portland works, Sheffield

Publicity!

2010-10-20T12:58:00.000-07:00

Now Then magazine October issue (download here, look for page 4 on the pdf) has an article about the share issue for the upcoming purchase of the works.

Portland Works After Dark

2010-07-20T07:14:00.000-07:00

Here are a couple of links to films of events we have hosted at Portland Works after dark!

http://www.youtube.com/user/HARMONICROOMS#p/u/22/TF8TShSBz0I
http://www.youtube.com/user/HARMONICROOMS#p/u/20/NTuoQ3RiKtU
http://www.youtube.com/user/HARMONICROOMS#p/u/28/kT3oeRuWARw
http://www.youtube.com/user/HARMONICROOMS#p/u/27/3VawPJcbBYU

Best wishes,
Fiona x

Management Structures

2010-06-09T08:29:00.000-07:00

I thought these links may be of interest. A chapter from the Urban Design Compendium (English Partnerships et al.), which details the different options for building management structures:

http://www.urbandesigncompendium.co.uk/Establishingmanagementstructures

And an HLF THI case study of Butcher Works:

http://www.hlf.org.uk/ourproject/Documents/Sheffield%20Quarter.pdf

All the best,

Si

---

Mr Simon Parris

Case Studies

2010-06-09T08:28:00.000-07:00

The Naples project is also covered in this website of case studies looking at
> social innovation in urban projects as part of an international research
> project.
>
> http://users.skynet.be/frank.moulaert/singocom/index2.html
>
> The site is (very) clunky to look at and use, but I think it might be a useful
> starting point to look at what you might want to do...they cover organisation
> structure and funding well I think, and their categories are clear (Why? How?
> What? How Long? Resources etc) but obviously could do with more, and better,
> images, and maybe some diagrams!
>
>
> Anna Holder

Porssible Funding Source

2010-06-09T08:27:00.000-07:00

Another possibility for funding (for longer term) I suspect - see this link:
http://www.thepilgrimtrust.org.uk/apply.php#funding-schemes

Nikky

Next Steering Group Meeting

2010-05-20T03:57:00.001-07:00

Our next steering group meeting will be at the later time of 6pm on Tuesday 1st June 2010. We will be in room one at the Old Junior School. Please send any agenda items to the usual email.

Thanks

Portland Works: Alternative Futures

2010-05-18T04:29:00.000-07:00

Portland Works Meeting: Tuesday 18th May 5pm

2010-05-17T07:36:00.000-07:00

The next Portland Works Meeting will be this Tuesday 18th May 5pm at Room 1, The Old Junior School, South View Road, Sheffield.

Please forward any agenda items to julia at Sharrow Forum.

BBC Website

2010-04-23T08:09:00.000-07:00

http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/sheffield/hi/people_and_places/newsid_8635000/8635300.stm

Listen to the audio and flick through the photo essay- they're fab!

Studio Polpo

2010-04-20T07:11:00.001-07:00

http://www.studiopolpo.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=99%3Aportland-works&Itemid=56

The Victorian Society

2010-04-20T07:08:00.001-07:00

http://www.victoriansociety.org.uk/news/rare_industrial_building_under_threat_from_insensitive_development/

More lovely photos...

2010-04-19T04:06:00.000-07:00

http://www.rotherham-images.co.uk/sheffield-gallery-six-%28a%29.htm

From Luis Arroyo

Portland Works Agenda Tuesday 20th April 5pm at Sharrow Community Forum

2010-04-19T03:11:00.001-07:00

Portland Works agenda Tuesday 20th April 5pm at Sharrow Community Forum

1. Introductions and apologies:
2. Update on Planning
3. Volunteer help
4. Bank Street Art and Access Space
5. Open days
6. City of culture bid
7. Funding- KTP and Yorkshire Forward
8. Vision and job description
9. Political support and Edward Highfield’s visit
10. Meeting with the Landlord and Building Preservation Trust
11. Any other business
12. Next meeting

Portland Works at Bank Street Arts on Radio Sheffield

2010-04-15T11:12:00.000-07:00

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p0078gbw/Rony_Robinson_15_04_2010/

1:12 in....

Portland Works Agenda

2010-04-06T07:14:00.000-07:00

Portland Works Agenda Tuesday 30th March 2010

1. Signing in and introductions
2. Apologies: Alan Deadman, Matthew Conduit, Alison Douglas, Clare Hughes
3. Bank St Arts exhibition
4. Open Days at Portland Works
5. Access Space exhibition
6. Sheffield City Council: Modern Mesters, Edward Highfield and Diana Buckley (visit to Portland 5th May 2010, 2pm)
7. LSDT directors
8. Building Preservation Trust/ Discussions with the Landlord
9. Any other items

We did not take detailed minutes for this meeting but if you have an enquiry about it or any other recent meeting, please do not hesitate to be in contact julia@sharrowcf.org.uk.

