Having recently reported that we have relocated our Sheffield office to Westbrook Court, on the Sharrow Vale Road, our Heritage Consultant Ruth Matthews looks at the history of the building, which happens to be Grade II and is Listed as The Westbrook Snuff Mill.
In the late 16th century, Sir Walter Raleigh introduced tobacco to England. A century later, snuff was introduced after Sir George Rooke captured a Spanish treasure fleet in 1702, which included large quantities of high-quality snuff. The snuff spread quickly among English sailors and was soon popular in London’s coffee houses. It became a cheaper alternative to pipe tobacco and was believed to have medicinal benefits, including treating toothaches, colds, and even preventing the plague. Snuff is made by grinding tobacco into powder and adding oils and spices for its distinctive scent.
The snuff business at Sharrow Vale can be traced to 1746 when Joseph and Henry Wilson, who had previously been in business with their cousins at Sharrow Mill, moved their operations to a newly built facility at Westbrook Mill in 1833. The company was officially incorporated as a limited entity in May 1895.
In 1953, the elderly proprietors, who had no successors following the tragic death of John Wilson Harland in a RAF flying accident, sold the business to the Imperial Tobacco Co. of Great Britain and Ireland Ltd.
Imperial Tobacco, which had been founded in 1901, ran its business through large branches based on its original constituents. The Wilsons’ business was placed under the management of the Ogden Branch, which was also responsible for the production of popular brands like “St. Bruno” and “St. Julien” pipe tobacco.
In 1962, production was moved from Westbrook Mill to the Ogden Branch factory at Boundary Lane in Liverpool, marking a significant shift in the company’s operations.
The official Listing description states that the interior of Westbrook Court still: ‘contains a series of built-in mortars and pestles for snuff grinding, on the ground floor. First floor has oven room with barrel vaulted roof with top flue damper control.’
Today Westbrook Mill sits within The Porter Brook Conservation Area that is centered on the early industrial activity that took place around the Porter Brook. Water Mills lined the brook and today it is an attractive entrance way into the city of Sheffield.
Our Sheffield Office
First Floor, Unit 4, Westbrook Court, Sharrow Vale Road, Sheffield, S11 8YZ
Planning & Design Practice Ltd is a multi-disciplinary team. Comprising RTPI Chartered town planners, RIBA Chartered Architects and architectural assistants, plus heritage specialists, our staff bring a wealth of experience from a range of backgrounds and various parts of the UK and Europe.
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