Friday 10 June 2011

Edmund Road Drill Hall, Sheffield built by Andrew Handyside in 1878

Did you know that Andrew Handyside who made Friar Gate bridge also made the Structural steelwork and cast-ironwork for many large buildings around the world and they were made right here in Derby at the Duke Street Foundry "Britannia Iron Works". Some of their buildings are still in use today while others have been converted into buildings for a different function.
On a recent visit to Sheffield (to See Adam and the Ants) I tracked down another of Andrew Handysides creations, that of the internal arched cast-iron structure of a former Drill Hall. Today the building is used as a car showroom.

The Volunteer Artillery Drill Hall, on Edmund Road Sheffield was built for the use of the 4th West York Artillery Volunteers. The building is confusingly known both as the Volunteer Artillery Drill Hall and
Norfolk Barracks, and the address given as either Clough Road or Edmund Road.
The main frontage of the building is on Clough road (see my first photograph below). Its an amazing looking building as you can see. Looks like its currently having some work done to it.

The roof was manufactured in Derby by Andrew Handyside & Co Ltd and is constructed in one span, without pillars. The drill room, 108 feet long and 90 feet wide, and a gun-shed the same length, but
narrower. Messrs. M. E. Hadfield and Son were the architects

This building was Grade II listed on 20 December 1978.

I would like to thanks the guys at www.thecarspecialists.com for giving me permission to take photographs inside this building.

Photographs of Sheffield Drill Hall:

The Drill Hall exterior shot (May 2011)
Edmund Road Drill Hall, Sheffield

The Handyside roof on the top floor.
Handyside roof in Edmund Road Drill Hall, Sheffield

Arched support trusses by Andrew Handyside :
Handyside roof in Edmund Road Drill Hall, Sheffield

Another view of the roof:
Handyside roof in Edmund Road Drill Hall, Sheffield

The far wall of the drill hall has this mural painted on it.
It translates as Always, where right and glory lead. The motto of the Royal Artillery :
The wall inside Edmund Road Drill Hall, Sheffield

Map Location:
View my Andrew Handyside World Map to see the exact location of this building on the world map.
My world map is the result of hundreds of hours of research into the company, plotting out each item as I find it.

Google Streetview of this building

Can you help find more Andrew Handyside stuff ?
If anyone out there knows of any other items around the world bearing the Handyside badge that I have not mentioned yet then please get in touch with details, location, photographs etc.

Thanks
Andy

2 comments:

  1. My late grandfather aged 15 queued there in 1914 to take the king's shilling and join the army. His aunt had heard what he intended to do and dragged him from the queue, telling the recruiting sergeant where to put the king's shilling.

    All his mates were killed on the Somme, he then contracted TB which cost him a lung, but kept him out of the rest of the war, he died aged 92.

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  2. My great grandfather was caretaker there just before WW1, Im sure he resided there as well. He was ex RFA.

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