* A 187Mby MP4 Video, which is 12mins 25secs long.
* To down-load the video, right-click on the down-arrow option, the last of the three options to the lower right of the video frame. Select 'Save-As' and view, but take note of the following...
** It came to my notice in December 2023, that the Download option below and to the right of the media _does not_ allow you to download the full version, only the 3 minutes available here, for non-Pro users. For Pro-users, the content is restricted to 10mins in the Flickr interface but now the full 12m 25s can be down-loaded as described above. This is due to the fact that I re-instated my Pro-account in May, 2025.
For all users however, any video beyond the 3 or 10 minute restriction for non-Pro & Pro-users, will be made available on my 'tightfitz.flickr' site, here is the link for the full version of this one-
www.flickr.tightfitz.com/Video/Rotherham_New_Forge_Island...
* Music, once again from Dreamstate Logic, Etheric Echoes
* Preamble
This is the final part, IV, of the Rotherham, 'Forge Island Area Changes' videos, this time starting in May, 2023 and ending just 6 months ago in November, 2012. As with the older ones, this video documents the new 'order', which has now become the scene on 'Forge Island', once the province of 'Rotherham Forge & Rolling Mills Co. Ltd.'. Over the last 5 years, the area has gone though many changes compared to those days in the 1950s and 1960s, with the land being cleared completely and re-developed for various uses. The last 'traditional', and significant, use of the space being for the town centre's 'Tesco Supermarket' and its large, convenient car park, both accessed by a pedestrian footbridge from Corporation St. and a road over the river from MArket St. The earlier videos can be seen here-
Part III - 'Steel and Water: an Island between River & Canal'. November, 2021 & June, 2022.
This has the Victorian scenes shots at the beginning. 7m26s.
www.flickr.com/photos/vinc2020/52276745763/
Part II - 'The Rotherham area again, the scene around the Forge Island, various 7196->8593'.
September, 2020 & March 2021. 5m 16s.
www.flickr.com/photos/vinc2020/51018829325/
Part I - 'Flooding in the Rotherham area again, the scene around Forge Island, various, 5878->6007'
'The beginning'. February & March 2020. 4m30s.
www.flickr.com/photos/vinc2020/49627149422/
Along with the 're-purposing of the Forge Island' space with its now significant flood defence paraphernalia, the adjoining area, the 'Westgate Quarter' as it is now known, has seen new housing developments alongside the River Don, right on the river side, the houses, as on the Forge Island site, having undergone protracted flood defence barrier work; this time 'they look to mean it', but we shall see... This all forming part of the £42 million redevelopment of Rotherham town centre, yet again... It _is_ all very impressive.
The Video Sequence has been split up into three sections based on the dates of visiting the site, which weren't all that regular or evenly spaced, but as the changes tended to be rather slow for such a mammoth task, this didn't matter much.
(Places in the video are given as SminSsec->EminEsec, Start to End, along with the picture numbers)
*Section 1 - 18th May 2023.
The initial pictures, 0m->1m0s, show the views along Don St. with the old 'Guest & Chrimes', foundry building, still extant when photographed at this time and, in fact, still present just a few weeks ago, it looks like the demolishing process has stalled... In the 2020 video above, there are some pictures which I took in 2008, when this building was up for sale, the pictures start at 3m 40secs in. As a matter of historical interest...
'... These shots from 12 years ago, were taken on 7th September, 2008 when the Grade II listed building was being offered 'For Sale' by 'G.V.A. Grimley' and I bet that was a hard thing to sell in the year of the great financial down-turn; it never did sell. The second of the shots shows the distinctive front with white stone features which in around 1959/1960, I could see from my grandparent's house which was situated on an elevated position on Moorgate over-looking the Rother Valley, in Rotherham. At night, when visiting them, I used to watch steam hauled passenger services slowly making their way up from Tinsley & Templeborough to vanish behind this lit building, on the still extant line of course, and on into the old Rotherham Central Station; the white stonework making the building easy to pick out in the dark...'
