Edition 49

The newsletter of the Sheffield General Cemetery Trust September to December 2013

RESTORATION OF HISTORIC CHAPEL TO GO AHEAD

Sheffield General Cemetery Trust is delighted to announce that it has been awarded capital funding for the repair and restoration of the Cemeterys Nonconformist Chapel. It has won funding though the Architectural Heritage Fund (AHF) from the Challenge Fund for Historic Buildings at Risk, a capital fund supported by the Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation and English Heritage, which is specifically aimed at securing Grade I and Grade II* listed buildings in the UK. Additional grant funding has been awarded by WREN (Waste Recycling Environment Ltd) under their Heritage Fund programme, which together with a contribution from Sheffield City Council will enable this significant building to be removed from the English Heritage At Risk list and bring it back into use for the people of Sheffield. The Nonconformist or Dissenters Chapel stands in the centre of Sheffield's General Cemetery. After the Cemetery was closed for burials in the 1970s this handsome Grade II* listed building stood neglected for many years. Now the Sheffield General Cemetery Trust and South Yorkshire Buildings Preservation Trust are working together to bring it back to life. This remarkable building, designed by Samuel Worth and opened in 1836 is in classical style enhanced with elements of Egyptian architecture. It has a commanding position, within the beautiful listed landscape of the Cemetery, looking over the Porter Valley to Broomhill and beyond. Once restored and refurbished it has great potential as an educational, arts and cultural venue.
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Cllr Isobel Bowler (Cabinet Member for Culture Sport and Leisure at Sheffield City Council) said Many congratulations to the Cemetery Trust for securing this major grant funding. I am delighted that this special building will prevented from deteriorating further and restored back into use. The General Cemetery is a hidden gem in the City and once restored this building will encourage more people to come and visit it Ian Lush, Chief Executive of the AHF, commented: Pre-Victorian Cemeteries are an important part of our social history as well as having the potential to provide significant community facilities. The grant from our Challenge Fund will help the Trust to restore this important Chapel among the top 6% of listed buildings in England and give it a sustainable and viable future for the people of Sheffield. Peter Cox, managing director of WREN, said: Were delighted to support the restoration of Sheffield Cemeterys Chapel and look forward to seeing the project progress. At WREN we are dedicated to making a real difference to peoples lives by awarding grants to community, environmental and heritage projects across the UK. It is so important to protect significant historical sites such as the chapel to ensure that they can be appreciated by future generations. For further details please contact Mike Pye, Lead Trustee on 07944939340, or Mike Clarke, Trust Chairman 0114 230 6908 or email us at sgct@gencem.org. Keep up to date with news about the restoration at gencem.org/ncc by Mike Pye, Trustee

M EMBERSHIP R ENEWAL
Please note the membership period is from the 1st January to the 31st December and costs 8 per person per year if your membership is renewed before the end of this year you will get the following year included. Your 8 goes towards supporting the work of volunteers, improving the landscape as a safe and enjoyable place for people to visit and supporting the work of volunteers carrying out burial research and helping the public in their family history research.

N EWSLETTER D ELIVERY
We offer the newsletter in electronic form. If you wish to receive it this way rather than by post then please email us at sgct@gencem.org. Receiving the newsletter electronically reduces our printing and postage costs, with the savings going to support volunteer and running costs.
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C ARVING THE S TONE S PIRAL

The stones of the Stone Spiral and those sitting outside the Gatehouse are representative of the many used in the Cemetery for its buildings, monuments and gravestones. On the same day as some of our upcoming events you will find stonemason Steve Roche carving in to the stones their type, provenance and age. Visit rochestone.co.uk to see more of Steves projects and see gencem.org/events.php for upcoming events.

