The Holberry Cascades

Samuel Holberry was the leader of the Sheffield Chartist Movement, which developed into the first national mass political party representing the working class in Britian. The party campaigned for a Charter which included demands for things like free trade, universal peace, freedom in religion, and education for all.

 

In the harsh and repressive conditions of the 1830's and '40's many Chartists turned to direct actions such as demonstration.  In the mid 19th century the Chartists became for a time the largest political group on Sheffield Town Council.

 

In 1840 Samuel Holberry was imprisoned in York jail for the part he played in a demonstration referred to as the Sheffield Rising. He died in jail two years later and a crowd of 50,000 joined the funeral procession and followed his coffin Attercliffe to the General Cemetery. 

 

The Holberry Cascades replaced an earlier fountain named after Samuel Holberry which stood in the entrance to the Town Hall Extension. There is a commemorative plaque, made of Welsh slate and carved by Iuean Rees, dedicating the new water feature to Samuel Holberry.

 

The Cascades are made up of eight large water features which are located on either side of the four entrances to the main area of the Peace Gardens.

 

The bronze water vessels were designed by Brian Asquith who also designed the metal benches, bollards and bins in the Gardens. The waterfalls from the vessels represent both the pouring of water into Sheffield’s five rivers, and the pouring of molten metal used in Sheffield’s important metal industries.

 

The stone plinths vessels stand on were designed and created by Richard Perry, and are covered with carved fish and plant life to celebrate the regeneration of Sheffield's five rivers. 

 

The ceramics for the weirs and rills were designed by Tracey Heyes and take inspiration from both the flora of Sheffield's rivers and streams and the many remains of water-powered factories which can be found all over the city.