A to Z of Sheffield Part 2: 13 amazing facts and pieces of trivia that might surprise you
There are many things that Sheffield is known for such as its industrial history and beloved professional football teams, but there are also a whole host of facts and pieces of trivia about the city that might surprise you.
By Sarah Marshall
Published 10th Dec 2020, 12:30 BST
Scroll through and see how many facts you’re already aware of.
Part 1 features facts referring to the letters A – M, and please let us know if you think of any facts about Sheffield that aren’t included in either part but should be.
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Thank you to all who support local journalism with a digital or print subscription to The Star. The events of 2020 mean trusted, local journalism is more reliant than ever on your support. We couldn't do it without you. Subscribe here www.thestar.co.uk/subscriptions so we can keep campaigning on your behalf. Stay safe.
5. R - Record-breaking rainbow
An incredible rainbow that shone over Sheffield for more than six hours on March 14, 1994 led to the city holding the world record for the longest shining bow for more than 20 years. Students at the University of Sheffield reported seeing it in place between 9am until 3pm. The record was beaten by Taiwan's capital, Taipei, in 2017 when an unbroken rainbow was spotted there for nine hours. Experts claimed the Taiwanese bow was visible from 7am to 4pm. Image: Picture Sheffield. Photo: R - Record-breaking rainbow
The place name Sheffield has Old English origins and derives from the River Sheaf, which is a corruption of shed or sheth, the meaning of which is to divide or separate. Field is a generic suffix from feld, which means forest clearing. Photo: S - Sheffield etymology
Tina Turner's 50th anniversary tour finished at what is now the FlyDSA Arena on May 5, 2009 - which turned out to be the star’s last live concert. Turner has now retired from performing.
Photo: Miguel Villagran/Getty Images Photo: T - Tina Turner's final gig
Sheffield has two universities: The University of Sheffield and Sheffield Hallam University. The history of the former dates back to the creation of the Sheffield School of Medicine in 1828, which subsequently amalgamated with Firth College and Sheffield Technical College to form the University of Sheffield. Sheffield Hallam University can trace its roots back to 1848 when the Sheffield School of Design was formed to provide skilled designers to Britain’s industry. Photo: U - Universities