The following characters formed part of the fascinating tapestry that I unpicked whilst researching Sheffield's literary and political history for my Master of Philosophy degree from 1986 to 1992. I had never come across any of these people before in my life but by the time I had finished they were all my best friends. Indeed, Barbara Hofland was to become my mistress as well as Emily Bronte.

Perhaps one of my objectives in setting out these biographies is to ensure they and their live do not disappear into the dust of time.

I need write no more as an introduction - these people speak for themselves.

Samuel Bailey.

Regarded by some as the "Bentham of Hallamshire" Samuel Bailey was born on July 5th 1791 the son of Joseph Bailey a Merchant and Mary Eadon, the daughter of John Eadon who was for some time the Master of the Sheffield Free Writing School. Joseph Bailey had been Master Cutler in 1801 and played a prominent part in the development of trade with America. Samuel joined his father's business after his full-time education at the Free Writing School and the Moravian Settlement in Fulneck. However, his fascination for literary and philosophical studies drew him away from the rigours of business and he spent most of his long life in the production of a multitude of pamphlets and books on a variety of subjects.

In 1828 he was elected a Town Trustee and in 1832 he was an unsuccessful candidate in Sheffield's very first elections. As an intellectual radical he was clearly seen as the people's choice though he stood on the same "platform" as the other radical Thomas Asline Ward and neither was successful. Robert Leader claimed that because the Bailey business was based on the system of stuffing Samuel could never have carried the popular vote. Stuffing was a system in which goods (stuff) were taken in place of money and passed along until the last person, usually the workmen, received the stuff instead of payment leaving the latter without money with which to buy his subsistence. the practice was regarded as totally obnoxious throughout the town.

Samuel Bailey was a founder of the Sheffield Literary and Philosophical Society being its President in 1826, 1830 and 1831. He also helped to found the Sheffield banking Society in 1831.

His bibliography is substantial and consists of works on banking, Economics, Politics, Philosophy, Shakespeare and an epic poem called Maro, or Poetic Irritability.

He died after living most of his later years as a recluse at the age of seventy-nine on January 18th 1870.

Robert Slater Bayley.

Reverend Robert Slater Bayley was born in 1806 in the town of Litchfield. He trained for the Congregational Church at Highbury Theological College. An accomplished man, he was a scholar of the Hebrew, Greek and Roman classics and devoted most of his life to the promotion of education for the people as a whole. He was a man of great resolve and self-determination almost to the point of destruction. Though his single minded objectives brought him great popularity in some quarters, nonetheless his stubbornness caused him many rifts with his friends.

In 1836 he became Minister at the Howard Street Independent Chapel in Sheffield until he formed the People's College in the town in 1842. The college was intended to be an alternative to the Mechanics' Institute which had proved to be fit only for children from the middle classes and more wealthy families and was to become a model for other towns to follow. Amongst the subjects taught at the college were various languages, mathematics, literature, logic, elocution and drawing. The classes were held either before or after normal working hours to enable young working men and women to take advantage of the facility.

Bayley wrote several pamphlets on education as well as manual text books for the various subjects he taught. Many of these publications are still available in the Sheffield Local Studies Library. He was to some extent a pioneer in National Education attending, and playing a leading role in, great rallies in the town for its promotion. Indeed, he spoke on the rostrum with Ebenezer Elliott at such a meeting in 1837. He was outspoken against the Chartists in the town and there are examples of his correspondence to the local press castigating their activities, and indeed, there are also interesting replies from the Chartists themselves.

Bayley's domineering style whilst carrying out his ministerial duties at the Howard Street Chapel, coupled with his extraordinary energy he expelled at the College, caused dissatisfaction amongst the congregation and he finally had to leave the town in 1848. He took up a position as Pastor in London and later in Hereford where he died in 1859.

Colonel Robert Athorpe Athorpe.

In 1772 Robert Athorpe Blanshard changed his name to Robert Athorpe Athorpe in order to facilitate the inheritance of his uncle's estate at Dinnington Hall. He was married to Mary Stayce of Ballifield whose father was a local vicar.

The Sheffield Independent Royal Volunteers was formed in 1794 and on June 19th Athorpe accepted command of the troops which consisted of 490 men. It was Athorpe and his volunteers who were involved in the disturbances in Norfolk Street in which two local men were shot dead and James Montgomery, the newspaper editor and poet, subsequently sent to prison.

As was customary at that time, local dignitaries held the position of magistrate and Athorpe, in that position, along with the Reverend Wilkinson presided over the case of libel against Montgomery, even though it was Athorpe who claimed to have been libelled.

Furthermore, Athorpe sat in many hearings against the working men of the town who found themselves in dispute with their employers. Typical of their class and of their time, Athorpe and his companion Wilkinson, invariably found in favour of the established order in the town.

James Silk Buckingham.

Amongst the most adventurous of men to enter the social life of the town during this period was James Silk Buckingham. Born in 1786 in the town of Flushing, Cornwall Buckingham sailed to Lisbon when only ten years old.