There's a view of the new build housing, in the 'Westgate Quarter', along the bank of the River Don at the other side and they look pleasant enough. From 1m0s->1m44s, there are views along Westgate, Main St. where the old Westgate Station used to be, on the left, and the area around Domine Lane & Market St. right next to the Forge Island development. On Westgate, are two of the towns oldest pubs, 'The Cutlers' Arms' and 'The Alma Tavern', the latter looking in dire need of some T.L.C. I used to frequent the Cutlers' Arms in the mid-to-late 1960s as one of our 'gang', Dick Symmonds, was the son of the then Landlord of the same name, the pub has also now been adorned with a 'Blue Plaque' by 'Rotherham District Civic Society'/Chantry Brewery, stating-
'Cutlers Arms - A public house since 1825. Used as a Coroner's Court & an Enlistment Office'.
Main St, the renovation of the properties behind the old Co-op building can be seen and the place is now looking pretty smart. There's a view over the River Don bridge towards the new Council Offices on Don St. on the left, and the 1st flats built in this area on Market St., on the right; the old Post Office can also be seen on the right opposite the flats. Much of the mess at the back of the properties on seen in the earlier videos at centre, has now gone and the area is being tidied up.
At 1m45s->2m35s, the view is along Market St., there are views, looking over Forge Island and at the end of Market St., the views up and down Corporation St. showing the new wider access over onto Forge Island, all the buildings which once stood here, 'L. A. Ratcliffe the Stationers' shop, at 31, Corporation St., which was on the left, being one such establishment.
And at 2m45s->6m20s(3420-3470), the views are from the Forge Island site itself, now almost complete and fortunately at this time, another craft, a narrow boat, 'Gregory's Girl', comes through the lock heading south. The 1st views show the completed Portcullis lock, suspended high above the still waters of the lock chamber with at right, the string of orange buoys preventing traffic from passing over the Weir on the river Don. At this time the tall crane was still present, finishing off the construction work, but this will be gone by the pictures taken for the 3rd section. The new metal inter-locked flood defence wall is evident in these picture along with the extra height of the elevated site, no-one is taking any chances with all this and its to be hoped that Global Warming doesn't out-wit the engineers.. 'Rotherham Minster', All Saints Parish Church stands sentinel in the background and over-seeing yet more changes to the town centre; it has done so for over 500 years. Rotherham Central Station can be seen in those views looking north, on the left-hand side and it is also to be hoped that the flooding threat here in the past will now be ameliorated, preventing the station track-bed being turned back into its old purpose, the original Canal bed, the story behind all this, can be found here-
www.flickr.com/photos/vinc2020/51902949333/
At 3m40s(3435), the now cleaned out bed of the old Swing Bridge base can be viewed, along with several other shots during this section and it is of great interest as this artifact may be seen in the Victorian shots at the beginning of the 3rd video, indicated above. A new, billet-like, monument now proclaims the name for the new site, 'Forge Island - CANALSIDE' at the foot of the old stone and concrete foot-bridge onto the site which, at this time, was blocked off.
At 4m40s->6m24s(3448-3470), the canal narrow boat 'Gregory's Girl' can be seen making its way from the north, with Rotherham Central Station at left and the boat is heading for the location of the old canal cut entry which once took the water along what is now the G.C.R's Railway formation into Rotherham central. Along the way, I have included an information board, at 6m00s(3461), showing what Rotherham Lock and its environs looked like in 1979, quite an 'eye-opener' ... From here, its back into town and some views at the south end of Corporation St.
At 6m24s->7m39s(3471-3485), the end of this section, the camera is once again taking a closer look to the changes on Corporation St. with the views mainly showing how the access to Forge Island has been opened out to a much wider extent, by demolishing a handful of properties between the red-brick 'Equity Chambers' building, see earlier shots, and just this side of what used to be the 'Wilco' supermarket building, the end of this can be seen in the 1st of the shots, but by the time of the 3rd section, this remaining part of Wilco' had been demolished as well.
