Restoration project commences at historic industrial site

Restoration work is now underway at a historic industrial heritage site in Sheffield.

Sipelia Works, close to the city’s Canal Basin, is now the home of charity Emmaus Sheffield, which provides accommodation, training facilities and a workspace for previously homeless men and women aged 18 years and over.

Built for industrialists Eyre, Ward & Co between 1850 and 1855, the site eventually became part of Sheaf Works, which was built by William Greaves & Sons in 1825 and was the first integrated steel works in Sheffield.

In the 1930s the Works were acquired by the Sipel brothers, who were German Jewish cutlers.

This family firm, which was headed by the daughter of one of the original brothers following their retirement, continued to trade until the mid 1970s.

The site is now the home of the Emmaus Sheffield community – as well as the Emmaus Sheffield Second Hand Superstore.

The charity raised the funding for the £30,000 renovation work to save one of the site’s main buildings.

Charley Fedorenko, the charity’s Community Manager, said: “We have had to begin work on securing the roof because there was some very bad leaking that was starting to affect the fabric of the whole building.

“What many of our visitors may not realise is that this is a Grade II listed building, one of the few sites to have survived the Industrial revolution more or less intact and we see it as very much part of our duty to maintain it for future generations.”

Fedorenko added: “Water was coming though the roof to such a severe extent that it was freezing in the walls and making cracks. It’s a massive task but now the work has started we are beginning to explore how we utilise this part of the complex in the future.

“We are certainly looking at ways in which the space, once secured from the elements, can be used to extend the facilities for our companions, possibly creating better community space for them to enjoy.”