James Gledhill and The Rhubarb Triangle
James Gledhill in 1928
James Gledhill was born in Rishworth on 20 August 1867. He was the youngest of six sons and four daughters born to Richard Gledhill, a gardener and coachman from Skircoat and his wife Margaret Parr of Greetland, all districts of Halifax.
James was educated at Rishworth Grammar School and then he went to work for the wealthy Wheelright family of Rishworth. The Wheelwrights were farmers and landowners and it is probable that James worked at James Wheelwright's cotton spinning mill as several of his older siblings already worked there as cotton operatives.
By the time of the 1891 Census, James had moved to Castleton, Rochdale, where he was employed in neighbouring Suddon as a police constable. Having been invalided out of the police force he came to live in Sheffield where he married Ada Lee at St. Mary's Parish Church, Bramall Lane on 22 April 1889. A son, James Eric was born in 1896 and a daughter Constance in 1900.
James set up a retail shop at 150 Eccleshall Road, opposite Wards Brewery, to sell flowers, bulbs, seeds, fruit and vegetables from his own gardens on land acquired at The Manor Farm. By 1908 he was renting ten acres and had a substantial range of stabling, greenhouses, potting sheds and a heated shed for forcing rhubarb. As many as half a million plants were sent to market in a single week.
James Gledhill's poultry farm with the Brookvale Laundry in the background, 1921
In 1906 James Gledhill leased, from Michael Joseph Hunter, land and property in Totley that had belonged to the Victoria Gardens including the former Abbeydale/Queens Social Club on Baslow Road which had been struck of the register on 27 March 1905 for contraventions of the Licensing Act 1902. The property was converted into two houses, Little Haven (85) and Moorlands (87), and rented out.
In the 1911 Census, the Gledhills were living at Glover House, an old brickbuilt property on the corner of Glover Road facing up Mickley Lane. It was double fronted with a low front wall and gate with a walk up to the house, and a yard to the side and back leading to a stabling block with workshop above, reached by external stone steps. The photograph is dated about 1910. Standing in front of the house are Doris and Ida Bradbury.
Glover House, with Doris (b 1906) and Ida (b 1904) Bradbury
On a ten acre triangle of land between Mickley Lane, Glover Road and Baslow Road James Gledhill grew fruit, mushrooms and, especially, rhubarb. Locals who had hitherto dubbed the Victoria Gardens the Monkey Gardens now had a new name: the Rhubarb Triangle. The Gledhills also had a poultry farm on land between Glover Road and Back Lane and a shop at Sheffield Castlefield Market.
The original lease had been for 20 years but that was reviewed in 1920 and extended to run until 1927 when it was extended further by a period of two years until March 1929. Michael Joseph Hunter died on 11 November 1926 aged 70. He had been Master Cutler in 1903, and later a J.P. and Chairman of Cherrytree Orphanage. He was succeeded by his son, Captain Michael John Hunter.
On 3 March 1928 James Gledhill was given notice to quit the Victoria Gardens by 25 March 1929 which he duly did, moving out of Glover House into Little Haven. He appointed a valuer with instructions to prepare a claim for improvements to the property under the Agricultural Holdings Act 1923. A claim was submitted for the sum of £1,527, notably for the clearing away of the derelict pleasure ground structures and the improvement of the rough pastures for the planting of fruit trees. The sum was disputed and there were counter claims. The case went before Sheffield County Court on 29 October 1929 and on 22 November Judge Lias found in favour of the landlord. Whilst it was not disputed that the Hunters were aware that the land was to be used for market gardening, there was no written agreement that the land should be treated as a market garden under the provisions of the Agricultural Holdings Act.
In December 1929 Sheffield Daily Telegraph contained advertisements for the sale the of the Hunter family's land at Totley Rise as follows:
Totley Rise, Near Sheffield.
With Excellent Bus and Train Services from and to the City of Shefield.
A Small Freehold Estate
Containing a total of a bout 14 acres, having extensive road frontages to the main road from Sheffield to Baslow, to Mickley Lane, and to Glover Road, which intersects the Property. To be Offered For Sale as a Whole, or if not sold, in the following Four Lots:-
LOT 1. -With Vacant Possession. The brickbuilt Dwelling-House, Outbuildings, Yard and Garden, situated at the corner of Mickley Land and Glover Road, at present unoccupied. Area about 32 perches. For Key to View, apply to Mr. T.E. Bailey, Brook Terrace, adjoining the Lot.
LOT 2. -The Close of Excellent Accommodation Grass Land, containing about 1 acres 2½ roods, with a frontage to Glover Road of about 280 feet. Tenant, Mr. James Gledhill. Apportioned rent £4 0s. 0d.
