Quack Medicine

Dr Cassell’s Flesh Forming & Strengthening Tablets.

After a recent event at the Woodland Discovery Centre an extraordinary tablet bottle from 1900 came to light. Found on the edge of Ran Wood in Ecclesall woods it must have washed out in the recent heavy rain from the Victorian midden or rubbish dump nearby.

The amber coloured bottle in the photograph is specifically marketed as the cure required for ‘Flesh Forming and Strengthening.’ It dates from approximately 1900.

Dr Cassell’s products seem to have been widely available from the 1890s into the 20th Century with a focus on Nerve and Kidney Tablets. The products are now perceived as an example of Quack medicine. The manufacture of Dr Cassell products was at King Street in Manchester with various product examples appearing from the late 1890s onwards. This advert was in the Derby Daily Telegraph in 1906.

You would be amazed what you can find in Ecclesall woods!

Stories from Dore Graveyard - The Tragedy of the LOWE Family

Sometimes when walking around a churchyard your eye is caught by an ornate gravestone or an unusual name or a very young child but sometimes the monumental inscription makes you wonder what had happened to a family. This was the case when I spotted the gravestone for the LOWE family whose three sons had all died young, with two of them dying on the same day.

In Affectionate Remembrance of HENRY LOWE who died July 22^nd 1879 aged 17 years also of SAMUEL LOWE who died Oct^r 6^th 1882 aged 28 years also of EDWARD LOWE who died Oct^r 6^th 1882 aged 16 years sons of HENRY & MARY LOWE also of HENRY the beloved husband of MARY LOWE who died Dec^r 5^th 1903, aged 71 years also of MARY the beloved wife of the above HENRY LOWE who died Sep^r 14^th 1912 aged 79 years

This gravestone remembers Henry and Mary Lowe and three of their five sons. Henry and Mary and their family lived on Townhead in Dore. Henry was a saw handle maker and also worked as a labourer at Dore Moor Brickyard. They had eight children the youngest of whom, Mary Alice, died at just three weeks old. Their eldest daughter, Maria, married George Parker in 1877 and in 1881 they were living on Brick Houses, Dore. Henry and Mary's second son, Leonard, moved to County Durham to work as a coal miner and in 1880 married Rose Hannah Partridge.

Fatal Accident at Dore

In 1879 both Henry and his eldest son, Samuel, were working at Mr Sykes' brickyard. On the 22nd July 1879 Henry's son, also called Henry, who was seventeen years old, took his father's and Samuel's dinner to the brickyard. He was in the engine shed where Samuel was working when the driving band came off the wheels. While Samuel was putting the strap on one wheel young Henry tried to put it onto the other. It is not clear how, but Henry was caught and dragged into "the race" which was partly under the floor. The engine was stopped and Henry taken out, his chest having been crushed. He died later that night in hospital.

The Inquest

The inquest, which was held at the hospital on West Street in Sheffield, was reported in the Sheffield Daily Telegraph on the 26th July. At the inquest, Mr Sykes stated that the band was 2½ inches wide and was nearly new and that he had not examined the place or the band since the accident. He told the inquest that there was a Government Inspector of Factories approved rail around the driving wheel to prevent someone inadvertently walking into it but there was no requirement to fence it off. The jury returned a verdict of accidental death.

Samuel and Edward Lowe and Henry Broomhead

Samuel had married Catherine REANEY in Dore Church on the 6th of July 1879 just two weeks before the death of young Henry. Their son, John Henry, was born the following year and baptised on 24th of March 1880 and early in 1882 Catherine gave birth to another son named Arnold who died in 1883.

In 1881 Edward LOWE, aged 15, was still living at home with Henry and Mary together with their two younger children - Ketura who was ten years old and William who was five.

The census of 1881 shows Henry BROOMHEAD was living in Dore with his widowed mother Amelia together with his two older brothers. All three were colliers. Henry had been born in Attercliffe. His mother died in July 1881 and was buried in Dore. It appears that, after her death, Henry stayed in Dore lodging with a file cutter. His brothers, John and Robert returned to their wives in Sheffield.

Shocking Accident at Mickley Colliery

In October 1882 Samuel and Edward LOWE and Henry BROOMHEAD went to work at the newly opened Mickley Colliery near Dronfield. The colliery consisted of an engine house, weigh-house, an office and one shaft. The shaft was about 150 feet deep with about 25 feet of sump water in the bottom which had been boarded over. There was a 'lurry' on rails that was pushed by a banksman over the top of the shaft so that men could step out safely once the tub had been brought up to the surface.

Coal had been dug for the first time on the evening of the 5th of October which provided just enough room for three men to work. On Friday 6th October 1882 Samuel, Edward and Henry were working the afternoon shift from 2pm and 10pm. At 6pm they were due to return to the surface for a meal break. During the afternoon the manager, Mr Maskery, had been up and down the shaft and since the men had driven a short distance underneath he suggested they stayed below to eat but Henry said he was wet and they decided to come to the surface and signalled to be brought up.

