History
Development of Whiston and Moorgate
Those who had invested in the Don Valley were building homes along Moorgate in 1845.
In 1868 the following were all described as hamlet's in the Parish of Whiston:
- Morthen - an agricultural hamlet
- Guilthwaite
- Herringthorpe
- Canklow
- Moorgate
- Moorhouses
- Broom
- Upper Whiston
Moorgate and Whiston Groves were an early building association development which commenced in 1845. The secretary was John Guest, local historian, later the owner of Moorgate Grange and partner in Guest and Chrimes Ltd.
By 1901 the Grange has passed to the Chrimes family and the residents of the Groves were a cross-section of the town's business and professional families. The Grammar School already 400 hundred years old had moved from town to the Independent College building in 1890.
Oakwood Hall was built for James Yates, Deputy Leiutentant &, Justice Of The Peace, of Yates Haywood, stovegrate manufacturers, a stone building in the Italian style standing on an eminence with views of the surrounding countryside, the grounds were tastefully laid out with a conservatory and vineries. He built Oakwood Grange for his daughter. Both Oakwood Grange and Moorgate House finished their days as Children's Homes and were eventually demolished. Oakwood Hall became a hospital in 1916 and survives as part of the Rotherham District General Hospital Site.
John Marshall from Lound, Nottingham was farming 30 acres at Oakwood Farm.
Moorgate House - In 1858 was owned by William Owen the Iron Founder. In 1866 Henry Jubb was recorded as the owner.
Woodhurst, near Boston Castle was built in about 1877 for Henry Bray, a grocer from Masbrough.
John Mason (b.1831), the Watchmaker and Jeweller, originally from Worksop, lived at Woodlea with his wife Mary, and 7 children.
Red House was built by Thomas Wright Badger, son of the solicitor Henry Badger, founder of the well-known firm of Badger, Rhodes and Co. It was then home for fifty years, of the Micklethwaits, Stove Grate Manufacturers.( William Henry Micklethwait died on 19th June, 1925 aged 84. The gross value of his estate was £64,962. He left £100,to his chauffer Tom Noller, if still in service).
In 1881 William Heaton, the Brass & Iron Founder, lived at Sitwell View with his family.
With nearby Sitwell House, Red House passed to the United Steel Co.Ltd. The parkland area between was accommodated and came to be known as Swinden Labs.
Whiston Grange belonged to Frederick Parker Rhodes,(father of George Basil d. 1903) local solicitor. Whiston Grange made way for modern housing in the 1980's.
Lane End House was residence of his brother Charles Edward Rhodes,(brother of Frederick above), a mining engineer, in 1881, manager of John Brown & Co. Ltd. and in 2004, the Lane End House site is being developed.
Sycamore Cottage, Moorgate was the home of Parker Rhodes, Solicitor.
Misses Marion, Kate, Ellen and Margaret Rhodes lived at Whiston Grove.
Danes Hill was the home of John Henry Cockburn (1863-1938) OBE, senior partner with Parker Rhodes, solicitors.
Robert Dyson, the Railway Wheel Manufacturer was living on Whiston Grove; John Gillett, retired Superintendent of Police was at Wharncliffe Villa .
In 1900 Whiston was still a small rural village. It was separated from Rotherham by open countryside. As the century progressed particularly after 1945 many fields were built upon and Rotherham expanded to incorporate Whiston.
Read about Whiston Grange - post war »
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