However at the end of Corporation St. stands one of the towns most iconic buildings, the old 'ODEON' cinema, but which opened as the 'Regal Cinema' on December 22nd, 1934, see-
cinematreasures.org/theaters/18509
This became the 'ODEON' in 1946 when it was leased to the 'Rank Organisation' chain, in 1975 it was sold by them to an Independent outfit who renamed it once more to the 'Scala Cinema'. It finally closed on 23rd September, 1983 with the last film being, 'Porky’s II': The Next Day'. It then subsequently became a Bingo Hall and renamed once more, to 'The Ritz' and late 'The Mecca'. It was put up for auction in February, 2020, for £600,000+, amazingly though it reached £590,000 and failed to sell. A year or so later, with the threat of demolition, it became Grade II listed in November, 2021 and, as these two shots of it on lower Corporation St., next to Chantry Bridge, it thankfully still stands. Its 'rising organ'! was sold separately and is currently under refurbishment with the 'East Midlands Cinema Organ Association'.
The 'ODEON' of course was named such after 'Oscar Deutsch', a British businessman who founded the 'Odeon Cinemas' in 1928 and was the son of a successful Hungarian, Jewish scrap metal merchant, Leopold Deutsch. see-
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oscar_Deutsch
Oscar Deutsch was blown out of bed when a bomb landed on his house in 1941 and later that year, died of Cancer; his wife subsequently sold 'Odeon Cinemas' to the 'Rank Organisation'.
Thee latest information I saw just today, 7th July, 2025, was an article on from the local BBC news-
The 1930s, now Grade II listed, 'Regal', latterly 'Odeon Cinema' then the 'Mecca Bingo Hall', is to have almost a half-million pounds spent on it to maintain the structure insider, it belongs to the Rotherham Council, see-
www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cd6g363ddw4o
So, good news there...
At the other side of the road, 7m9s(3480), opposite the old 'ODEON' cinema building, the story is somewhat different, which still shows the relative 'mess' which has existed here for a number of years, a section of this 'mess' was created when a fire broke out at the 'Muskaan Indian Cuisine' restaurant on July 18th, 2011, see-
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zlkls2KQsrM
Prior to this in 2007, there was also a malicious fire which gutted the upper floor of 'Club Envy', right next door to the restaurant, see-
www.rothbiz.co.uk/2018/11/news-6023-rotherham-property-ow...
This area now appears not to be of any interest to anyone, the lower half of that side of Corporation St. having been left in a state of dereliction all that time; what a place! The extent of the fire damage to the upper floors of the lower 3 buildings is evident and there has been no owner intervention in the ensuing years, one can't imagine that this state of affairs will be allowed to continue with the ongoing multi-million pound redevelopment going on just behind the building at the other side of the road!
However, once more, the situation has changed for the better by the 3rd section of this video, the pictures being taken on 26th November, 2024, at last, some improvement...
From the past... this is the location, where the 69, Sheffield to Rotherham bus terminated to let off its passengers at the lower end of Corporation St around 10pm at night, and was the spot where I and my family got off after a visit to River St. and my grandparents house, in the late 1950s. This is where the almighty 'forge-hammer of the gods' rhythmically pounded, at about one crash-down per minute, not far just 200m away on the island site, away over behind the old 'L. A. Ratcliffe the Stationers' shop, at 31, Corporation St., this was one of the properties demolished during the redevelopment. A number of years before, the business had moved moved up Corporation St. to a premises, No.8, on Church St. near the bank shown earlier, I went in a few years ago to buy pen refills and it subsequently moved out of town to the Wickersley area when the 'All Saints Buildings' shopping area were all finally demolished in around 2008.
At 7m4024s->7m39s(3483-3485), the last 3 shots in this section, show another iconic entertainment venue, the ex-'Essoldo Cinema', then renamed 'The Cannon", see-
cinematreasures.org/theaters/18508
It is now split as a nightclub, the 'Amber Lounge' and a snooker club. Some of the colourful local characters end this 1st section of the video with the 'capped' gent asking me what I am doing though he looks like he may be 'on the move' somewhere. Lastly 3 'sorts' who have come out of 'ROAR' the Rotherham Open Arts Renaissance' and are having their lunch-break, its 13:08... Behind them is what used to be the Rotherham Co-operative Society, my Mother's 'divi', 'Dividend Number' was 14097 and in those days, it was a very respectable periodic payout based on what you had spent in the store..
* Section 2 - 5th December, 2023.
