Sheffield Botanical Gardens Restored

By: Braeg Heneffe
Submitted: 2008-08-11 13:01:33
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The Gardens have recently been fully restored at a cost of approximately £6.69 million and they are the only Botanical Gardens in the country to have undertaken such a complete restoration. In order to access the generous Heritage Lottery Fund Award of £5.06 million, an additional 25% in matched funding was raised. The Gardens are the only public open space in the country where the voluntary sector has raised more than £1 million in matched funding. The Gardens’ staff and FOBS volunteers continue to develop the plantings throughout the Gardens. In the future, additional projects will be undertaken to further enhance the Gardens as a centre of horticultural excellence.
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough in South Yorkshire, England. It is so named because of its origins in a field on the River Sheaf that runs through the city.

In 1801, at the time of the first census Sheffield had a population of over 31,000. By the standards of the time it was a large town. By 1851 it had grown to over 135,000. Like all Victorian towns Sheffield was dirty and unsanitary. However even for the time Sheffield had a reputation as a grimy and dirty town (not surprising considering its heavy industries). In 1832 there was an outbreak of cholera which killed 402 people.

However not all the houses were slums. In the early 19th century a middle class suburb was built west of the town around Glossop Road.

In the working class areas the worst houses were back-to-backs. These houses were literally joined back to back without even an alley between them. In 1864 the authorities forbade the building of many more such houses. However those that had already been built remained.

There were, nevertheless some improvements during the 19th century. In 1818 an Act of Parliament formed a body of men called the Improvement Commissioners with powers to pave and clean the streets. They also formed a police force. From 1818 the street of Sheffield were lit by gas.

The Botanical Gardens were laid out in 1833. The first cemetery opened in 1836. In 1830 a corn exchange where grain could be bought and sold was opened (it was later rebuilt).

In 1832 a dispensary opened where the poor could obtain free medicines. The present Cutlers Hall was built in 1832. In 1836 the botanical gardens opened. At first they were privately owned but the council purchased them in 1898.

In 1843 Sheffield was given a charter (a document giving the townspeople certain rights). From then on Sheffield had an elected town council, which gradually took over the powers of the old Improvement Commissioners. Sheffield was made a city in 1893. The Town Hall was built in 1897.

Ruskin Gallery was founded in 1875. Mappin Art Gallery opened in 1887.

In the early 19th century a private company provided piped water. In 1859 they built a dam across Dale Dike. On March 11 1864 this dam burst. As a result 240 people drowned. The council took over the water supply in 1887. In the 1870s the council built sewers and drains. At first raw sewage was pumped into rivers but in 1886 a sewage treatment plant was built.

The first public library was built in 1856. From 1873 horse drawn trams ran in the streets. In 1899 the first electric trams ran in the streets of Sheffield. Mappin Art Gallery was built in 1887.

During the 19th century the old industries like iron continued to boom. In 1856 Thomas Bessemer invented a way of producing better quality steel. In 1858 he began producing steel in Sheffield. Button making flourished. However in 1840 a way was found to make silver plate by electroplating replacing the old Sheffield plate. Cutlery continued to be the dominant industry in Sheffield.

By 1900 the population of Sheffield was over 400,000. This was partly due to boundary changes. In 1921 the boundaries were extended to include Handsworth and Wadsley. In 1935 they were altered to include Totley, Dore, Beauchief and Greenhill.

The city has grown from its largely industrial roots to encompass a wide economic base. Sheffield obtained world-wide recognition during the 19th century for its production of steel. Many innovations in the industry were developed locally, including crucible and stainless steel. This fuelled an almost tenfold increase in the population during the Industrial Revolution. It gained its city charter in 1893 and became officially titled the City of Sheffield. International competition caused a decline in local industry during the 1970s and 1980s, and at the same time the nearby national coal industry collapsed, affecting Sheffield's population.

As one of the UK's top leisure destinations, attracting millions of visitors every year, Meadowhall offers a truly unique opportunity to be involved with one of the most exciting retail spaces in the country. The Centre provides an excellent platform for all marketing campaigns, with multi media opportunities in place to promote to a captive audience of over 400,000 visitors per week.

As one of the UK's top leisure destinations, attracting millions of visitors every year, Meadowhall offers a truly unique opportunity to be involved with one of the most exciting retail spaces in the country. Kitchen Appliances to Designer clothes, everything you could need is on offer. The Centre provides an excellent platform for all marketing campaigns, with multi media opportunities in place to promote to a captive audience of over 400,000 visitors per week.

This news came as a great surprise for local residents. See information on Sheffield Kitchens

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