Handsworth is a suburb of south eastern Sheffield, in South Yorkshire, England. It covers an area of approximately , and has a population of approximately 9,957. It has five schools, four churches, a variety of small shops, a large supermarket, and a range of commercial and light industrial businesses.
Politically, Handsworth is part of the Woodhouse ward in the Sheffield South East parliamentary constituency.
History
Domesday Book
In the Domesday Book account, Handsworth is spelt "Handeswrde" and is joined to Whiston ("Witestan") to form a single manor. Before the Conquest, Torchil (or Turchil) is reported as being the Lord of the Manor, but following the Conquest lordship was transferred to Robert, Count of Mortain, who was the half-brother of William the Conqueror. Richard de Sourdeval held it for Count Robert. The Manor then passed, through marriage, to the Paynel and Lovetot families. It was a member of the Lovetot family who built the parish church in Handsworth.
St Mary's Church
St Mary's was built in about 1170. It was founded by the Norman lord William de Lovetot, or his father Richard, and the foundations were planned by William Paynel. (The church is not to be confused with St Mary's Church, Handsworth, in Birmingham.)
Little of the Tudor rectory remains today. Handsworth's parish registers, recording all baptisms, marriages and burials which took place in the parish of St Mary's, date back to 1558, the year that Queen Elizabeth I ascended the throne.
St Mary's Parish Centre holds displays of artefacts, documents, records, photographs and maps relating to Handsworth and its history.
Handsworth sword dancers
One aspect of Handsworth history which remains very much alive is the traditional sword dancing. The origins of this ancient ritual are unknown, but written records held by the team go back to the middle of the 19th century.
Using long steel swords, a team of eight men perform a dance which lasts about nine minutes and ends with all the swords being interlocked and held aloft by one man. Traditional music is played and the dancers wear a military style uniform similar to the Dragoons.
Formerly there were two clowns who performed for the crowd and collected money. At Christmas time, the sword dancers would tour the local villages and public houses. The sword dancing continued until the First World War and there was a revival of interest during the late 1920s. It survived through the Second World War because the sword dancers had priority occupations in the coal mines and in the steel works, so they were not conscripted.
The traditional dancing on Boxing Day in Handsworth and Woodhouse was revived in 1963, and in 1976 the clowns were reintroduced, though they later lapsed. The historic sight of Handsworth sword dancing can still be seen on Boxing Day (or the day after if it falls on a Sunday). They dance at Woodhouse Cross at 11.15 and in front of St Mary's Church, Handsworth, at noon. The dancers and their audience then adjourn to the pub for well-earned refreshment and communal carol singing.
Sport
Handsworth has been represented by three teams notable teams in senior football: Handsworth F.C. – Competed in the 1921–22 FA Cup, although little else is known about the club. Handsworth F.C. – The second club to take the name of Handsworth F.C. was formed in 2003, and after competing in the Sheffield County Senior League for seven years they won promotion to the Northern Counties East League. After two years in the NCEL they were relegated back to the County Senior League as their ground was deemed unfit to host NCEL football. After winning the County Senior League in 2014 they merged with Parramore Sports F.C. to form Handsworth Parramore F.C. Handsworth Parramore F.C. – Formed in 2014 as the result of a merger between Handsworth F.C. and Parramore Sports F.C. They were entered into the Northern Counties East League Premier Division and subsequently made their FA Cup debut. They changed their name to Handsworth F.C. in 2019.
Notable people
Stayce family
The Handsworth parish registers reveal that on 1 July 1638, Mahlon Stayce was baptised in St Mary's Church. The Stayce family had lived at Ballifield Hall in Handsworth for centuries but it was in Trenton, New Jersey, in America, that Mahlon made his name and his fortune.