People
We met with members of the community throughout June and July 2021 to ask them about their relationship to the city, what heritage means to them, and their thoughts on the representation of different histories in Sheffield's heritage story.
People from different backgrounds shared their stories. Here are some things we learned from them, and glimpses into what future projects could offer.
This map shows the countries of origin of participants in the project.
5 minutes with Aisha
Aisha Jones is one of the members of the community who participated in the project. She also helped develop an exhibition on Yemeni heritage at Weston Park Museum. Hear her thoughts on this exhibition, the city, shared heritage, and everything in between. Click twice to listen.
Hidden Histories
Healthcare Heroes
Working in hospitals is a common profession in many of the local communities, but not much is known about the stories and journeys of people who first came to pursue this career in Sheffield.
Preserving as persevering
Palestinians who have been forced out of their homes keep a Return key in the hopes they can one day go back. Embroidery and textiles are also a medium through which the story of the people and regions they came from are told.
The rise of restaurants
Many of Sheffield’s diverse restaurants were established when factories closed and former workers found this was a way to use their redundancy pay to start new careers, and preserve an important part of their culture in the process.
What happened to Lizzie?
Lizzie the elephant brought fame to Sheffield during World War I as she was drafted to transport steel machinery. Rumour has it she is now buried near Borough Mews flats, the former stables of the General Infirmary.
Edward street flats
Many members of the community have lived in these flats for some part of their lives, but not much is known about the history of this space, perhaps because archives might not bring the human dimension to the living stories that shaped it.
Future Avenues
What do people who participated in the consultations want to see more of in future initiatives on the history of the city?