Portland Works at Bank Street Arts

2010-03-31T08:52:00.000-07:00

http://www.sharrowcf.org.uk/index.php?option=com_jevents&task=icalrepeat.detail&evid=200&Itemid=0&year=2010&month=04&day=10&uid=4fbfd0616d030f46776999a13bd77ba4

From Tuesday, 30 March 2010 - 10:00
To Saturday, 17 April 2010 - 17:00

Portland Works

A curated group exhibition designed to draw attention to the traditional skills practiced at Portland Works and the people whose livelihood depends on it continuing as a working/creative community. Portland Works is under threat of closure as one of Sheffield’s remaining small industrial works, because of plans to redevelop it as apartments and offices. This lively and diverse exhibition of art and craft is designed to engage Sheffield people in an awareness of their industrial heritage and its relevance to their lives. The exhibition blurs the boundaries between art and industry, situating the objects of production, both past and present in an art gallery context, for public viewing. It juxtaposes artefacts produced by craftspeople against artists’ responses to the objects and their environment in the form of paintings, photographs, installations, sculpture and film.

This exhibition runs from 30th March to 17th April

Nic Bate and Matt Risby

An installation comprising of video and sounds depicting one whole day in the working life of Portland Works. This comprises of multiple screens showing edited footage of the inhabitants of the Works; craftspeople, musicians, artists etc to portray the diversity and breadth of talent that exists there.

This exhibition runs from 30th march to 1st May, Tuesday-Saturday 10am-5pm

For more information, please contact Bank Street Arts on 0114 346 3034‎

Location : Bank Street Arts, S1 2DS‎

Portland works in Guardian G2 feature

2010-03-23T16:45:00.000-07:00

On the corner of Hill Street and Randall Street in Sheffield, not far from the Bramall Lane ground of Sheffield United (known, for a reason, as the Blades) is a large brick building called the Portland Works. Built in the 1870s, it is one of very few workshops still used by the city's surviving Little Mesters – the highly skilled, self-employed craftsmen who formed the backbone of what was, back then, the cutlery and tool-making capital of the world.
Sometime in late 1913, a metallurgist called Harry Brearley showed up at this building, hoping to interest a cutler who worked there, RF Mosley, in a shiny, chromium-heavy steel alloy he had discovered that seemed almost completely resistant to corrosion. Mosley was indeed interested, and soon enough the first stainless steel cutlery ever made left the Portland Works.
Next month, Sheffield city council's planning committee will consider an application to turn Portland Works into 66 studio apartments and some office space. The structure itself is Grade II* listed, and the development looks sympathetic enough. But if it goes ahead, the small group of present-day Little Mesters who occupy the Portland's warren of workshops – a knifemaker, a tool forger, a silver plater, an engraver, a die maker – will be gone, probably for good.
"I'd estimate that more people in the world today eat with stainless steel knives and forks than speak English," says Robin Wood, chair of a newly formed lobby group, the Heritage Crafts Association, which is being launched today at the Victoria & Albert museum. "You could argue it's our biggest cultural export. So it seems quite extraordinary that we can protect the bricks and mortar of a place like this, but not care in the least about the skills and craftsmanship that are so much of this city's culture and identity."
Modern Britain, it seems, is not much fussed about the skills and knowledge that exist only in the minds, eyes and hands of people who make things – our living vernacular heritage. We like them, in a rose-tinted, nostalgic kind of way, but we don't do much to support them.

Read the rest here
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2010/mar/22/heritage-crafts-at-risk

Skills for the Future: Heriatge Lottery Fund

2010-02-15T05:21:00.001-08:00

http://www.hlf.org.uk/HowToApply/programmes/Pages/skillsforthefuture.aspx

Yorkshire Post: Portland Works Article

2010-02-10T03:28:00.000-08:00

http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/features/The-paint-may-be-peeling.6053699.jp

Radio Sheffield: Portland Works

2010-02-10T03:27:00.001-08:00

Andy Cole of Wigful Tools was on Radio Sheffield yesterday, 9th February- the link to the show is here if you would like to listen: http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p0067r7q/The_Toby_Foster_Bigger_at_Breakfast_Show_09_02_2010/

Agenda: Tonights Meeting

2010-02-09T06:58:00.001-08:00

Portland Works Agenda Tuesday 9th February 2010

1. Update: Inc. Planning Board schedule, Planning Application, Publicity this week, Exhibition at Castle Market, Cllr Scriven Visit etc

2. Publicity: inc distribution of the posters etc

3. Bank Street Arts Exhibition

4. The Planning Board

5. The development and presentation of our vision

6. Any other business

7. Next meeting

Yorkshire Post

2010-02-08T06:49:00.001-08:00

There will be a feature on Portland Works in tomorrow's Yorkshire Post. I will try to post a copy of the article up here.

Pictures of Sheffield Old and New: Castle Market

2010-02-05T03:51:00.001-08:00

Many thanks to Hedley Bishop, Brian Hatch, Jim Lambert and Lillian Hatch who have taken some fantastic photogrpahs of Portland Works and created this display at Castle Market. They have also produced business cards for the businesses and created a petition against the Planning Application. Go down and see it and visit their facebook group 'Pictures of Sheffield Old and New' here.

Campaign update

2010-02-03T06:16:00.000-08:00

There are now over 120 written objections lodged with the Council. This is a fantastic response and we're heartened by the sheer number of people who've cared enough to put an objection together and submit it. On behalf of the campaign - thank you all of you, too many to name, it is all worthwhile and it has been a brilliant message of support to the campaign and above all the tenants.

Despite these objections however, it still; seems perfectly possible that consent to convert to flats could still be recommended, as there are only a few grounds for refusal UNDER PLANNING LAW, and the developers will undoubtedly have assurances to make and proposals to overcome these. And if consent is given, sooner or later the flats will be built.

