Thursday 2 February 2012

City Forefathers

On my walk around Sheffield on Sunday morning, I tried to find things that I have not seen before, so first I looked up - and saw a plaque for John Brown. I had heard of John Brown and some of the companies he started but I never realised his fascinating history. The city has many of these plaques that I have never even noticed before, so I shall endeavour to learn more about the great people who made our city. This one was on the wall outside of Waterstones in Orchard Square.

Then I looked down - and discovered this in the pavement on the top of the main shopping street - Fargate. I must have walked over this loads of times. I had never heard of Percy Riley, so I tried to find something about him on the internet. I struggled, but I did find THIS PIECE that explains what Tenants Leaders did in South Yorkshire. If you have time to read the full document, its fascinating - and also seems to tie everything together that I have seen and done this week - from going to see The Iron Lady, to understanding what the Occupy Sheffield site is all about. As I get older, the more I realise that I am living "through" history and the history that has occurred over my life time, especially around where I live has started to fascinate me more and more.

Percy Riley sounds like he he was a good man with a fire in his belly. Does anybody know anything about him?


11 comments:

Diane said...

You amaze me how you manage to find things of interest new close at hand. t'other Diane

DeniseinVA said...

Lovely and interesting post.

Jo said...

Blogging certainly makes us open our eyes to what's around us, and we learn so much from it too.

Rosie said...

Fascinating history under your feet! Percy Riley does sound like a good man:)

elaine said...

I am originally from Sheffield and have been doing my family history for a couple of years - even though my ancestors were only lowly cutlers they were the people who made Sheffield what it was famous for - most of them died in their 30's - sadly these people don't get remembered with plaques.

Christy said...

I love when you share all the wonderful things you discover in your part of the world. To be surrounded by such rich history makes you a very lucky lady...and the fact that you share it all with us...makes us lucky too. Thanks once again for being my virtual tour guide. I just love these posts. :)

HippieGirl said...

You really did that to your house when Miami Vice came out?

Young at Heart said...

fascinating...... I love a good plaque.... had a real 'who do you think you are' moment in Margate last week.... the ancestor turned out to be a good man too!!

Rowan said...

I confess that I've never noticed either of these plaques! Next time I'm in town I shall look for them. It's an odd thing that in other towns and cities I look for things like this but not in Sheffield.

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