Their ascent was being made in the sinking bucket. The banksman who had come on duty at 6 o'clock was ready to push the lurry but, just a few feet from the top, the tub became detached from the pit rope. The heavy tub fell down the shaft and broke through the boarding into the water taking Samuel, Edward and Henry to their deaths.

Their bodies were recovered later that evening and taken to the Heart of Oak in Dronfield where identification took place.

The Inquest

The inquest was opened on the following Monday and Henry LOWE confirmed the identities of the bodies of his two sons. Henry BROOMHEAD was identified by the man in whose house he lodged in Dore. It was thought that the three men failed to check that clivey hook was properly secured. The clivey was a means of connecting the sinking bucket with the winding rope and was provided with a lock to prevent inadvertent detachment of the bucket. Certificates for burial were issued by the deputy coroner who adjourned the inquest until the government inspector could visit the colliery to inspect the gearing.

Reports of the accident appeared in many national newspapers. The Derbyshire Courier of October 18th provided a comprehensive report.

The Village Mourns

Samuel, Edward and Henry were buried at Dore on 10th of October 1882. The following appeared in the Sheffield Independent on 14th October.

...The deceased men were much respected and their remains were followed to the grave by a large number of mourners. A procession was formed in centre of the village, and on its arrival at the entrance to the churchyard, it was met by the Vicar, the Rev J T F Aldred. As the mourners were entering the church, the Dead March from Saul was played by Mr Christian Aldred. The service in the church was read by the vicar. After the internment a sister of Samuel Lowe fainted, and was taken home in an unconscious state. The mournful ceremony was witnessed by a large number of spectators, and the utmost sympathy was expressed for the relatives.

Incident at Dore Moor

In the News: Prize Fighting and a Dastardly Deed

Dore has not always been the tranquil place we know today. An article from the Sheffield Independent newspaper of Saturday 8th January 1842 reveals a dark side.

Daring and Impudent Outrage

On Tuesday forenoon week a respectable young female while on her road to Dore, was stopped by seven ruffians, who demanded her money.

The girl was greatly terrified, and notwithstanding she was near several houses, the fellows had the audacity to turn up her outer garments and take away her pocket, but fortunately it only contained some copper coin. She had 20 shillings in silver, wrapped up in a handkerchief, twisted round her hand, which escaped the notice of the villains.

The men are supposed to be connected with a party of blackguards who had been witnessing a brutal prize fight, on Dore Moor, early in the morning, where several thousand were present.

Memory Lane - Recollections of Stuart Dunn

A Childhood Spent in the Village of Dore

Growing Up on Causeway Head Road

Stuart’s earliest memories are when he was about three in 1945. The last vestiges of war were apparent. His back garden was full of vegetables as were those of his neighbours. There was an Anderson shelter in the garden which was a great place to play with his friends. The black curtains of the enforced blackout were still used in his house for some time.

They lived in 94 Causeway Head Road and he looks back at the facilities they had. A refrigerator must have been a luxury he realises now. The family had a car from 1947, which was unusual. The house was surrounded by fields, with cows grazing, and he would spend his early years playing in these fields or cycling around the roads on his tricycle.

This early photograph, taken before the development of Dore, shows Limpit Cottage on Causeway Head Road.
Note the lamp post and the sycamore tree.

Here is the same cottage, lamp post and sycamore tree in the 1960s. It is at the junction of High Street and Causeway Head Road.
The cottage and tree are still there today.

During the war years his mother Jean Dunn, née Rhodes, had a Canadian or American soldier (he cannot remember which) billeted in their house. His father, John, had been in the Royal Navy and did not come home until 1947, as he was involved in the war with Japan and its aftermath.

He remembers Causeway Head Farm buildings before the main development around Causeway Head Road. The main entrance to the farm was at the junction of Causeway Head Road and Parkers Lane. Causeway Head Road was marsh to the side towards Rushley Road. In 1947/8 the land was drained and pre-fabs were built.

On the opposite side of the road from Stuart’s house there was Causeway House where one of his friends lived, a very grand building owned by the steelmaker, Eldon Lee of Arthur Lee & Sons. This house was demolished to make way for Hassells housing development and only the coach house remains now as an individual dwelling.

From number 94, the family moved to 29, Causeway Head Road, White Corners, that was once a Barnardo’s Children’s home and then a home with an internal doctor’s surgery. After the family moved in the doctor’s surgery and other rooms continued to be rented by Dr Exell from them.

Education - the Early Years

He started going to Miss Trott’s preschool class in the Church Hall just after the war ended. This was held in the back rooms of the hall, now Christ Church Dore Community Centre. Sunday School was held in the same place and was extremely popular. A chance to meet with all the other children of the village.