The final decision will probably be made at the next Planning Board of City Councillors, during the next few weeks. Remember there are elections coming up in May! The next big effort concerns your local Councillors.

So please go to your local library (or sheffield.gov.uk) and check who the Councillors are for your area, write to them, email them, or even better go and see them at their regular surgeries, and make sure they know about Portland Works. We can still stop this!

Sheffield Telegraph Article

2010-02-03T02:52:00.000-08:00

There was an article in the Sheffield Telegraph on the Portland Wroks campaign last thursday january 25th. You can viiew it here: http://www.sheffieldtelegraph.co.uk/news/Modern-Little-Mesters-bid-to.6021977.jp

Invititation from Bank Street Arts to Portland Works

2010-02-02T07:34:00.000-08:00

Art Sheffield 2010 is taking place from 6 March to 1 May at selected venues in Sheffield City Centre. In response to the Festival, the gallery spaces at Bank Street are being emptied of work and our exhibition programme put on hold in the hope that interested parties will use the spaces to make work in response to the festival, to have their say, to comment, to discuss but most importantly to be active participants.

Bank Street Arts is offering artists, makers, the viewing public and anyone interested the opportunity to respond to this and previous festivals held under the ‘Art Sheffield’ banner for the duration of the festival. If you are interested in being kept up to date and being involved, please join the Facebook group:
'Art Sheffield 2010 - Over to You' at http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=267371049645&ref=mf&v=info
This is not a curated alternative fringe – it is something that will grow and evolve only through participation…. or alternatively, it won’t.

As this initiative is a response to Arts provision in general and a comment on its planning, financing, governance and politics (with a large or small p depending on your want) we can think of no more deserving or worthy cause in the city at the moment than the Portland Works issue which seems to encapsulate all of these matters. So if artists, film-makers indeed anyone at or connected with PW is interested in getting involved we would be happy to focus part of our efforts on raising the profile of this campaign in some way - we await your suggestions.

Over to You.
www.bankstreetarts.com

objecting to the planning application

2010-01-27T06:42:00.000-08:00

Some poeple have been having a bit of trouble with objecting... try this: emailing the case officer Trevor Sullivan directly, on trevor.sullivan@sheffield.gov.uk or...ideally (so we dont clog up his inbox and totally alienate him)

It should also be easy if you follow this link: http://planning.sheffield.gov.uk/publicaccess/tdc/dcapplication/application_comments_entryform.aspx?caseno=JYUXQGNYFY000 Hope that this helps...

Saturday Guardian, 23rd January 2010 Work Section: Ablett Tools John Street Conservation Area

2010-01-27T04:28:00.000-08:00

Portland Works Steering Group Meeting Tonight

2010-01-26T01:22:00.000-08:00

There will be a steering group meeting tonight at 5pm at the Old Junior School. Please RSVP if you intend to attend. Thanks

Our Vision for the Works

2010-01-24T23:06:00.000-08:00

Broad Aims/ Vision as agreed at the 12 Jan public meeting

Portland Works should have

1. Affordable small scale workshops and business space for creative and manufacturing activities.
2. A broad range of businesses and individuals maintained (metalwork, furniture, art, music, light industry and crafts). People who make things! Continuing the rich existing community. Encouragement for start-up businesses.
3. A public profile: regular open days and/or a dedicated part of the building to demonstrate its heritage. Galvanise festival is a possible model. Also provision for school visits.
4. An education/ training facility established. Possibly aimed at high skill, specialist training rather than ‘start of the ladder’. Links with Sheffield College and Freeman College. Apprenticeships with the different crafts onsite.

What do you think?

old news?

2010-01-18T08:30:00.000-08:00

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/south_yorkshire/3582971.stm
http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/localnews/Cutlery-works-change-opposed.4987000.jp

Next meeting: Portland Works forward planning meeting

2010-01-11T04:52:00.000-08:00

The next meeting to discuss the planning applciation and alternative futures for Portland Works will be Tuesday 12th January at 5pm in the Sharrow Suite, Sharrow Community Forum, The Old Junior School, South View Road, Sheffield. (Please see our website for a map: www.sharrowcf.org.uk)

Please RSVP if you intend to attend, sharrow_action@hotmail.com

Thanks,

planning objections and historic information

2009-12-14T05:43:00.000-08:00

Sirs,

At a time when the Regional Development Agency, Yorkshire Forward, and Sheffield Council are justifiably proud of the efforts they have made to establish a high technology metalworking cluster on the Advanced Manufacturing Park at Orgreave, I am dismayed to find that they may be willing to extinguish an existing and equally important centre of excellence in metalworking at Portland Works. Whilst the building, in part, may be preserved by conversion to flats, the jobs and skills within it will not. I am currently undertaking a PhD at Sheffield University, studying the historical role of steel and developing new techniques for processing steel. Nowhere else, not even in the University or on the AMP, can I find the necessary skills required to help me in my work. I can find them at Portland Works. I can take metal ingots there, have them indelibly engraved with reference numbers, have the same ingots worked down to strip and then that strip made into tools and cutting edges. Under the same roof.

I am not the first to use their services: almost a hundred years ago Harry Brearly took his first stainless ingots there to have test cutlery manufactured. Does Sheffield really want to throw away such a heritage for the sake of a few more flats ?

Yours faithfully,

Stephen Cater.