Incredible though it seems he was captured by a Spanish pioneer and held as a prisoner-of-war when he was only eleven years old. After his release and subsequent return to England, he worked in a nautical instrument shop in Devonport until he volunteered for the Royal Navy in 1802 from which he later deserted.

At the age of twenty Buckingham married a lady called Elizabeth Jennings who had lost her family estate through a smuggling scheme and a year later he took command of a merchant vessel and spent the next five years in the merchant navy.

He travelled across most countries of the Middle East. In particular he visited Egypt and then moved into the Indian Continent. In Calcutta he published a periodical called The Calcutta Journal and over a ten year period he published several other magazines in various parts of the sub-continent including The Oriental Herald, The Sphynx, Colonial Review and The Athaeneum.

One of the man's particularly favourite topics was the monopoly of trade held by the East Indian Company. Indeed, for some years he spoke and wrote pamphlets castigating the organisation.

Of the four parliamentary candidates in Sheffield's first ever elections in 1832 Buckingham was the only non-local to stand. He was a man of striking appearance, eloquent with an appealing turn of phrase. Clearly his interesting and varied life would have impressed the rather insular and isolated people of Sheffield at this time. He had an interest in social reform though he tended to expel his energies in too many diverse areas for him to be really effective. After being elected to parliament along with John Parker, he finally resigned his seat and sailed away to America.

His later activities included involvement in both the Temperance Society and the Anti-Corn Law movement. He died in 1855 and was buried in Kensal Green Cemetery, London.

John Eadon.

The son of a woodcutter and one of five sons, John Eadon was born in 1730 in the village of Ecclesfield. The members of his family were tall, well built and strong, and they were pugilistic in nature. Indeed, at this time in the open woodlands and moorland around the area. which would have included Grenowood still densely wooded today, many thieves and vagabonds roamed the nights. Though many others were attacked, there was never an occasion when an Eadon son was even approached, for they all had a reputation for their defensive skills.

John, who was the eldest of the five brothers, had a meagre education and was virtually self-taught. He was a prime example of the results of perseverance and dedication, for it was not until he had reached the age of nineteen that he began to teach himself his letters and rudimentary arithmetic. He became proficient to the extent that he acquired the post of Master at the Sheffield Free Writing School Croft in 1760.

He adopted different ways of teaching mathematics to his pupils setting his mathematical problems to rhymes. These can still be seen in his book The Arithmetical and Mathematical Repository. Amongst his other publications was The Arithmetician's Guide.

Eadon remained Master of the school until his death in 1820 at the age of eighty years. He married Hannah Smith of Tankersley and they had two sons and one daughter. The daughter, Mary, married Joseph Bailey and their son was the "Bentham of Hallamshire" Samuel Bailey.

George Calvert Holland.

Holland was born in Pitsmoor in 1801. There are conflicting reports as to his father's occupation, Odom says he was a barber whilst Leader claims he was a saw maker. In any event, George Holland like many of his contemporaries had little formal education. He began to study at the age of sixteen and absorbed himself in Latin, French and Italian. After being impressed by the ability of one of his friends to write verses he started to write himself and rapidly became competent enough to be a regular contributor to the Poets' Corner of a local journal.

Nonetheless, it was to the medical profession that Holland was to set his sights. He gained a place at Edinburgh to study medicine and in1827 graduated to M.D. with Honours. He began practice in Manchester and then took up another practice in Sheffield where he was reputed to have earned u1400 per annum. For twelve years, Holland was physician to the Royal Infirmary. He resigned that post in 1843.

Like many of his middle-class contemporaries, Holland was involved in many different facets of the town's life. He was active in the Mechanics' Library and the Mechanics' Institute. In 1835 he became President of the Sheffield Literary and Philosophical Society, a position which seemed to have been passed around a select and predictable few who were central to the town's social circle. At the S.L.P.S. Holland lectured on a variety of medical subjects and amongst his own personal special studies were consumption, the digestion and Grinders' diseases.

Poetry was not his only literary pursuit. Of great importance to the study of Sheffield's history is Holland's book The Vital Statistics of Sheffield a major study, giving vital information regarding a whole array of different aspects of the town and its people. He also published the Poetical Works of Richard Furness in 1858 with the fullest biography of the poet available.

However, Holland's quest to satisfy his intellect was finally his undoing. For during the railway mania of the 1830's and 1840's he became so absorbed in the local projects that he almost gave up his medical practices and brought about virtual financial ruin. He took up residence at Wadsley Hall and lived as a gentleman until he was forced out through bankruptcy. He had an unsuccessful practice in London and returned to Sheffield where he died in 1865.

Arnold J Knight.

One of the most eminent physicians and most notable men to live in Sheffield was Sir Arnold Knight. Born in Lincolnshire in 1789, he was educated at Edinburgh in 1811 gaining his M.D. He took a practice in the town in 1814 and became a prominent member of the town's society. After sixteen years as physician at the Royal Infirmary he finally retired in 1831 because of the demands of his own personal practice. Knight was heavily involved in the care of victims of the Cholera epidemic which swept through the town, as well as the country, in 1832.

