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Kelham Island Museum is opened by Dame Margaret Weston, director of London's Science Museum. She was, at the time, Britain's only female museum director and so it was a great honour for the museum to be opened by such an outstanding figure in museology. The museum holds many special memories for people, particularly those from an industrial background:
"My dad looking at the belt driven lathe and explainging how it worked. He used one the same fifty years ago in Hull." -
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Kelham Island came second place in Britains Best Museum, missing out on first place to Ulster Museum. The Judges gave special praise to Kelham island and recommended it to enter European Museum of the Year.
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The museum's famous Christmas Market has gone from strength to strength since the first event held in 1983. Treats include, hot chestnuts, mulled wine, a scrumptious hog roast whislt the entertainment includes a traditional fairground with gallopers, Santa's workshop for youngsters and an array of musicians, singers, brass bands and performance artists.
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The Land and Development Panel dated 3rd December 1984 noted:
“The recognizable and distinctive character of the Kelham Island locality reflects, in one area, the evolution of certain Sheffield industries over a considerable period...(and)…there exists significant individual buildings…The proposed Kelham Island Industrial Conservation Area differs from other in the City in that it is of an industrial working nature rather than that of residential…” -
With the area becoming a conservation area visitors of the future are ensured to be able to experience the cities past both inside ond outside of the museums doors. Kelham Island has several listed metal trades buildings, partucularly around Globe Works and Cornish Place, where 10 of the Conservation Area’s 16 listed buildings and structures are.
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The 1905 Sheffield made River Don engine,one of the most powerful surviving steam engines in the world, received an industrial heritage award on the 10th of October from the institute of Mechanical Engineers. The engine has impressed many people over the years:
"The look on my children's faces the first time they saw the 'big engine' go. They Talked about it for weeks." Charlie and Nellon on 04/04/12
"Seeing the largest steam enging working and the melting shop." George aged 4 and Ben aged 3. -
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Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon visited Kelham Island Museum on the 11th October 1993 after having opened the Firth Wing of the Northern General hospital.
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A partnership between Sheffield City Council, Sheffield Hallam University and the Hallamshire Company of Cutlers formed Kelham Island Museum Ltd as a way to prevent the museum closing due to council cuts.
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The new education centre with mural and suite of computers is installed providing a great resource for school visits and is still in use today!
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Kelham Island Museum Ltd takes over the running of the museum from Sheffield City Council meaning that despite council cuts, the museum can continue to serve as a showcase of the areas heritage.
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The Bessemer converter was conserved and painted thanks to the generosity of the British Steel Corporation who had used the Bessemer for its intended purpose in Workington until 1975. The Bessemer converter came to Sheffield in 1978, home to where this revolutionary process in steel making was first pioneered.
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The children's indoor play area, The Melting Shop, was opened by Rt Hon David Blunkett and has proved very popular with visitors of all ages. When we asked what you will remember from your visit we were told:
"Going in the ball pool as an adult and consequently breaking your only rule. Sorry!"
"The Melting Shop" Edain aged 7.
"The meltingshop but I'm too big to play in it :(" anon aged 25 and a half.
"The Don Valley Engine and and the melting shop. 6 stars" Owen McColgan. -
The Sheffield made Simplex (designed to rival Rolls-Royce) was donated to the museum by Sir Norman Adsetts and can still be seen in the transport gallery today.
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The Trust was renamed Sheffield Industrial Museum’s Trust to encompass The Abbeydale Industrial Hamlet which became part of the Trust in April 1998. The name now reflects the trusts role in preserving multiple industrial heritage sites across Sheffield.
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124 folk musicians played together to create the worlds largest ceildah.
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The conservation area surrounding the museum is extended to cover 62.4 acres. The area had undergone many changes during the 17 years of the museum being there:
“The area remains firmly industrial, although many of the activities which existed in the area’s heyday have given way to light industry and business such as packaging, or information technology and office use, for example at Aizlewood’s Mill, Lion Works and Globe Works.”
