A Happy New Year to all our followers and supporters.
Keep your memories and photographs coming. Any subject much appreciated – village scenes, school photographs, village events etc. etc. from any era.
Send us your article (with photographs if possible) with your memories of Killamarsh for inclusion in our Killamarsh People section.
Email to enquiries@killamarsh.org
We look forward to hearing from you.
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We would like to thank Rod Auton and the Chesterfield Canal Trust for giving their permission for us to include the following article and photographs on our website. I am sure that all those who remember the canal in the Norwood area will be interested to read the latest news on the canal project and to see the wonderful photographs.
NORWOOD TUNNEL REVEALS ITS SECRETS
The Canal & River Trust aims to inspect all its tunnels every ten years. Our own Norwood Tunnel was due for inspection last year, but this was deferred. We thought that it was not to be done until December this year, so you can imagine our delight when we heard that it had been brought forward to the end of August.
We were asked not to make any announcements beforehand because C&RT did not want the place to be overrun, nor for uninvited guests to break in. They did however say that they would allow a strictly limited number of Trust members to enter. They said that some of their staff would also be entering.
We agreed that our Work Party would be the first in line, plus a few others including long term campaigners and those with specialist knowledge. Stephen Hardy, the C&RT Press Officer, did a superb job inviting the media. Both BBC Look North and ITV Calendar sent camera teams. Both went for trips inside and there were pieces on both channels that night. BBC Radio Sheffield sent a reporter and her piece hit the airwaves a couple of days later.
The previous day (Monday, 22nd August), some contractors broke down the wall that seals off the tunnel and built some steps and a handrail down from the towpath. I went to have a preliminary peek and was stunned at how good the tunnel’s brickwork appeared to be. On the Tuesday morning, the C&RT tunnel inspectors went in for a preliminary survey and set up a communication system – phones and radios do not work.
They had brought a small inflatable boat with an electric outboard motor with room for three people. Given that one had to be an engineer, there could only be two passengers at a time. The trips then started. The media went first, then the C&RT staff.
Richard Parry, the Chief Executive of C&RT, asked the engineer how the tunnel measured up to the other tunnels that are in use every day. The reply came that it was in much better condition than many of them.
Wednesday dawned hot and sunny. The engineers went in first to finish their inspection work. Then it was our turn. I was lucky enough to be on the first trip, because I had been given a special camera to make a video.
It was stunning. The brickwork is superb, except for a few cracks in the mortar that can be easily repaired. It was cool – very welcome – and the stalactites at around 100 metres in were amazing – some nearly a metre long. Every 10 metres, the distance from the portal is painted on the wall, so you always know where you are. We went to 440 metres in, which is as far as boats can go. There is then a sunken pan and then a layer of silt. Apparently the first roof collapse is about 50 metres from Hard Lane. There is no room to turn the inflatable round, so you reverse in and go forwards on the way back. Turning round, I was amazed at how close the portal seemed. The tunnel has slight waves in the walls, notably at 200 metres in, but these are not noticeable at a distance – it appears to be dead straight.
The engineers carry an air monitor with them in the boat which beeps continually. Periodically, they report back to the guys at the portal saying where they are, what they are doing and what the readings are on the monitor.
When we arrived back at the portal, I was amazed to discover that we had been gone for nearly half an hour – it felt like five minutes.
On the Thursday, the tunnel was again bricked up. We can only hope that it will be a lot less than ten years before it is next opened and that it will not be subsequently resealed at all.
We are very grateful to C&RT for allowing us to visit the tunnel. Like their lock open days, this is a sign of how they are opening up their operations to the public. They are to be congratulated upon such enterprise – long may it continue.
Rod Auton Chesterfield Canal Trust
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SATURDAY 10TH OF DECEMBER 2016
10.00 AM TO 5.00 PM
THE FESTIVAL OF CHRISTMAS TREES
AT ST GILES CHURCH, KIRKCROFT LANE, KILLAMARSH
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COLIN HITCHINS has put a message under the photograph on the Photo Gallery of the children at Killamarsh Endowed School in 1959.
Colin (who is on the photograph) says it would be good to know what happened to everyone. I know that some of you are still in Killamarsh (and also elsewhere).
It would be lovely to have your messages for Colin (you can put them on the Memory Bank).
Photograph taken around 1959.
NAMES – UNLESS YOU KNOW BETTER!
