'Time to link-up Sheffield landmark Meersbrook Hall and Crimean war memorial after years of neglect'
One has been empty for nearly a decade, with Sheffield residents worried about its deteriorating condition.
The other is a former city landmark, fallen from its once lofty position in the city and now all but forgotten and hidden away for 20 years.
Now, as talks start over the future of Meersbrook Hall, one of Sheffield’s local historians who gives talks on the city’s heritage, thinks it is time to bring the historic building, and the city’s former Crimean War Memorial, together as part of any future plans.
He wants to see the memorial sited into the grounds of a restored hall - but says locals have been told there is no money available.
Martin Naylor, who has previously campaigned for a plaque on the site of the former Marples Hotel, a former Sheffield landmark which was destroyed in the blitz, says the hall and the memorial are both linked to an important figure in British history - Florence Nightingale.
While she is famed for her work as a nurse in the Crimean War, it is less well known that Ms Nightingale spent some of her childhood at Meersbrook Hall, when visiting her great grandfather, its then owner Samuel Shore.
She was among those who donated to the cost of the Sheffield memorial.
Mr Naylor said:“Both are grade two listed, and both are gradually fading into obscurity.
He said of Meersbrook Hall: “Construction began in 1759 and for many years this property was the home of the Shore family. It was one of the grandest of the homes on the southern side of Sheffield and later became the Ruskin Museum, before being taken over by Sheffield City Council as home to the Parks and Countryside Department.
“In 2016, the department moved out. The doors are now closed and locked, and the building is slowly sliding into dereliction.
“The local community is desperately trying to revive the place - but there is simply no money available.”
Of the Crimean War monument, he added: “Originally, the monument stood at Moorhead; a tall stone column with a statue of Victory on the top and two captured Russian cannons at its base.
“In the 1960’s, road widening meant it had to go. The stones of the tower were scattered on a housing estate, the cannons were melted down and sold as scrap, and the statue was moved to the Botanical Gardens.
“In 2004 the Gardens were upgraded and the statue was crated up and put into storage, apparently in some five pieces!
“It has not been seen since, and it won’t be - as there is simply no money available.”
Describing the Florence Nightingale link between the two he added: “Her great grandfather was Samuel Shore, and she often spent her younger years in the house and gardens of Meersbrook Hall.
“As for the Crimean War Monument; this was paid for by subscription from Sheffield people, who were proud of it.
“Florence Nightingale herself donated, no doubt due to her connection and affection for Sheffield and Meersbrook Hall!
“Maybe one day that statue could be taken back out of storage and re-sited in Meersbrook Park, near a restored Meersbrook Hall?”
Sheffield Council says ‘positive conversations’ over the future of the hall are at an early stage,
It told The Star in a statement: “Sheffield City Council is working closely with Friends of Meerbrook Park and a group of local residents in the Meersbrook area to explore potential ideas and proposals for the use of the historic Meerbrook Hall.
“These positive conversations are in the very early stages, but when there is more information to be shared, the local community will be updated.”
The first of these public meetings on the future of the hall was held on February 13, with 46 people attending.
Organisers have now called for another meeting, saying they were “absolutely astonished” at the response to a call-out for people to get involved in helping to shape its future and bring it back into some form of community use.
The first meeting was held at St Paul’s Church in Norton Lees, with those present including Gleadless Valley ward councillor Marieanne Elliot, Councillors Kurtis Crossthorn and Laura Moynahan, who are chair and deputy chair of the council’s communities, parks and leisure policy committee, and Tom Smith, council director of communities and engagement.
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Now, 51 people have joined a mailing list and 34 have offered their skills to help try to bring the building, which is in need of extensive repairs, back to life.
One of the meeting organisers, Andy Kershaw, said people made it absolutely clear that they do not want thebuilding sold off and that it should be reopened to the public with access to toilets”.
After council staff were moved out in 2015, the keys were handed over to the Friends of Meersbrook Hall and Heeley Development Trust (now Heeley Trust).
The hall has been closed for the past three years after the trust failed to secure a long-term lease for the building, where it had mainly run adult education classes.
The next meeting, planned for Tuesday, March 10 at 6pm in St Paul’s Church, Angerford Avenue, will discuss the next steps. For more information, email [email protected]