

Trained as a bilingual secretary, she moved to Sheffield in 1982 with school-age children, and enrolled at Sheffield University to study history, winning first class honours followed by a PhD.

After working as a tutor at the University, she was elected to the SCC in 1995, even while helping her husband run a new engineering business, Atomising Systems Ltd from 1993, where she controlled all office, personnel, and accounting functions.

The former Lord Mayor of Sheffield, Cllr Sylvia Dunkley, welcomes Reda Johnson and other players and their families to the Town Hall, May 9, 2012 | Local Library

The company now employs 80 staff in Darnall and exports over 90% of its production.

On the council, in addition to working for constituents (and earning the largest personal majority in the city) she was on the planning committee and took a great interest in the conservation of historic buildings.

She was also a member of the South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Authority and chaired their pension fund. A member of two choirs, she promoted singing in schools and supported Music in the Round and Sheffield Theatres. Her planning and commercial nous enabled the construction of the new Ecclesall Library.

While Lord Mayor, she revived links with both Bochum in Germany, and with Bapaume in France, which her research revealed had been “adopted” by Sheffield as it was devastated in WW1 and was near the site of the Sheffield Pals battle. Funds had been raised for the “Maisons de Sheffield” houses and she visited both in office and on the centenary of the war to work on our historical links.

After retiring from the council in 2012, she continued her historical research, and was a noted speaker on the results of her work in the Sheffield Archives. She finally retired from the family company in 2024, and continued to support local musical life. She also supported local groups such as the Friends of the Porter Valley and of Millhouses Park.

A commemorative service in the cathedral is planned for Monday, June 15th at 1030. All are welcome to attend to celebrate her contribution to the city.

A reception will follow at the Cutlers’ Hall by invitation.