The Goodwin Fountain
The central fountain, with its 89 individual water jets, is dedicated to the late Sir Stuart and Lady Goodwin. Sir Stuart was the founder of an important Sheffield steel and toolmaking firm - Neepsend Ltd - and a man of considerable wealth.
As a young man Sir Stuart nearly died from diabetes. He was saved however due to the discovery of insulin which happened just in time for him to be one of the first experimental users.
Throughout the rest of Sir Stuart and Lady Goodwin’s lives they donated a lot of money to a number of charities in the local area, especially hospitals.
One of the donations was for the construction of a new fountain at the head of Fargate in 1961. The fountain was originally intended as a tribute to Alderman James Sterland from the Goodwins. However it became known as the Goodwin Fountain and was eventually dedicated to them.
In 1998 the old fountain at the top of Fargate had worn out and was replaced by the new fountain in the Peace Gardens. The circle of patterned pavement from which the fountain emerges was designed by Tracey Heyes and the dedication was carved by Ieuan Rees.