This project has been funded by the Geologists Association through their Curry Fund geologistsassociation.org.uk
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GERMAN LINKS
There are several people of German origin in the cemetery, but one of the most imposing tombstones belongs to the Hiller family (H 163-4) with its prominent pillar and, intriguingly, the quotation Ernst ist das lieben (Life is serious Schiller), carved in Gothic script beneath the name of Louis Hiller. Louis died in 1870, but despite anti German feeling generated in the two world wars, the stone miraculously remains undamaged. Also in the grave are his wife, son, and several grandchildren, all born in Yorkshire. Louis was born and brought up in Knzelsau Wrttemberg, Germany. The river Kocher flowed through the town which was surrounded by hills covered in vines and fruit trees. Yet two cousins on his fathers side left this idyllic spot for Sheffield and in 1832, on a visit home, persuaded Louis and his brother George to come too, which Louis did a year later when he was 21, leaving an older brother to take over his fathers business. Sheffield was growing rapidly as the industrial revolution accelerated and many Germans from that region came to the north to set up as pork butchers, realising that this urban boom created a market for prepared meat. Each immigrant, once established, served as a conduit for others, providing opportunities to other young Germans as apprentices or servants. Thus brothers John (BB 94) and Henry (W 149) Hiller came first, each setting up as pork butchers; from 1851 John was in Market Street and Henry in Wilkinson Street. By 1845 their cousin Louis was established at 36 South Street, Moor, and his younger brother George had a shop at Barkers Pool, Fargate. Later Louis left South Street for his son, John Frederick, his only child, to develop, while he himself moved to Broad Street, Park before retiring to Nether Edge with his wife, Fanny. Louis was a well respected pillar of the community: a sermon occasioned by his death, which could be purchased for twopence, was entitled: For he was a good man. Acts XI, 24. We are told he was not a perfect man, he had his failings and infirmities but [he was] a good man Good in principle good in purpose good in practice. Louis was attached to Eyre Street Chapel, taught at the Sunday school, conducted the singing, and later become a deacon. He was exceedingly kind and generous to poorer members of the church none asking in vain if [he] could possibly grant the request. He also became the treasurer and was frequently called upon to advance large sums of money, which he always did most liberally and cheerfully.
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Ernst ist das lieben

It must therefore have come as a dreadful shock in 1867 to find himself named as the thief arrested for stealing 11 flitches of bacon , in the Sheffield and Rotherham Independent, a clear case of mistaken identity. An exasperated Louis wrote to the editor: I am exceedingly obliged to you for inserting a small paragraph in the local news of yesterday, to correct the impression that I am the Louis Hiller who is connected in the above robbery. The Louis Hiller charged with the offence did live in South Street Park and is no relation of mine, and I do not know I ever spoke to him. If you had put in your Mondays paper South Street, Park instead of South Street, Moor, it would have saved me from a great deal of unpleasantness which I shall have to bear for some time to come. Your paper is widely circulated, and I am well known, both by name and also my character. I have been asked and even charged for the sad offence of which I am innocent. Yours truly, Louis Hiller Louis son John Frederick, a volunteer organist at Eyre Street Chapel, proved a worthy successor to the pork butcher business in South Street. In The Centurys Progress: Yorkshire Industry and Commerce 1893, John is given a long and approving entry. Established in 1826 (presumably by Henry, with whom Louis first went into partnership), it was a large, attractive, single fronted shop with storage and slaughtering houses at the rear remarkable for their perfect cleanliness. His hams were pronounced by connoisseurs to be without equal and he had a good reputation throughout the country for his polonies, sausages and pork pies. Thanks to the Parcel Post he sent large quantities every week all over the UK, including London. John and his wife Annie had six children. Their youngest child Bernard died as a baby (H163) and their eldest son Carl also became a pork butcher. But this generation began to explore other ways of making a living. Johns second son Walpole became a solicitor and set up business in Sheffield, which was continued by his son Lippe. Walpoles obituary describes him as a solicitor and all round sportsman famed for football, being twice selected to play for Derbyshire. He was a founder member of the Sharrow Cycling Club and a well known swimmer. He is buried in I 76 with his second wife. The third son, Clement Percy (H163-4) became a silversmith, and his son, who was killed in the First World War, a mining engineer. By 1907 there are no pork butchers with the name of Hiller listed in the directories. It was work which had enabled the first generation to establish themselves in their adopted country, but succeeding generations were able to make other choices. by Shirley Baxter - Volunteer Burial Researcher and Gardener Photo by Michael Skillington
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THE CATACOMB CATASTROPHE

Last winters hard weather took its toll and in spring part of the Catacomb wall (a Grade II Listed Building) collapsed and another longer section bulged dangerously by the main path. Temporary fencing was erected to restrict access to the unsafe structures, but it was not until mid July that Kier, acting on behalf of the Council, got a contractor on site. It then became clear that a proper repair was not intended, merely a temporary shoring up of the unsafe structures. That work is now done but at great cost to the amenity of the area and the character of the Cemetery (a Grade II* listed landscape).

