James Montgomery (1771-1854) was a radical Sheffield journalist, poet, hymn-writer and philanthropist who was heavily involved in the founding of the Sheffield Sunday School Union in 1812, with the intention of educating working children on Sundays, especially in literacy, and fighting for child labour laws to keep children out of chimneys. The Montgomery building was named in memory of him. Throughout its history, the charity produced the annual Whit Sings in the parks and the archive contains hymn sheets going back to the early 1800s.