Skip to main content

University of Sheffield (Established 1828)

 Organisation

Dates

  • Existence: 1828    

Biography

The University of Sheffield developed from three local institutions; the Sheffield School of Medicine, Firth College and the Sheffield Technical School. The School of Medicine, founded 1828, was by far the oldest. Its early history was very insecure and it was saved from collapse by the opening of Firth College, which took over the teaching of all basic science subjects to medical students. Firth College was one of a group of university colleges founded in the later 19th century. It developed out of the Cambridge University Extension Movement, a scheme designed to bring university teaching to the large towns and cities of England, most of which lacked any university provision. The success of these courses in Sheffield led Mark Firth, a local steel manufacturer, to establish the College in 1879 as a centre for teaching Arts and Science subjects. The Sheffield Technical School was the product of local concern about the need for better technical training of the men responsible for running the great industries of Sheffield, particularly steelmaking. A movement was started within Firth College to collect funds to create a technical department, which was established in 1884 as the Sheffield Technical School. In 1886 the School moved to new premises on the site of the old Grammar School at St George's Square. In 1897, the three institutions were amalgamated by Royal Charter to form the University College of Sheffield. This step was part of the plan to link up with the Victoria University, a federation of the University Colleges at Manchester, Liverpool and Leeds. By 1900, however, the Federal University was disintegrating and within a few years independent universities were formed from the three University Colleges. On 31 May 1905 the University of Sheffield was granted its Royal Charter, and in July the new Firth Court Building on Western Bank was opened by King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra. St George's Square remained the centre of Applied Science departments, with Arts, Medicine and Science being housed at Western Bank.

The development of the history of the University of Sheffield has been well documented in two publications. To mark the 50th anniversary a history called 'The Story of a Modern University', by AW Chapman, and to mark its centenary, 'Steel City Scholars' by Helen Mathers.

Found in 28 Collections and/or Records:

Arthur Markham Memorial Prize Essays

 Collection
Reference code: 268
Scope and Contents Essays, poetry and short stories written by mineworkers for the Arthur Markham Memorial Prize administered by the University of Sheffield, submitted during the period 1932 - 1993. Contains essays that won the prize and those that were unsuccessful. Essays give insight into working in and for the mines and the home life of miners and their families. This archive contains essays for nearly all the years the prize was awarded. The 70 essays in this collection make up a small number...
Dates: 1932 - 1993

Betty Hunt Papers

 Fonds
Reference code: 149
Scope and Contents

A collection of research papers relating left wing drama and theatre in Sheffield and elsewhere in the late 1930s, gathered by Betty Hunt when researching for a PhD in the School of English at the University of Sheffield in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

For further details of the Betty Hunt Papers please see the box list in the External Documents section below.

Dates: 1930s - 1981

Catalan Collection

 Collection
Reference code: CAT1
Scope and Contents

A collection of over 700 books and periodicals concerning Catalonia.

For further information about this collection please see the listing in the External Documents section below.

Dates: 1937 - 2006

Changing Identities: Eastern Europeans in Bradford since 1945

 Fonds
Reference code: 497
Scope and Contents

This archive consists of audio cassette tape recordings, with some transcripts, of interviews with members of the ethnic Ukrainian community in Bradford in the 1990s, regarding their personal histories. Interviewees include family groups, family members of some of the people interviewed earlier, and younger people born in the UK of immigrant parents. In contrast to the earlier work of the 1980s, more than half the interviewees are women.

Dates: 1983 - 1998

Chapman Manuscripts

 Fonds
Reference code: 153
Scope and Contents

The collection consists of lecture notes and papers relating to the teaching of Chemistry at The University of Sheffield by Arthur William Chapman, along with correspondence and papers concerning his invention of "a tube for indicating the extent of a thermal treatment".

Dates: 1922 - 1945

Clapham Papers

 Fonds
Reference code: 170
Scope and Contents

These are the personal and working papers of Roy Clapham, Professor of Botany and following his retirement in 1969 Professor Emeritus, at The University of Sheffield. Consists of correspondence, teaching materials, post-graduate research papers, and papers regarding publications and lectures.

Dates: 1925 - 1994

Dainton Papers

 Fonds
Reference code: 231
Scope and Contents

The papers of Lord Dainton, scientist, university academic and administrator, and chairman of national committees on science, higher education and libraries, circa 1930 to 1997. The collection consists of the papers retained by Lord Dainton during his long and distinguished career.

For further details of this collection please see the finding aid in the External Documents section below.

Dates: 1915 - 1997

Elliott Manuscripts

 Fonds
Reference code: 155
Scope and Contents

Documents relating to the work of Ronald Witham Elliott, former County Medical Officer of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and a graduate of the University of Sheffield.

The collection consists of committee and other papers, and printed material, relating to the work of Ronald Witham Elliott.