In the course of the work the ornamental bed by the wall was completely destroyed. Quite unnecessarily, rubble, mortar and uprooted plants were dumped on the adjacent Memorial Garden, burying and damaging the plants and soil there. Heavy metal fencing was leant against mature shrubs and trees, damaging branches. The site was not left in a clean and tidy condition. Adequate site supervision was not given by Kier or the Council. Their officers accepted these faults when they met Trust representatives on site on the 23rd August. The gardening volunteers were shocked and saddened to see their work devastated. The lack of care shown throughout this sad episode is symptomatic, we feel, of a gen6

eral lack of commitment by the Council to the Sheffield General Cemetery. The Cemetery is well used and much loved by residents and visitors, yet it does not even appear on the Councils website list of parks and open spaces. The Councils contribution is limited to cutting the grass in the open area of the site, weed-treating the paths and some tree work. The Trusts officers and volunteers do all the other work on the site including planting and maintaining the attractive Memorial Garden near the Gatehouse as well as clearing overgrown vegetation around the monuments and paths in the more natural areas (and much more !). The unsightly shoring up and fencing remain in place. The shoring is necessary for the safety of the public and the listed structure, but we wonder just how long this temporary solution will remain - temporary solutions have a habit of becoming permanent. In general, we are anxious that the Council does more to work with the Trust to help maintain the Cemetery grounds. These points have been made in a letter from the Trust Chairman to councillors and council officers. by Jo Meredith and Jo Pye

R ECRUITING FOR T RUSTEES

The Sheffield General Cemetery Trust is looking to appoint new Trustees who would be interested in helping develop the project for the restoration of the Non-Conformist Chapel. Specific expertise in building projects, finance, business and events would be helpful. Any interested parties should contact Mike Clarke (SGCT Chairman) at the Cemetery Gatehouse (address on page 8) with a covering letter and CV. Mike Clarke, Chair of SGCT

- U PCOMING F REE E VENTS MUSHROOMS & TOADSTOOLS FREAKY FUN FOR HALLOWEEN HISTORICAL TOUR AGM BUILDING &
Sunday 20th October - 12.30pm - Ziggy and Steve will be leading another fungal foray amongst the gravestones! Thursday 31st October - 3 to 5.30pm - Join in with making Halloween lanterns, wands and masks at the Gatehouse. A fun event for children and families. Sunday 3rd November and Sunday 1st December at 2pm Learn about the residents and history of the Cemetery on this regular guided walk. Thursday 21st November - 7.30 to 9.00 - The Trusts Annual General Meeting will be at the Lansdowne Chapel, Cemetery Road, S11 followed by a Members meeting.

Sunday 24th November - 2pm - Andrew Whitham from the ARCHITECTURE South Yorkshire Buildings Preservation Trust will be leading a TOUR walk featuring the Gatehouse and Nonconformist Chapel.

CHRISTMAS WREATH MAKING

Saturday 14th December - 1 to 3pm - With childrens crafts and free refreshments. All materials sourced from the Cemetery site.

All our events are free to attend but we do welcome donations. We provide free refreshments!
Unless stated otherwise, events start at the Cemetery Gatehouse, at the end of Cemetery Avenue off Ecclesall Road, S11 8NT. You can keep up to date with our events by visiting www.gencem.org/events.php

You can now follow us on Twitter

@SheffieldGenCem

This edition of Undertakings was edited by Alex Quant. Contributors were Mike Clarke, Jo Pye, Jo Meredith, Mike Pye, Michael Skillington and Alex Quant.
The Sheffield General Cemetery Trust, The Gatehouse, Cemetery Avenue, Sheffield S11 8NT 0114 268 3486 - sgct@gencem.org - www.gencem.org - Charity Number 1103158 The cost of production and printing of this newsletter is supported by The Co-operative Membership Community Fund 8