7m39s->9m34s(4739-4763). This section starts at Rotherham Central Station, just behind the camera, and shows 1st the 'Stone Crest' of the 'Sheffield & Rotherham Railway', which was the outfit which ran into Rotherham's Westgate Station where the 'Crest' once resided, see-
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rotherham_Westgate_railway_station
which was once the terminus of the line from Sheffield Wicker; this line closed on 4th October, 1952. The 'Crest' was taken away and one of the local councillors rescued it from where it had been moved, 'Boston Castle', after Westgate Station had closed. It was then placed in museum storage in the mid-1990s and had been there until the new Rotherham Central Station was refurbished a few years ago at which time, it was re-located here. Looking beyond the 'Crest', the development at Forge Island can be seen, with the 'Travelodge' under construction on this non to sunny days, 5th December, 2023. The next few shots show the scene with Central Station on the left and the old canal wharf building in view, a shot of 'Rotherham Minster' accompanied by the 'Twin Towers' of a pair of concrete mixers!. At the northern end of the 'cut', the 'ARC' Cinema is being built and on the right, the the old canal junction where in the 19th century the canal came in from Ickles before the G.C.R., used its bed for the Central line from Woodburn through to Mexborough...see-
www.flickr.com/photos/vinc2020/51902949333/
So this was the state of play along the canal by December 5th, 2023, the site had been given over to the 'Travelodge' hotel along the east side of the Rotherham Cut' of the 'Sheffield & South Yorkshire Navigation' and now the large 'ARC' Cinema was occupying space on the same side at the south end of the canal; the surprise for me at that time, there was no sign of any residential dwellings.. At 8m35s(4750) into the video, in this Section, 2, is what I regard as the most iconic shot of the scene with the Portcullis gate hung 'ready', the 1st flats, 'Old Market St. Appartments', to be built, seen on the left, around 2008. In the right background, Moorgate Cemetery and beyond that, 'Boston Castle'. Looking back the other way from the canal foot-bridge, closed at this time, the view begins to show what the place will look like in around a year, the time of my next visit, which forms Section 3. At centre is Rotherham Central Station, now looking a bit overwhelmed with all this new development dominating the area and, at 9m5s(4756), the walk down off the site, passing the new pedestrian flood door, here wide open of course. Passing through the massive door along the old canal tow-path, Main St. bridge is ahead and finally for this section, a look back north, at the canal on the left and Weir on the right; the waters looking rather turbulent....
* Section 3 - 26th November, 2024.
9m34s->12m25s(6123-6154). And, 11 months later, Winter-time once more but now in full, mid-day sun on 26th November, making the lighting conditions somewhat stark... The scene now looks from the 'Cut-end' at the north side, and along the still blue water, with the completed ARC Cinema at left and most of the construction paraphernalia removed. In these pictures it is clear to see how far elevated the buildings are with respect to the nominal canal water level. In addition, there are no residential properties on the site, just 3 large business properties, 'Travelodge', 'ARC Cinema' and one other, the 'Vetro Lounge' which at this time stood empty but which I see is now fully decked out and rather splendid it looks as well, see-
thelounges.co.uk/vetro/
At 9m45s(6125), the view looks towards the north, passed the 'Travelodge' with 'Rotherham Minster' on view, what tales it could tell, now looking resplendent in the Winter sun.
In the distance, is Chantry Bridge & 'The Bridge Inn', some information related to these age-old structure-
'... 'Rotherham Bridge' crosses the River Don in central Rotherham, South Yorkshire. It is known for its bridge chapel, considered the best preserved in England. A document of 1385 refers to Bridgegate in the town, which implies that a previous bridge existed on the same site. The road it carries was originally the main route from London to Richmond. The current bridge was erected by 1483, when the Chapel of Our Lady of Rotherham Bridge was added. It is of ashlar sandstone and is built on three piers, each with a cutwater. John Leland, writing around 1540, described a "fair Stone Bridge of 4 arches" and "a Chapel of Stone well wrought". The chapel was dissolved in 1547 and converted into first an almshouse, then the town gaol and finally a shop. The bridge was altered in 1768–69 by John Platt, working for John Carr of York, but was restored to its original dimensions by Reginald Blomfield in 1927, when Chantry Bridge was built alongside. The chapel was restored at the same time. Chantry Bridge is Grade I listed and is a Scheduled Ancient Monument...'