In 1822 he had taken an active part in the formation of the Sheffield Literary and Philosophical Society and was the Society's first President. He, like his contemporaries, also helped to form the Sheffield Mechanics' Institute reading many papers and lecturing on medical subjects.

In 1841 he was regarded by many as the most prominent man in the town and was knighted by Queen Victoria. In 1843 he moved to Liverpool and died in Little Malvern in 1871 at the age of eight-two.

Reverend James Wilkinson.

Indicative of his class and profession, James Wilkinson epitomises the power invested in the upholders of the Church of England. Born in 1731, he was made Vicar of Sheffield at the early age of twenty-three. One of seven sons born to Andrew and Barbara, James was the fourth child. The family was wealthy, and James being the last surviving son, inherited the family house Broomhall.

Wilkinson was a tall man of some considerable strength both of mind and body. He felt no scruples about beating the people with a bludgeon if they were involved in petty riots in the town. He took pride in his abilities as a boxer and people did, indeed, come from far and wide to witness his skills. Furthermore, he would utilise his commanding persona by accompanying the military at scenes of social disturbances at which he would give support whilst the Riot Act was read and to that he appeared to be almost fearless. He occupied a position of almost absolute which has since remained unparalleled.

Nonetheless, he was respected in the town and was involved in most acts of kindness that took place in the Community. He was sometimes known as the "father of the town" though in his later years he suffered from palsy which severely affected his gait and as a result he was nick-named "Old Niddlety Nod" by the locals. For most of the time that he was Vicar of Sheffield he was also an active Justice of the Peace.

When he died in 1805 a national day of mourning was called in town and a mass procession of mourners followed the funeral ceremony.

Ebenezer Rhodes.

Born in 1762 in the same village, Masbro', as the "Corn Law Rhymer" Ebenezer Elliott, Rhodes was apprenticed to a scissor smith in the village which had as its central activity the great iron-works of Messrs Walker. After his seven year apprenticeship he continued to work in the scissor industry but spent his leisure time reading and studying all kinds of literature, especially drama. He was a regular visitor to the theatre and indeed took part in several performances over the period of a year.

He formed a partnership in a scissor grinding company and threw his efforts into making that a success. He did become a Master Cutler in 1808 which in itself is a testimonial to his abilities.

Along with James Montgomery, Francis Chantrey, Thomas Asline Ward, and probably Charles Sylvester, he formed "The Society of the Friends of Literature" and met in a pub in the Wicker. This was probably the infamous Billy Hill's Parlour which was the scene of many a heated political and philosophical discussion during the period at the turn of the nineteenth century. It is in interesting to note that Ebenezer Rhodes was present at the meeting of the Sheffield Constitutional Society meeting at April 7th 1794, which led to the fleeing of Joseph Gales to America and to the arrest and trial of Henry Redhead Yorke. Indeed, Rhodes testified for the Yorke's defence at his trial.

Ebenezer Rhodes had a keen eye for beauty and nature. He is the most famous for his book on Peak Scenery which was published in four parts between 1818 and 1824. It had illustrations by Chantrey, Blore, Hofland and Thompson. In 1826 he followed his book on the Peak District with a similar publication on Yorkshire, though this book was not a success. Furthermore, because of his personal commitment to literature his own business began to suffer through lack of attention and he finally became bankrupt.

He wrote several pamphlets on razor and scissor making as well as articles for various journals and newspapers.

He married a Miss Hill of Sheffield who bore him seven children, Ebenezer Rhodes died, heavy in debt, in 1839 at the age of seventy-eight. His widow was provided for through a fund set up by Rhodes' friends of Montgomery and Bailey.

Barbara Hofland.

Born Barbara Wreakes in 1770, her father Robert was a manufacturer of staple products. In her early days Barbara kept a milliner's shop in Church Lane and contributed several poems to the Sheffield Courant and Sheffield Iris. At twenty-six she married Thomas Bradshaw Hoole, a businessman who died from consumption only two years after their marriage, leaving her a widow with a four month old son. Because of the adverse political circumstances in Europe during the 1790's her deceased husband's business failed and her son's inheritance came to nothing.

In 1805, she published, with the help of a generous subscription from the people in Sheffield, a book of poems which for a short but significant time, made he self-sufficient to the extent that she was able to buy a boarding house in Harrogate. She struggled to make a success of this business and at the age of thirty-six she married a landscape artist Thomas Hofland who was famous for his scenes overlooking Sheffield. Hofland was an inconsiderate man giving no thought to anyone but himself.

Mrs Hofland continued to write poetry and stories publishing over a hundred books in her lifetime which were translated into several languages. She died in 1844 at the age of seventy-four in Richmond, Surrey. Her biography was written by Thomas Ramsay.

e-mail me at ecrookes@wendrick.co.uk

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