New information on objections

2009-12-06T03:16:00.000-08:00

Writing objections -the campaign 'hub' portlandworks.co.uk now has full information on how to make a really cracking objection! This will help make sure you hit one of the 'material considerations' for it to really count.
Finally, if someone wants a job, here's a question. How many flats and 'studio apartments' under £100 000 are on the market sale or rent in Sheffield right now? If someone can trawl rightmove and email an approximate answer to me, I'd be delighted! Planning could use the information... derekmor@googlemail.com

To object online, please follow this link:

http://planning.sheffield.gov.uk/publicaccess/tdc/DcApplication/application_detailview.aspx?caseno=JYUXQGNYFY000

Post from Robin Wood re: City Culture Strategy

2009-11-30T07:32:00.000-08:00

> On monday I attended an open consultation on Sheffields Culture
> strategy and the bid for UK city of culture 2013.
>
> The event started with 30 minutes of open microphone when everyone
> present stood up and said what they wanted included in the new strategy.
> can you believe 25 minutes talk about Sheffield's culture without
> mentioning steel or cutlery?
>
> I said my piece and will follow up in writing to try to ensure these
> are included in the draft strategy. 2013 is the centenary of Harry
> Brearly's discovery of stainless, was it the same year he had it made
> into cutlery at Portland? We should publicise that.
>
> Robin

New Portland Works Website

2009-11-30T07:11:00.000-08:00

There is a new website for information on Portland Works here: http://www.portlandworks.co.uk/

This blog will still run in parallel to it...

Galvanised Festival- Portland Works...

2009-11-27T02:10:00.000-08:00

Hello,

If anyone wants to visit Portland Works the Galvanised Festival is next Wednesday afternoon... You need to book in: 0114 2734427

Letter in Sheffield Telegraph

2009-11-26T08:45:00.000-08:00

I wrote this letter to the Sheffield Telegraph last week when I first heard about Portland Works. Since then I've found out a lot more and I'd like to help with the Campaign. The letter is printed in the 26 November issue - here's the text for those of you unlucky enough to live out Sheffield!

Dear Editor

I was privileged last week to visit Portland Works on Randall Street, as part Sheffield's splendid 'Galvanised' Festival. Few of us in Sheffield perhaps realise what an extraordinary place this is, one of a few surviving complexes of workshops near the city centre which is still. unbelievably, occupied by traditional craftsmen and manufacturers of tools, still in business doing things the way that made Sheffield famous. To see steel being forged, ground and polished into fine and useful tools, and to see the work of a master knife maker, made me proud to live in Sheffield. To see a gentleman, Ray I believe he's called, forging steel as he has done for his working life of sixty years is humbling.

Despite the building's appearance - it seems at first sight to be in advanced decay - it is almost fully occupied by working craftspeople, as well as representatives of a more recent industry, rock bands, who use the space for rehearsals. Having now experienced the sounds of a spring forge at full throttle, I'd say they were well matched.

This is living heritage, not a museum or polished up piece of preserved past. Such a place ought to be treasured by the City, the skills of its occupants valued and perhaps passed on to a new generation through training schemes, and the entire works earmarked for much needed maintenance, possibly even with public funding, to ensure the continuation of these fine and useful commercial activities. I was stunned to hear that plans are well advanced to clear out the existing occupants and convert the building - grade 2* listed - into FLATS. Obviously the existing businesses would be incompatible with residential use. Equally obvious is that some of these businesses may not survive the move. Readers may recall seeing something about this last February.

We have lost so many of these places, many due to disuse and the collapse of manufacturing in Sheffield. Most have been demolished, some have survived to become offices and, yes, flats. And they make very nice flats too I'm sure. But here we are in 2009 and here's a bit of the 19th century still doing what it was built for. This is not sentimentality, this is ensuring the survival of essential skills in manufacturing and providing futures for younger people in our traditional industries and crafts.

I now find the planning application is in again, with a deadline of 10 December, City reference 08/01850/FUL. Is anyone out there doing anything about this? If so can I join you? And if not can we start doing something very soon?

Article on Portland Works

2009-11-25T07:34:00.000-08:00

http://projectsheffield.wordpress.com/2009/11/25/new-planning-application-for-portland-works/

New Planning Application for Portland Works!

2009-11-20T05:47:00.000-08:00

A new planning application for Portland Works (reference 08/01850/FUL) was validated yesterday by the Council's Planning department and the consultation period runs from now until 10th December.

The application can be found on the Council's website here:

http://planning.sheffield.gov.uk/publicaccess/tdc/DcApplication/application_detailview.aspx?caseno=JYUXQGNYFY000

Please pass this information on to anyone else who is involved,

Thanks,

Neil Piper

petition led by sheffield city council...

2009-11-20T01:08:00.000-08:00

We are calling on the Government to step up support for South Yorkshire manufacturing in a bid to save what is ultimately the heart of the UK’s industry.

We want to work with South Yorkshire industries and neighbouring authorities to launch a campaign to lobby Government for more support.

We want people to sign our petition in support and show us where they agree with us so we can show Government how much this means to the people of Sheffield.
We are campaigning on the following:

The Government should work and invest with the manufacturing industry to ensure that the industries such as steel making can be ready when the economy improves.

We want more Government-backed training and apprenticeships in the skills that industry needs to keep it ahead of other nations.

We want the Government to do more, including getting help on research and development to prevent manufacturing jobs from going abroad.