At 5 years of age he started formal education at Dore School in the Old School buildings. He always walked to school on his own or with friends. There were very few cars and a few on horseback in the village.

Later Stuart (aged 7 years) went to Birkdale School in Sheffield and remembers getting the bus from Dore unless it was snowing. The bus went as far as Ecclesall tram terminus where he had to get a tram into town.

Visiting Dore Hall Farm

Uncle Joseph Denniff and his wife Auntie Connie were farmers at Dore Hall Farm. There were two entrances, one from Vicarage Lane, one on Dore Road about 150 yards below the junction of Causeway Head Road and Dore Road, with a cobbled driveway and side stone paved area, leading to the farmhouse. There were times when lunch was not available at home and Stuart made his way to the farm.

His aunt would feed all the farm labourers, about 15 in total, around a long refectory table with benches either side. The sights and smells of that kitchen are imprinted on his mind. It was always warm and a broth or meat and two veg was on offer. There was a large black Yorkshire range with a black pot for the stewed meat or broth and a black kettle. Fresh bread from the baker and grocer, Huby Frith, was a welcome addition. Adjacent to the kitchen was a scullery where Connie would prepare food.

The house itself was four or five bedrooms and well furnished, although he only got to see it once, as he was only allowed in the kitchen. Stuart explains everyone in the village knew him, same as with the other children, and people looked out for them all. His grandparents, Sydney (a scrap metal merchant) and May Rhodes (née Denniff), also lived around the corner in White Lodge, Church Lane. Dore Hall Farm was demolished in the later 1950s and its land used for housing development.

 

Childhood Interests

 

The interests of the boys of Dore during the 1940s and 50s were similar to the subsequent generation; football, cricket and scouting. He would go and watch county cricket with his father, at Bramall Lane.

He was also a choir boy at Christ Church and attended choir practice once a week.

 

Then in 1960, at the age of 17, he got his first job serving petrol at Dore Garage.

Being brought up in Dore was certainly a good introduction to life, and the world of work for Stuart.

The 1745 Dore Psalm Board

The Reappearance of the Dore Psalm Board

Psalms of the Old Testament are pieces of poetry that tend to be read in some modern church services, but have been sung through history and people would either learn the words or read them from the Bible. You may be familiar with hymn boards on church walls. Before this there were psalm boards. Hymns only became popular in the mid 18th century. Dore Archives Research Team has tracked down the Dore Church Psalm Board.

The Furness Connection

Dore Church was designed and built in 1828, by Richard Furness, then consecrated in 1829, and prior to this there was a chapel of ease in the village. It is thought that this psalm board originated during its time and hung on the chapel wall.

Richard Furness Wrigglesworth, great, great grandson of Richard Furness, has helped piece together some of the Psalm Board story. His great grandmother, Eliza Wrigglesworth née Furness, was the only one of Richard Furness’ daughters to marry and have children. He had inherited the Psalm Board from his father and has kindly given it to Christ Church Dore.

The Mystery of Its Origins

The front of the Psalm Board clearly shows the date 1745. The writing on the back the Psalm Board is signed by Joseph Hancock and his son, Henry William, of Rushley Farm. It is now faded and fragile but possibly refers to stone recovered from ‘Pegges Folly,’ on Strawberry Lee, used to build Dore Church. The Psalm Board was presumably recovered from the old chapel of ease at the time of its demolition and stone from the chapel, along with the other stone, used to build the new church, if the faded writing is transcribed correctly.

The writing may also suggest that the Psalm Board was used in the present church for a time. We have not got evidence of what happened between being taken down and then reappearing in the 20th century. The writing on the back of the board is fragmented and faded but may have told this part of the story.

Saved By the Postman

Richard Furness Wrigglesworth’s father, Richard Gordon Wrigglesworth, born 1909, was a postman rotating between Dore and Totley. He would finish his Dore round at the furthermost end of Long Line, before freewheeling, on his sit up and beg bicycle, down Long Line and then through Ecclesall Woods to the sorting office, as is now, on Abbeydale Road South. A ‘Miss Hancock’ of Rushley Road was aware of his Furness roots and gave him the Psalm Board sometime in the 1950s.

There were two Misses Hancock, Fanny or Frances (1885-1972) and Nellie or Ellen (1884-1970), daughters of Henry William Hancock and Sarah née Furness, daughter of William Furness. Nellie Hancock may have been the donor of the psalm board. Today Richard tells how he remembers his father cycling home with the board in his satchel. Then he kept it at home next to Richard Furness’ grandfather clock that had stood in the Old School in Dore for about 25 years.

Can You Help?

Initial research has not been helpful in finding any similar psalm boards to compare with. Perhaps by publicising the image through this blog someone may be able to give us further information about any similar boards they may have come across on their travels.

(Click on the images to enlarge)