LOT 3. -A Similar Close of Land containing about 2 acres 1½ roods, with a frontage to Glover Road of about 370 feet. Tenant, Mr. James Gledhill. Apportioned rent, £6 0s. 0d.
LOT 4. -With Vacant Possession, The Triangular Piece of Land containing about 10 acres and possessing exceptional road frontages to the main road from Sheffield to Baslow of about 2,040 feet, to Mickley Lane of about 1,160 feet, and to Glover Road of about 610 feet. All Free of Tithe and Land Tax.
Ernest S. Mitchell will offer the Property for Sale by Auction on Monday, December 16th, 1929, at 6 o'clock p.m., at the Cross Scythes Hotel, Totley, subject to the General Conditions of Sale of 1925 and to such Special Conditions as shall be read.
For Printed Particulars and Plan apply to Mr G. F. Barnes, F.S.I., Chartered Surveyor, Bank Chambers, Central Pavement, Chesterfield; the Auctioneer, 10 Gluman Gate, Chesterfield or to Bramley and Coombe, Solicitors, 4 and 6 Paradise Square, Sheffield.
Unfortunately the hotel itself was offered for sale and it was that which proved to be the more newsworthy.
James Gledhill retired from the horticultural business but he continued to live at Little Haven and carried on with his other business, political and social interests.
James Gledhill in later life
James Gledhill held a number of public offices. He was the Chairman of Totley Parish Council for many years, and following the retirement of William Aldam Milner, Totley's representative on the Norton Rural District Council. He was also on the Sheffield Poor Law Union Board of Guardians until it was superseded in 1930. He was a patron of Totley Bowling Club and President of the Totley Sports and Social Club.
Sheffield Guardians 1929. James Gledhill, back row.
An election address from the 1930s survives recording his opposition to the attempts by the City of Sheffield to include Totley within the city boundaries.
TO THE ELECTORS OF THE
PARISH OF TOTLEY.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I have been invited by a representative body of Ratepayers in the Parish to stand as your Candidate for the Norton Rural District Council, to fill the vacancy caused by the retirement, after 44 years of faithful service, of W. A. Milner, Esq., M.A., J.P., D.L., during the last 22 years of which period he was Chairman of the Norton Rural District Council. We must all feel deep regret that indifferent health has caused Mr. Milner to take this step. I have pleasure in accepting this invitation and offer my best services as your candidate.
I find myself in perfect agreement with the Policy of the Norton Rural District Council in resisting the repeated attempts of the City of Sheffield to include this District within the City boundaries. I consider that these attempts are not for the benefit of this district, but for the benefit of the City of Sheffield.
Desiring to represent no particular party but the whole body of ratepayers, I offer my services with an open mind and a free hand, therefore I should be better able to face and deal with the needs of the Norton Rural District at the present time.
Commencing life as a Charity School Boy my progress in life has been made through the school of hard experience. I feel that my business experience will be of benefit and use to the Council in matters where wise spending and wise control are called for. By wise spending I mean expenditure which produces results of service to the majority of the residents. In regard to the dedication of new roads, I should oppose extravagance and high cost, supporting the provision of roads suitable and adequate for the needs of the neighbourhood.
Improvement schemes and public work which may be necessary will have my support, so long as they are not a burden on the Ratepayers. I am strongly in favour of the employment of British Labour and British Materials for all Public Works.
I am opposed to all Insanitary Conditions. Of the Essential Services I place Health and Education first; a healthy Parish is well worth striving for, bringing happiness and contentment in its train. Education must by all means be kept at a high standard. I am strongly in favour of every opportunity being given to girls and boys having ability, to rise from the bottom to the top of the Educational Ladder whatever the means of their parents may.be.
Especially will I strive to keep the Rates within reasonable limits. High Rates produce unemployment. They also make it harder for those who have their livings to earn.
I have been a Ratepayer in the District nearly forty years, resident in the Parish over twenty years of that period, and have always taken an active interest in everything of benefit to the district. On three successive occasions I have had the honour of being elected on the Council. I shall always be accessible to all Residents at my address.
Assuring you that at all times, if elected, I shall be happy to render every service within my power, WITHOUT PARTY or CLASS DISTINCTION. I solicit the honour and favour of your early votes on the 2nd of April.
I have the honour to be Ladies and Gentlemen,
Yours faithfully,
JAMES GLEDHILL,
Victoria Gardens.
Glover Road.
Totley Rise.
However, with the absorption of Norton in Sheffield in 1934, James Gledhill became a city councillor and served with distinction as a member of the Markets Committee and Social Services Committee.
From Armistice Day 1937, there survives these handwritten notes that formed the basis of a talk he gave to schoolchildren at Totley All Saints School.
James Gledhill's Armistice Day talk, 1937
James Gledhill died aged 75 and was buried in Abbey Lane Cemetery on 5 January 1943.
