Sheffield 5: Castle Markets

Until Owen's recent accurately insightful post on Castle Markets in Sheffield, I'd forgotten that a whole 4 months ago (time is just dripping away) I went round them to try and re-create the photos from September 1961's AD. This edition of AD was remarkable for 2 reasons: Firstly, it was the only edition ever to be devoted solely to an English city and secondly, it had the most number of adverts ever in an edition of AD, both of which indicate how important Sheffield was considered architecturally in the late 1950s/early 60s. Of course, it wouldn't even pretend to lay down such an outlandish claim 50 years on.
I am no photographer, so apologies in advance. I hope it gives a flavour at least. Unfortunately, it seems as though the original photographer just walked in, moved around about 50m and walked out again. I would have tried to capture more interesting internal aspects if I hadn't been thrown out due to photographing without permission! At least I managed to get all those from the magazine:

























The markets are still well used although clearly not nearly as much as when AD's photographer arrived in 1961. I'm not going to write anything more (Owen's piece pretty much sums it up) other than to say that I love Castle Markets. It's a real warren of fantastic fonts and greasy spoons and people who go there for a cup of tea and a rest from shopping for cheap stuff. I love the over-stylised chimney on top too, which you can see the back of in the penultimate colour photo above and which I always look for from the Parkway when arriving home from the M1. I'll miss it when it's gone.