We need a simplified research and development tax system that provides genuine incentives for manufacturing companies looking to grow and become more competitive.
If you agree with these points please sign our petition on the No 10 website.

Galvanised Festival- Portland Works...

2009-11-17T05:05:00.000-08:00

Please come down to the Galvanised Festval at Portland Works, which is running for the following three Wednesdays, the 18th, 25th Novemeber and the 2nd December between 12-2pm...

For more details please contact Andrew Cole at Wigful Tools on 0114 2725681 or email info@wigfulltools.co.uk

Empty Shops

2009-10-14T07:05:00.001-07:00

Wards Corner Coalition: Inspiring Ideas

2009-09-01T05:54:00.000-07:00

I have recently been to see a presentation by a group based in Tottenham who are hoping to save a market in their neighbourhood which has independent traders and faces imminent demolition. They have faced massive difficulties and have grouped together to fight the developers/ council.

In their words "The Wards Corner Community Coalition are fighting to prevent the demolition of public place and displacement of people. We are a grassroots campaign struggling to remove barriers of inequality and reclaim the right to Place and involvement in the Planning process. We must demand and encourage processes that push for progressive social and spatial justice in response to urban decline. We must not allow public authorities and private developers to have exclusive rights to say what is in our best interest and to displace those people they claim the development is meant to help."

Their website is http://wardscorner.wikispaces.com/

I have the contatc details of those who have started and maintain this campaign if anyone would like to take these links forward.

Distinctive Sharrow Action Group- Housewarming

2009-08-04T03:46:00.000-07:00

We would love to invite people working in Portland Works or intertested in its future to the Distinctive Sharrrow Action Group Housewarming party.

English Heritage, traditional crafts and Birmingham's Jewelry Quarter

2009-07-26T03:18:00.000-07:00

English Heritage recently bought a silversmiths workshop in Birmingham

Simon Thurley was quoted as saying "We have stepped in to save JW Evans because it is one of the most important Victorian and Edwardian manufacturies in existence. Its loss would not just be for Birmingham but the world. We now need to secure its long term future as a business and as somewhere people can learn about the source of goods, with which Birmingham supplied the Empire. It is rare to find a country house in desperate straits these days, but the big challenge of the next few years is looking after our industrial heritage. That is much less secure,'

At the start of the English Heritage video here http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/server/show/nav.19256

The commentator says "at the heart of this decision is the desire to safeguard a skilled craft which is seriously under threat."

Birmingham City Council also recognise the importance of the living craft skills to the character of the Jewelry Quarter. The area is designated as a conservation area and is a proposed World Heritage Site. The council's management plan highlights the significance of the
area due to "The substantial survival of an historically important manufacturing trade within a distinct urban area." and "A viable level of specialist skills traditionally employed within the core trade." and concludes "The Quarter is unique within the local, national , and international context, for it's high concentration of craft industry with associated trades in one small area....As such it is of major significance with no imediate parallels in Britain or overseas."

This is wonderful to see the recognition of the importance of the craft skills to the heritage of the area and a stark contrast to the situation in Sheffield. With all this stated interest in the skills one would expect significant investment in ensuring their survival. There is recognition that cheap workshops are vital to that survival of the skills and that with prices for residential land eight or nine times higher than industrial use that "if left unchecked, residential developement could overwhelm the quarter." threatening it's survival.

Whilst there follow excelent policies for the preservation of the special buildings of the area there apears to be no specific plan for the support of the special skills which have been highlighted as being of such importance to the character of the area. Under the heading "Grant Aid" we read The highest priority is to secure funding for repairs to buildings at risk."

Recognising the importance of these skills is an important first step to preserving them for future generations we now need to work out what the major threats to the skills are and find ways of ensuring they are passed on.

More info on the Jewelry Quarters website here including a video here

From Robin: Apprenticeships and Heritage

2009-04-27T01:40:00.000-07:00

Just a few thoughts I wanted to share.

I have been having a look to see if Sheffield Council have a policy on which parts of the cutlery industry they wish to promote and preserve.

It seems a little like the national position as if no one has realised that this is part of our cultural heritage. The whole idea of living heritage does not seem to have been understood yet despite the UNESCO convention on living heritage in 2003. So there is a culture service plan which can be downlodaed here.

http://www.sheffield.gov.uk/libraries/about-our-service/culture-service-plan-2008---09
Other than the Galvanize festival the majority of the plan is to do with museums, galleries and sport.

Culture services mission statement is;

Mission Statement
More people, more culturally active, more often.

I think that if you asked an average person in the streets of Sheffield they would consider cutlery as being an important part of their culture. Look at all the pub names, they even have a football team nicknamed the Blades yet culture services do not recognise, make use of it or build on it. It presents tremendous opportunity for them to increase their audience because a different sector of Sheffield folk may be interested in cutlery but wouldn't visit art galleries and libraries (objective 4 in plan and building on work already started with Galvanize)

I feel we need to call a meeting with all the city MP's and opposition candidates, relevant council people, particularly from culture services, and as many working craftspeople and general supporters of the cause as we can muster. This would hopefully lead to a plan being drawn up to decide what is of value and what we are going to do to preserve and promote it.

On another matter apprenticeships. How have you progressed with the idea? I am in discussion with a few other folk including Kutrite and Wadworths brewery;
Around Christmas Alastair Simms the "last master cooper" at Wadworth's was in the press a lot. I heard after the press that he had 1000 folk write asking to be his apprentice. I have just been in correspondence with him to see how things were going. It seems the brewery can not get a grant for the apprentice working with Mr Simms. The only grants available are for off site training if the apprentice does an NVQ in production.

