Thorncliffe Revisited (A New Generation)

Throughout September the gallery will be holding an exhibition of Thorncliffe Industrial Heritage and local history from archives and local people combined with the work of 100 children from 4 to 13 years exploring their legacy through a series of themed  workshops.       

220 years ago in 1793 Thomas Chambers and George Newton aquired the lease of land with the coal and iron mining rights from Earl Fitzwilliam to a valley at Thorncliffe situated equidistant between Sheffield, Rotherham and Barnsley with the intention of establishing an iron works.

Over the next 200 years Newton Chambers would expand into an international coal mining and manufacturer of heavy industrial plant to be known throughout the world, and with the invention of gas lighting in the 19th century were responsible for the manufacture of gas works plant and pioneers in the carbonisation of coal which led to the establishment and production of its chemical divisions under the names Izal and Zalpine disinfectants, and later aquisitions of Ronuk, Ronseal.and NCK excavators, with the excavator section put to the production of 1180 Churchill tanks during WW2.

With around 8,000 employees, its own health centre, bank, printing, envied training centre and collage for boys and girls alongside extensive social, recreational and employee housing facilities Newton Chambers was a force which helped to expand and develop the surrounding hamlets  into the Chapeltown/High Green area we now know.

Today Thorncliffe Valley is mainly housing with small new formed industrial units combined with parts of the old foundry, offices and engineering workshops put to other use. but its legacy lives on with this new generation for whom history became alive. indeed the creational work of the children is worth a visit in its own right.

As the gallery and campus is situated at the head of the valley and ajacent to the still used sports fields, club house and recreational ground it is on site for exploration of the area which takes in part of the Westwood Country Park.

The gallery is open Monday-Friday 9am-5pm. with free entry and parking, Cafe. and craft shop on site.

Printed information will be available with a 32 mins film show of the work and lives of the Thorncliffe people at 10.30am Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday until the end of the exhibition 

School visits welcome to drop in or by arrangment.