(City Centre and Planning and Highways Area Board, 1st March 1999) -
The traction engine became an instant hit, offering rides to children outside the museum.
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SCOPE interactive Science Centre was transferd to Kelham Island Museum from Sheffield Hallam University.
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A Heritage Lottery fund bid was successful provided the funding for a major refurbishment and new collections management centre.
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The Rt Hon David Blunkett, secretary of state for education and employment, opens the Raymond Douglas Environmental Education Centre.
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The Benjamin Huntsman Longcase clock donated by Mrs Josie Rowland.
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"I am forwarding this photograph of my late father Harry Pinfield who was invited to the museum in 2002 (aged 99 years) to recall his memories of working on the "Charron Laycock" car in 1917. We had a wonderful time in the museum and were there at the kind invitation of Catherine Hamilton. My dad was so thrilled to be re-united with his beloved car, and also had the privilege of meeting Stephen Myers who had written about the Charron Laycock in his book"Cars From Sheffield"."
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The Bessemer receives an Engineering Heritage Award from the Institute of Mechanical Engineers for its uniqueness and importance
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• The major refurbishment is completed in April thanks to the Heritage Lottery Fund. The museum now has a new purpose built Collections Management Centre which ensures that all the small and medium objects, books, photographs, plans, technical drawings and archives are stored properly and that environmental conditions such as heat, light and humidity can be controlled.
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Lord Robert Winston opens the Enid Hattersley Gallery, named after this remarkable Sheffield lady who The Telegraph describe as being:
"One of the group of Labour politicians who in the post-war decades turned Sheffield from one of England's grimiest cities into a modern industrial centre; as chairman of the Libraries and Arts Committee, she developed the city's museums and art galleries to the point where they gained an international reputation.”(The Telegraph, 22nd May 2001) -
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The first Wartime Sheffield event was very successful and has become an annual event at the museum.
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The Instituate of Mechanical Engineers presents the Bramah Press with a heritage hallmark award – Kelham Island now holds more of these prestigious awards than any other museum in the country.
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The Charlesworth Transport Gallery is opened by Sir Norman Adsett. The gallery is home to Sheffield built cars such as the Simplex which was donated by Sir Adsett in 1998.
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The Upper Don Walk Trust secure Heritage Grant to create a furnce trail (available in shop) and appoint a development worker.
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Rt Hon David Blunkett opens the newly refurbished SCOPE science area.
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Kelham Island floods, causing £1.5 million worth of damage to the museum alone.
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This picture shows the design used between opening and 2009.
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HRH Duke of Glouscter reopens the museum after the flood damge is repaired.
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The National Fairground Archive room is opened in partnership with the University of Sheffield. To celebrate the museum holds a weekend of events in the style of a 1940’s wake week (one week each year when Sheffield steel workers, miners and engineers would take their families to the East coast whilst essential maintance of the workshops and forges was carried out.)
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The Hawley Collection is opened on the 16th March 2010, showcasing over 100,000 tools which were collected by the Sheffield retailer Ken Hawley who began his collection over fifty years ago.
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The world’s biggest spade was exhibited to commemorate 230 years of the British manufacture of Bulldog tools. The spade was built at their Wigan factory, and took over 160 man hours to make. The blade and socket are made of solid steel and the spade stands 3.610m (11’8”) tall.
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Two paintings from the museum were selected to be part of the Yorkshires Favourite Paintings Project. The choice of paintings reflects how important Sheffield’s steelmaking has been to the making of Yorkshire. The paintings display how Sheffield is still both a city of manufacture and a city of creativity and culture.
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Kelham Island Museum celebrates being open for thirty years and creates this timeline to share it's history. After all this time the River Don Engine and the Melting Shop are still as popular as ever:
"The big Wheel was amazing!" Asha.
"My favourite was River Don Engine and the play area. Its a great place, I'd come back again." Ellie Becker.