At Kutrite again they can get money for off site training for a basic NVQ in vaguely related subjects but no support for on the job training under 3 master craftsmen with 130 years experience between them.

It seems to me we need to find a way of getting money made available for training in this sort of situation.

Robin

Some fantastic pictures

2009-04-21T09:03:00.001-07:00

Mark has taken some brilliant pictures of portland which can be viewed on flickr at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/0742/sets/72157616843970595/

Meeting With Portland Works Landlord

2009-04-21T08:42:00.000-07:00

There will be a public meeting regarding Portland Works this Friday 24th April at 6pm at the Sheaf pub on Bramall Lane...

The landlord/ developer Portland Company has arranged to meet Portland Works tennents. If you are interested, have information that may be pertinent, or can help advise you are very welcome to attend...

For more information please contact Andrew Cole at Wigful Tools

T: 01142899013

Email: info@wigfultools.co.uk

Photographs of Portland Works

2009-04-13T10:34:00.000-07:00

A selection of pictures from the Portland Works, taken for the Forge Press.

Portland Works

2009-03-29T08:45:00.000-07:00

In 1939, aged 14, I started my working life as an apprentice grinder working for my dad also called Herbert Housley. In those days there were three gas engines that provided the motive power to all the workshops. The engine tender was called Harry Marriot he and his wife were also the caretakes. They lived on the premises, the entrance to their living space was a door just inside the archway. Approximately a hundred people worked at Portland Works at that time, the skills they had in those days were a sight to behold. One such craftsman that comes to mind was Mr Turner, then around 80 years old, he was an Ivory Carver and his speciality was a set of ivory handles each one depicting one of Jesus's Apostles, when carved and polished he fitted them to a set of tea knives.

Promotion on other sites...

2009-03-24T05:20:00.000-07:00

From Stuart Mitchel Knives...

I posted a link to the Blog on a UK based knife forum site I am quite active on, it is a very well run, responsible, set up, very highly regarded in knife circles...

Anyway, here's a link to the thread...

http://www.britishblades.com/forums/showthread.php?t=73304&page=5

The actual topic of the thread may be of particular interest, and maybe this post too...

http://www.britishblades.com/forums/showpost.php?p=1109980&postcount=62

Sheffield Telegraph: Conversion opposed

2009-03-22T05:54:00.000-07:00

Published Date: 27 February 2009

PLANS to convert a historic cutlery works into 77 flats and offices have run into opposition from leading Labour politicians, who say Sheffield's industrial heritage should be preserved,
Central MP Richard Caborn and Labour's parliamentary candidate for the constituency, Paul Blomfield, will today visit Portland Works in Randall Street, near Bramall Lane, which accommodates a number of businesses.

Mr Caborn said: "If the plans go ahead not only will a wonderful piece of architecture have its heart ripped out but traditional manufacturing companies are at risk of being lost from Sheffield."

Mr Blomfield said: "There aren't a lot of small metal manufacturing workshops in the city any more, so where small companies are still involved in the metal trade we should support them."

The works date back to the 1870s and are "one of Sheffield's most significant industrial buildings", according to the national Victorian Society, which is opposing the conversion scheme.

It was at the site that the first stainless steel was manufactured in Britain, produced in 1913 by R F Mosley and Co. A decision on the planning application will be made by the council.

http://www.sheffieldtelegraph.co.uk/news/Conversion-opposed.5021877.jp

There is also an article in the Forge Press p11. http://issuu.com/forgepress/docs/binder1_issue_10_x_2?mode=embed

manufacturers, business, studios, mucians and artists

2009-03-22T05:36:00.000-07:00

Just some of the people who are currently at Portland Works...

Link to artist Mary Sewell's work:
http://www.eveart-uk.co.uk/members/mary_s.html

Stuart Mitchell Knives:
http://www.stuartmitchellknives.com/

Portland Electrical:
http://www.portlandelectrical.co.uk/contactus.html

John Wilson Skating blades:
http://www.cozzisports.com/dante_cozzi_sports1_126.htm

Hexa Gig:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/gulch/sets/72157613766588279/show/

If your studio or business is in portland works and you would like to add a link to your website or photos of what you do, please email me and I will post them.

Paul Bloomfield and Richard Caborn Visit Portland Works

2009-03-22T05:25:00.001-07:00

"In order to save Portland Works we're going to need to make people aware of how important the place is. Getting media attention will be key to this so it was great to see the local TV news come down to cover the story."

Sheffield Central MP Richard Caborn and Paul Blomfield, Labour’s new Parliamentary Candidate for Sheffield Central, will be visiting Portland Works on Friday 27th February at 9:30am to look around the building and meet with tenants who are opposed to the plans to turn it into flats.

Portland Works, a Grade II Listed Building on Randall Street, is a former cutlery works and is under threat of being converted into apartments. Portland Works is currently home to a dozen manufacturing companies, many of whom are long term tenants and who would have considerable difficulty in relocating. Both the companies and residents have voiced concerns at the plans for Portland Works.

Richard Caborn says:
“I am totally opposed to the redevelopment plans for Portland Works and that is why I am fronting this campaign. If the plans go ahead not only will a wonderful piece of architecture have its heart ripped out but traditional manufacturing companies are at risk of being lost from Sheffield.”

