These fields were established by the 1791 Enclosure Act. Nearby are the remains of Ocean View Farm, a traditional combination of working farm and public house. The pub opened in 1840 and served the workers who were building the Redmires reservoirs. It closed in 1885 and the farm was demolished along with most habitable buildings within the reservoir catchment. The hill was named Lord’s Seat or Quarry Hill but later became known as Ocean View, no doubt due to the nearby pub and the view over the waters of Upper Redmires Reservoir.
Formed to fight in World War 1, Sheffield City Battalion, also known as the Sheffield Pals, carried out trench warfare training on land given to Sheffield City Council in 1914 by moorland landowner William Wilson. They renamed Lord’s Seat as Hill 61 for military purposes. Hill 60 was to the north. After intensive training the Sheffield Pals joined up with other ‘Pals Battalions’ and went into action on 1 July 1916. This was the first day of the Battle of the Somme. They suffered very heavy losses making this the most disastrous day in Britain’s military history. There is a memorial sculpture to the Sheffield Pals on Hill 61.
Writings courtesy of Mike Browell.