Ghosts of modernity, warnings of Urban Transience: Hallam Towers expedition, 17th January 2012. Illustrations from the ‘book of humanity’

ABSTRACT

The remnants of the industrial era exist in the margins of our cities. This article explores the ruins of a once ‘iconic’ building and the forms of graffiti which were found there, revealing insights into relationships to the built environment, memory, the fragility of capitalism and the transient forms of expression which are found in these abandoned spaces communicating an imbalance in our understanding of such structures, and perhaps warning of future outcomes of the profligacy of urban progress.

KEYWORDS:

• Industrial ruins
• graffiti
• heterotopias

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1. This lack of capacity for more economic diversity, coupled with its location between several other cities and poor road and rail infrastructure may be why the ‘steel city’ has fared less resiliently than some of its neighbours. Peter White in a 2018 article stated: ‘Sheffield was built on steel, cutlery and coal – a toxic combination for a 20th century city. Although much of the decline was decades ago, Sheffield continues to have a higher proportion of manufacturing jobs than its more economically successful rivals.’ (2018).

2. Steve Gos.

Registered User

Steve Gos

Posted April 27, 2003

ODE TO HOLE IN THE ROAD (Sheffield Forum) https://www.sheffieldforum.co.uk/topic/1449-hole-in-the-road-including-an-ode/

When the hole was first thought of it caused such a stir

A hole in the road? Why? How much and where?

The council debate raged to and fro for o’er three year,

Many thought the idea was daft, a bit queer.

But, at last it were decided - an ole we shall ‘ave

The Council knows best said t’Mayor, and agreed to the scheme

Madness said some, and so it did seem.

And so in due course, it came to pass, after two further year

The largest bloody hole in the road in the whole of South Yorkshire.

Nobody liked the hole. No decent shops in it, no lavs, no character or sole.

What did thee expect said t’ Mayor – it’s only a hole.

And now, ee you would never guess

They’ve dug up the hole and moved it to a new address!

Where is it now? –Nobody knows and nobody cares,

What a terrible, terrible state of affairs.

If they had only left it there where it was – now just think on … … …

they could have dumped the new Town hall in it – that’s another thing that’s gone.

Steve Gos

3. A concept originating in architecture see Jackson (1984) Discovering the Vernacular Landscape, Yale University Press: New Haven and London.

4. The word derives from Latin ‘monstrare’ – French ‘montrer’ and in English ‘demonstrate’.

5. This mural is a rare survivor from before the Reformation when much early church decoration was obliterated by plaster and whitewash. These paintings became visible in the 19th century and were fully uncovered in the early 20th century. The three skeletons are said to refer to the folk lore ‘The story goes that three kings were riding through the forest when they came to a silent clearing with no birdsong. No matter how much the kings cut and slashed and spurred their horses, the animals wouldn’t move. So the kings got off their horses and walked in. And there they drew their swords, hacking away to see if they could find anything. Three skeletons, at first kneeling in the grass, jumped up and towered above them with a great rattling of bones. Out of their cavernous, empty ribs came voices that boomed and rustled and creaked and said:.

As you are now, so once were we. As we are now, so you will be.

The three kings ran away, but that night they were killed in their beds in the town where they were staying. Centuries later, in the early 20th century, as the duke and duchess pulled away the whitewash, the kings crumbled with the wash, while the skeletons remained. And so it is today..(bradtguides.com)