Paul Blomfield says:
“There aren’t a lot of small metal manufacturing workshops in the city any more, so where small companies are still involved in the metal trade we should support them. Forcing these firms to move out would be a real loss. Portland Works is a major part of Sheffield’s industrial heritage so I hope the application is turned down.”

http://www.labourmatters.com/sheffield-central-labour/caborn-and-blomfield-fight-for-sheffields-heritage/

old council news...

2009-03-22T05:21:00.000-07:00

25 September 2002

£4.5 Million For Sheffield's Heritage

Almost £4.5 million is to be invested into conserving Sheffield's heritage as plans by the City Council and the Cultural Industries Quarter Agency (CIQ) got the go ahead on Wednesday.
Cabinet approved proposals to seek funding from Objective One of £276, 000 as the final piece of the jigsaw for a multi-million package to bring back into use key historical and architecturally important buildings.

It will mean key buildings in the Cultural Industries Quarter such as Scotia Works, Butchers Works and Columbia Place will once again be home to business 'start ups' as they were in the nineteenth century. The future of Sheffield Metal Trades buildings such as Leah's Yard, Anglo Works on Trippet Lane and the Stag and Portland Works will also be secured.

Two initiatives - the Heritage Lottery Fund's Townscape Heritage Initiative (THI) and the Sheffield Metal Trades Heritage Economic Regeneration Scheme (HERS) - are being brought together to restore key buildings in the city centre. The THI scheme will focus on buildings in the Cultural Industries Quarter whereas the HERS scheme covers Metal Trades buildings in city centre conservation areas.

Already £276,000 has been secured from English Heritage over three years for Sheffield's Metal Trades buildings. A fund of £3,926,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund, Objective One, Regeneration monies, the Local Transport Plan and Section 106 is going into the Townscape Heritage Initiative.

The Council and the CIQ Agency will be attracting developers to renovate and restore these buildings to become homes to new businesses.

http://libplugins.sheffield.gov.uk/uttm/shownews.asp?title=316

Yorkshire Post article

2009-03-22T05:18:00.001-07:00

Cutlery works change opposed

Published Date: 17 February 2009 By Martin Slack

CONSERVATIONISTS have launched a campaign to halt a development project which aims to transform a former cutlery works into new apartments and offices. A blueprint has been drawn up for Portland Works in Randall Street, Sheffield, which would see the Grade II listed building overhauled with part of it being demolished.But campaigners from the Victorian Society claim the plans put the historic building under threat, and have called on Sheffield Council to reject the scheme completely. Alex Baldwin, the society's conservation officer, said Portland Works was in the top six per cent of buildings of outstanding architectural and historical interest in the country. He added:

"We are very concerned that the changes needed to create a large number of flats in Portland Works will significantly alter the industrial character of this historic site.
This is a rare survival of the building type and an important part of Sheffield's history. Any alterations must take account of this and this application fails to do so."

According to documents held by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, the building was initially constructed in the late 1870s as one of Britain's first integrated cutlery works.In the building's listing document it is described as "an extremely good and complete example of a large, purpose-built cutlery works" and "very distinctive to the industrial identity of Sheffield".

It is thought that the first stainless steel to be manufactured in Britain was made at the site and at present the works is still home to several companies which manufacture metal products. According to the Victorian Society, the plans which have been submitted by a company called Portland Co would wipe out much of the historic detail in the building when it is converted into 77 flats. They claim the developers plan to strip out the original staircases, remove windows and doors, and build balconies on the side of the building, significantly altering its appearance. Objections have also been registered to the scheme by several businesses which currently operate from the site and neighbours, who claim that there is no need for the conversion project.In one letter sent to Sheffield Council the owner of a business says:

"We are a tenant at Portland Works, and have been operating from these premises for 51 years. We are a small manufacturing company, employing six people, producing light hand tools mainly for the building trade and are very proud to be able to brand these as made in Sheffield. Many of the businesses operating from Portland Works are still engaged in metalwork trades and as the works were built for such a purpose we do not believe they should even be considered for conversion."

The application has been supported in principle by English Heritage which told Sheffield Council planners:

"We welcome the prospect of this important metal trades complex being brought back into good repair and put to sustaining new uses. However we would urge you to ensure a full inspection is made by your conservation and design colleagues in order to assess the importance of surviving elements and features."

Planning officers at Sheffield Council are still considering the plans and the consultation responses received and will make a decision on the scheme in the next few weeks. Nobody from Portland Co was available to comment on the Victorian Society's objections or give further details about the project.

http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/localnews/Cutlery-works-change-opposed.4987000.jp

The Master Cutler Visits

2009-03-22T05:17:00.001-07:00

February, 2009. Wigfull Tools and Stuart Mitchell, Portland Works, Sheffield.

At the edge of Sheffield town centre, Portland Works is a survival of the old tenement factory style of premises. Built round a central courtyard, once housing a steam engine, the three storey buildings now house a variety of craftsmen and manufacturers. The Master and Mistress visited Wigfull Tools and were shown round by Andrew Cole, who explained the processes of making chisels, slate rippers, etc. The Master also visited Stuart Mitchell, a cutler making high-quality hunting knives. (Stuart also made the sword blade for the Millennium Sword, which was presented to the Company by Douglas Liversidge, Master Cutler, 1998).
The Master was introduced to the people at Portland Works by Company Freeman, Herbert Housley, who started his working life at the cutlery firm of R.F Mosley’s, which occupied the building before the Second World War. He expressed his worries to the Master, and those of the Works’ occupants, about the site’s possible closure and redevelopment for apartments.