On photo: Standing (left to right): Pat Marshall, Marilyn Hall, Keith Hilton, Pat Driver, Paula Beedham, Chris Tatlow, Ann Levick, Graham Marsden, Joyce Woolley, Steve Shaw, Elaine Jennings, Paul Rotherham, Michael Howe, Alan Pressley, John Jennings, Steve Tongue
Kneeling/Sitting : Joan Barker, Wendy Hillaby, John Bickers, Pat Taylor, Peter Collins, Linda Sewell, Brian Smith, Colin Hitchins, Arnold Chapman, Evan Davis, Jimmy Whiteley.
Front row: Glenda Gascoigne, Sandra Hurst, June Allen, Carol Smith, Pat Hemstock, Lynn Brookes, Brenda Hutchings.
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KILLAMARSH CHARITY GROUP
The Killamarsh Charity Group would like to thank everyone for their support and contributions to our third Time for Tea event which we held on Saturday 21st May to raise funds for the Weston Park Hospital Cancer Charity.
The final figure raised has now been confirmed as £965.95.
We would like to thank all those who baked and donated the wonderful cakes which everyone really enjoyed.
Thank you also to the local businesses who supported our event including donating raffle prizes:
The Crown Picture Parade The Bear Emporium The Co-op Ozmen Local Sheffield United Football Club Owlerton Stadium Everest Tandoori Wilkinsons Marks and Spencer Boots the Chemist Makro Sheffield Wednesday Football Club
We would also especially like to thank the many people who once again supported us by coming along for coffee and cake – we were overwhelmed by how many people came along and enjoyed the lovely atmosphere and contributed to our total.
We know this is a charity local people wish to support, which was shown by the lady who wasn’t able to attend but donated a generous cheque, the lady who couldn’t stay for coffee but came to the door and gave us a generous donation, and the lady who spoke to one of our members the day before and very emotionally explained that she had lost her Mum to cancer recently and then came along to the event bringing with her a cake she had baked. We also know that many people had their own reasons for attending and supporting the event. We thank you all – you know who you are.
Thank you all once again, and let’s do it all again next year.
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THE BARROW HILL ENGINE SHED SOCIETY SOCIAL EVENINGS 2016
The Barrow Hill Engine Shed Society will be holding social evenings on the following dates during 2016:
21st July 2016 – Andy Barclay – The Peter Fox Collection Part 3
18th August 2016 – John Zabernik – 125 Group Preserving The High Speed Train
15th September 2016 – GB Productions – Steaming Through Britain
20th October 2016 – Gavin Lake – Travels With A 645
17th November 2016 – Les Nixon – From The West Riding To South Yorkshire (And A Bit Of Derbyshire)
15th December 2016 – Christmas Social
Until further notice, all meetings will be held at the Chesterfield Canal Trust’s ‘Hollingwood Hub’ which is roughly half a mile from the Roundhouse (nearby the site of the former Staveley Works GCR station). (Postcode S43 2PF for Sat Nav). Doors open at 19:00, presentations start at 19:30 and finish around 22:00. Entrance charges are £2.00 for BHESS members and £3.00 for non-members.
Further information can be found on www.barrowhill.org or on the Barrow Hill facebook page.Contact can be made via beardspaul@aol.com (the organiser).
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For the third year running, the Killamarsh Charity Group will be holding a Time for Tea event in the Methodist Church Hall on Sheffield Road (entrance in the Aldi Car Park) from 10.00 am to 4.00 pm, to raise funds for the Weston Park Hospital Cancer Charity.
Come along and join us for Tea, Coffee or Juice and a delicious piece of cake.
There will be a raffle, a Tombola plus other stalls.
Weston Park Hospital Cancer Charity exists to make a difference for people living with cancer by supporting cancer research and improving cancer treatment and care. One in three people are affected by cancer at some stage during their lifetime, so this is even more crucial than ever.
Everyone is touched by cancer, either themselves or a family member or friends and many people in the area need the services provided by Weston Park Hospital.
So come along and join us and help us raise as much money as we can for this very worthwhile charity.
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David Dennis would like to thank us for the message on our website wishing him a Happy 60th Birthday on Tuesday (10th May).
David would also like to thank everyone for their cards and presents and also thank you to the members of Killamarsh Heritage Society for the birthday cake.
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On Sunday 24th of April, Russell Cooper of Coopers Tours in Killamarsh won the title of ‘Coach Driver of the Year’ at the UK Coach Rally 2016 in Blackpool.
Congratulations Russsell.
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We have been informed this afternoon of the death on Wednesday 13th of January 2016 at the age of 97 of Miss Joan Tomkin who was a teacher at Killamarsh Endowed School for many years.
Many of you will remember Miss Tomkin and will have benefitted from her teaching.
Our thoughts are with her family at this time.
I am sure some of you would like to put your memories of your time in Miss Tomkin’s classes on our Memory Bank.
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