Dates: 1959 - 1992

Elmfield Collection

 Collection
Reference code: ELM1
Scope and Contents Printed books and pamphlets on the history of glass and glass-making, and on the decorative aspects of glass. The collection consists of two formerly separate collections on the history of glass and glassmaking:The Turner Bequest: Volumes from the personal library of W.E.S. Turner, Professor of Glass Technology at Sheffield University 1920-1946, bequeathed to the Joint Library of Glass Technology and bearing the legend ‘Turner Bequest 1964’ on their bookplates.Joint...
Dates: 1662 - 2001

Empson Documents

 Fonds
Reference code: 292
Scope and Contents Material relating to Sir William Empson (1906-1984), poet, academic and critic and his wife, Hetta, Lady Empson (1915-1996), sculptor, political activist and socialite. The first part of the collection comprises papers (mainly letters) from William and Hetta Empson, to each other and to others, notably Walter Brown and David Jones. They include both domestic matters and also descriptions of world events such as their experiences in China during the Communist Revolution, and Hetta´s work in...
Dates: 1915 - 2000

European Union Nursing Documents

 Collection
Reference code: 269
Scope and Contents Documents relating to the harmonisation of professional standards of nursing practice in the European Union, mainly relate to the period 1977 to 2000. They have been assembled by two professionally qualified nurses who represented the UK in the process, Dame Sheila Quinn and Thomas Keighley.Series 1 relates to the work of Dame Sheila Quinn, who was President of the Royal College of Nursing 1982-86 and Regional Nursing Officer, Wessex Regional Health Authority 1978-83, and who...
Dates: 1968 - 2000

Fairground Showmen Community Survey with The University of Sheffield, 2004

 File — Box Michelle Leonard Box 1: Series 178B49
Reference code: 178B49.1
Scope and Contents

Survey conducted by the Showmen's Guild through Michelle Leonard in partnership with Ken Marks University of Sheffield department of Educational Studies, about the education of fairground children. Includes a blank survey of the distance learning travel pattern survey, a Showpeople's depot map, a descprtion of the project, a questionner, a report and project payment information.

Dates: 2004

Gamblin Papers

 Collection
Reference code: 303
Scope and Contents

Documents collected by David Gamblin, a PhD student at Sheffield University, whilst conducting research for his unfinished PhD thesis ‘Yorkshire and the American Civil War’, during the years 1996 to 1999.

For further details of this collection please see the finding aid in the external documents section below.

Dates: 1995 - 1999

Hadow Manuscripts

 Fonds
Reference code: 279
Scope and Contents

A collection of both manuscript and printed musical works by Sir William Henry Hadow (1859-1937).

Dates: 1883 - 1902

Hamer Manuscripts

 Fonds
Reference code: 62
Scope and Contents Research papers and other material on several topics: English language and literature, theatrical history, nursery rhymes, World War One battles in 1918, and Anglo-Saxon cross fragments of the Sheffield area.The archive is in several distinct sections, and consists of research material in manuscript, with some printed material, often with ms. annotations. The sections include:Hamer Research Collections on English language and literature (MS 62); Manuscript notes on...
Dates: c1930 - 1962

IFSBAC Collection (Institute for Folklore Studies in Britain and Canada)

 Collection
Reference code: IFS1
Scope and Contents

A collection of books and journals covering the topics of Canadian language, tradition and history.

For further details of this collection, please see the listing in the External Documents section below.

Dates: 1882 - 2004

Institute of Education Historical Collection

 Collection
Reference code: EDU1
Scope and Contents

This collection from the University of Sheffield's Institute of Education Library comprises around 750 books, pamphlets and journals, including some pre-1851 books, and several fine copies of later Victorian works.

For further details of this collection please see the listings in the External Documents section below.

Dates: 1708 - 1969

Lydia Henry Documents

 Fonds
Reference code: 110
Scope and Contents Documents on the early life and career of Lydia Manley Henry, graduate of the University of Sheffield Medical School. The collection consists of notes by Dr Henry on her early life in Sheffield as a medical student and her subsequent relatively short career in medicine, together with three photographs. There are also notes relating to her time as a pupil at Sheffield Day High School for Girls.For further details of this collection please see the finding aid in the External...
Dates: 1918 - 1979

Madeleine Blaess Documents

 Fonds
Reference code: 296
Scope and Contents Documents relating to the early life and career of Madeleine Blaess, Lecturer and later Senior Lecturer in the Department of French at the University of Sheffield.The collection consists of diaries, personal papers and memorabilia from Madeleine Blaess´s school career in York, through her university days at Leeds to her academic career in the Department of French at the University of Sheffield. Notably, it also includes a journal written during Madeleine Blaess´s years in Paris...
Dates: 1845 - 1989

Michelle Leonard Collection

 Fonds
Reference code: NFA0190
Scope and Contents

Material related to fairground children's education and showmen census research, also contains work done for the government about showmen and the Showmen Guild of Great Britain.

Dates: c1990 - 2000

Additional filters:

Type
Archival Object 2
Collection 26
 
Subject
Architecture 1
Botany 2
Bradford (West Yorkshire, England) 1
Catalonia (Spain) 1
Chemistry 2