From Cllr Jillian Creasy

2009-03-18T01:49:00.000-07:00

1. Portland Works has been invalidated (for the reasons predicted), not withdrawn
2. Invalidated applications are taken off the website (though withdrawn ones are not)
So we can expect it to reappear if and when they show how they intend to treat the interior.
Jillian

NB. The (invalidated) application is avaialble to view however if you follow the links below! This is through doing an address search for the property.

The Full Application: 08/01850/FUL
http://planning.sheffield.gov.uk/publicaccess/tdc/dcapplication/application_detailview.aspx?KEYVAL=JYUXQGNYFY000&module=P3&hidereturn=trueThe Listed Buildings Application: 08/01851/LBC http://planning.sheffield.gov.uk/publicaccess/tdc/dcapplication/application_detailview.aspx?KEYVAL=JYUXQVNYFY000&module=P3&hidereturn=true

Material Considerations for Planning Applications

2009-03-16T08:58:00.000-07:00

If you wish to object to a Planning Application it is important to know the reasons by which an officer can refuse an application. These are called ‘Material Considerations’ and are as follows:

Material considerations:

Previous planning decisions (including appeal decisions)
Proposals/policies in the development plan
National guidance
Loss of light/overshadowing
Loss of privacy to a room through distance
Visual amenity
Adequacy of parking/loading/turning
Highway safety, road layout/access
Noise and disturbance resulting from use
Hazardous materials
Traffic generation
Odours
Loss of trees/green space
Landscaping
Impact upon a listed building or a conservation area
Design, appearance and materials
Disabled access
Nature conservation
Archaeology

Many people object for the reasons outlined below, which are not material considerations; these cannot be taken into account by the planning officer when considering an application.

Non-material considerations

Loss in property value
Loss of a private view
Private disputes between neighbours e.g. land ownership
Restrictive covenants
Fence lines/boundary positions
Personal morals or views about the application
Ownership disputes
Applicant’s motives
Competition
Issues covered by other legislation e.g. Highways Act
Number of objections

It is possible that even if one of the objections made on the grounds of a material consideration is upheld, it will not prevent the proposed development going ahead, but rather a condition will be imposed on the application which must be fulfilled.

Conditions could include things such as stipulating the materials the work has to be made from, the height of the development, or in the case of a business that it can only operate between certain hours in order to control traffic and noise. With a Listed Building it is likely there will be a large number of conditions associated with the development to preserve the character of the development.

Sharrow Community Forum jmu March 2009

p.s this is as far as I understand it- anyone with more knowledge, please feel free to correct this!

Distinctive Sharrow Action Group

2009-03-16T08:26:00.000-07:00

Distinctive Sharrow Action Group is a new group that comprises of people living, working and playing in Sharrow. Business people, students, musicians, activists, civic trust members, lecturers, architects, landscape architects, artists and people who are combinations of these things who all have an interest in Sharrow’s buildings, its places, spaces and connections. We want to act to improve it using their shared skills, knowledge and networks.

Our blog is http://sharrowaction.blogspot.com

Please contact us if you wish to be involved!

julia@sharowcf.org.uk

Portland Works Planning Application

2009-03-16T06:54:00.000-07:00

It is possible to download all of the drawings, (plans sections elevations), comments and statements that form the application to convert Portland Works into flats from the Sheffield City Council Website www.sheffield.gov.uk/planning or from the links on the post below. Unfortunately they are too large to post here.

I can however send out some hard copies of this information. If you would like a copy, please contact me at julia@sharrowcf.org.uk

Link To Portland Works Planing Application (withdrawn)

2009-03-16T05:33:00.000-07:00

This will link you to the application for converting Portland Works into flats... It has currently been invalidated due to incomplete information. I will keep you informed if it is resubmitted.

The Full Application: 08/01850/FUL
http://planning.sheffield.gov.uk/publicaccess/tdc/dcapplication/application_detailview.aspx?KEYVAL=JYUXQGNYFY000&module=P3&hidereturn=true

The Listed Buildings Application: 08/01851/LBC http://planning.sheffield.gov.uk/publicaccess/tdc/dcapplication/application_detailview.aspx?KEYVAL=JYUXQVNYFY000&module=P3&hidereturn=true

The key things to note are the case officer, which will be Trevor Sulivan. There will also be a listed buildings officer assigned when the new application is made.

portland works

2009-03-16T05:21:00.000-07:00

From Cllr Jillian Creasy

2009-03-16T05:10:00.000-07:00

I will contact Trevor Sullivan and head of planning to find out what is supposed to happen when applications are invalidated.

I will contact Richard Caborn to find out what he is actually doing about approaching English Heritage.

I suggested it would be good to get Lib Dems interested as they can influence regen funds (to an extent!) and planing decisions (in as much as they are not strictly quasi judicial!). The people to go for would be

Sylvia.Dunkley@sheffield.gov.uk Cabinet Member for culture, very interested in heritage sites

Sylvia.Anginotti@sheffield.gov.uk Cabinet Member for employment and enterprise

works in the john street triangle

2009-03-16T04:57:00.001-07:00