At the other side of the river from the chapel and in similar style, is 'The Bridge Inn', some information related to this almost equally age-old structure-
'... Formerly 'Nellie Denes'. Recently internally restyled in a Goth decor. The original home of Rotherham CAMRA, the pub reverted to its original name after a spell as Nellie Denes. It is an Old Mill tied house, originally built for the Mappin Brewery, opposite, in 1930 using stone from the original Bridge Inn, which dated back to the 1700s. up to four real ales from Old Mill are on the bar. There is live music most Friday and Saturday evenings with open mic on Thursday evenings. Upstairs, two function rooms are used. The nearby Chantry Bridge has one of only three Bridge Chapels still existing. There is a wall mural by Phil Padfield in the outside yard area that was done for the 125th anniversary of Arthur Wharton's signing for Rotherham Town FC. Arthur was the first professional black player in the UK.
Historic Interest. Originally built for the Mappin Brewery, opposite, in 1930 using stone from the original Bridge Inn, which dated back to the 1700s...'
At 10m4s(6130), the view once again looks south over the site to the location of the new foot-bridge and Rotherham Weir and at this time, I am walking along the path though the site, near its large, A.N.P.R can park. With the 'Minster' dominating the background in well-lit early afternoon sun, the unfolding scene is remarkable in the the changes which have been wrought to what was once a large, dirty, noisy industrial site, home of the 'Rotherham Forge & Rolling Mills Co. Ltd.'. The new footbridge is wide, open and has splendid views over the River Don, unlike the last one which was enclosed, with with windows along each side, narrow-ish, and was latterly, dirty and smelly, it did however protect shoppers from the wind and rain when going over to shop at Tesco's. This old structure was finally banished and removed on July the 14th 2022, see-
www.rothbiz.co.uk/2022/07/news-7812-tesco-bridge-removed-...
making way for the new one which was lifted into place just under a year later, on June 20th, 2023, see-
rothnews.co.uk/2023/06/new-bridge-lifted-into-place-at-fo...
From the bridge, looking north, the depth of the sides to the nominal level of the water in the River Don, can be seen, but, in times of flood this level can reach as much as just a couple of metres down from the top of the wall!
At 10m50s(6138), its back on to Corporation Street at the lower end and what a change, the burnt out, derelict buildings have finally been demolished and the site cleared, to bring a sense of renewal to the area, there is still some clearing to do, but what a long expected change to something which looked 'gross' for decades.. Rotherham Bus interchange is in the background. A little further back in shot and the view towards the bus station now looks very much different, the 'ODEON' Cinema building, now to be refurbished, see-
www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cd6g363ddw4o
is at left and the feel of the area here has changed for the better. At 11m4s(6142), the view takes one final look up Corporation St. from Market St. and then the views across the site from along Market St, looking over to the west with site beneath... At 11m34s(6148) a wide angle view from the Main St. River Bridge shows the site with the Council Offices on Don St. to the left, the S.Y. Police H.Q. to its right and finally the Portcullis Gate on the canal at far right; it would be good to see this being lowered and raised, as a test sometime, the new addition does look rather graceful. The next shot shows the view along north over the 'Rotherham Cut', or 'Browns Lock' as it was once known as with, on the right, the heavy-duty flood barrier with the low-level car park of Travelodge visible underneath the building. Finally the last shots having got back to the Domine Lane area at 11m49s(6151), with a view up to the top of High St. and Jo Peel's artwork on the right. The camera now heads back along Don St. with the newly constructed, small 'Holmes Tail Goit' bridge on the left. In the left corner of this picture, another, wooden, bridge once carried the Westgate Branch of the Sheffield & Rotherham Railway over the River Don and into Westgate Station; the bridge abutment at the other side is still visible. Leaning on the small fence next to the 'Goit' bridge, two gents are standing and wistfully staring over the river, maybe thinking of the days when the scene around these parts, looked very much different. As the camera continues on to the car park outside the R.U.F.C. ground at New York, the final, extended time shot, view shows the scene at the other side of the River, with the box-like Post Office sorting office at left, built on the site of the old Westgate Station. A blue crane is undertaking more piling work at the side of the River and, to the right, looking good in the sun at 13:11 on 26th November, 2024, the old, impressive, and now re-purposed, 'Talbot Lane Methodist Church', stands sentinel, in the background...
