Sheffield will unite this December for a major three-day programme marking the 85th anniversary of the Sheffield Blitz.
Three days of events will combine remembrance, newly uncovered personal testimonies, and innovative digital interpretation to remember one of the darkest moments in the city’s history.
The commemorations, taking place between 12th and 14th December, form the culmination of the two-year Blitz Kids project, supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, which has been documenting the memories of the last surviving children of the 1940 air raids.
The project has recorded stories from across Sheffield and the surrounding districts, preserving memories that, for many families, had never been shared publicly until now.
The anniversary events will begin on Friday, 12 December, at Pound’s Park with the unveiling of a new permanent memorial to the eight firefighters who lost their lives during the attacks. The ceremony will bring together representatives from the Fire Brigades Union, South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue, and civic leaders, and will include a formal Act of Remembrance, wreath-laying, and music from the City of Sheffield Pipe Band.
Sheffield Cathedral will host an afternoon of Blitz film screenings from 2pm–6pm on the same day which will offer the chance to hear the testimonies of the ‘blitz kids’.
On Saturday 13 December, the National Emergency Services Museum will open its new permanent Sheffield Blitz exhibition as part of its 1940s Weekend celebrations. The expanded display includes newly recorded Blitz Kids testimonies, original artefacts and documents, immersive recreations of vanished streets, interactive digital features, and the newly restored 1932 fire engine that was on duty in the blitz. The exhibition offers visitors a chance to step closer to the world of December 1940 than ever before.
The weekend will also see the launch of a new Blitz Kids book that brings together many of the first-hand accounts gathered during the project. A new walking-tour app will be released alongside it, using modern mapping and AI-generated reconstructions of locations destroyed in the attacks.
Neil Anderson of the Sheffield Blitz Memorial Trust said: “This is the last major milestone where many of our remaining ‘blitz kids’ are still here to tell their stories. Their memories – some heartbreaking, some surprisingly uplifting – are now preserved for generations to come. This anniversary is not only about looking back; it’s about giving Sheffield a lasting record that feels alive, accessible and rooted in the real experiences of its people.”
The three-day programme invites the whole city to reflect on the legacy of the Sheffield Blitz, to honour those who lived through it, and to ensure that the impact of the events of December 1940 continues to be understood by future generations.
Notes for editors
Sheffield Blitz Memorial Trust
Formed to promote knowledge and education around the Sheffield Blitz of December 1940. Its work includes exhibitions, publications, oral histories and community engagement across the region.
The National Lottery Heritage Fund
The Blitz Kids project received £91,280 from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, made possible by National Lottery players. The Fund supports projects that preserve and share the UK’s heritage in all forms. Further information at www.heritagefund.org.uk.
National Emergency Services Museum (open from 10am-4pm on Saturday and Sunday, December 13th and 14th. Tickets can be booked via: visitnesm.org.uk
Information on the new exhibition: https://www.visitnesm.org.uk/blitz
1940s Weekend: https://www.visitnesm.org.uk/wartimechristmas
Event details
Unveiling of firefighter memorial: 12.00pm, Friday 12 December, Pound’s Park
Film screenings: 2pm–6pm, Friday 12 December, Sheffield Cathedral
Permanent exhibition opens: Saturday 13 December, National Emergency Services Museum
Blitz Kids book and walking app available from the anniversary weekend – more information from www.sheffieldblitz.co.uk
Full list of the eight firefighters that will be commemorated on the new Pound’s Park memorial:
Sheffield Police FB Badge. Norman Elliott, age 35. Water Department Turncock working with Sheffield Fire Brigade. Norman a Sheffield Water Company Turncock, lived at 62 Cockshutt Drive, Sheffield, with his wife Hilda and their one year-old son Geoffrey. He died on the night of 12th December 1940, on Union Street Sheffield, whilst working with the Sheffield Fire Brigade to ensure adequate supplies of firefighting water during the Sheffield Blitz.
AFS Badge. Stanley Slack, age 29. Fireman, Sheffield Auxiliary Fire Service. Stanley a Wood Turner and Hammer Finisher, lived at 84 Hermitage Street, Sheffield, with his wife Margaret. He died on Charles Street, Sheffield, whilst firefighting on the night of 12th December 1940 during the Sheffield Blitz.
Frederick Parkes Spencer, age 36. Police Constable/Fireman, Sheffield Police Fire Brigade. Frederick lived with his wife Edna at Flat 20/22, Rockingham Street Fire Station, Sheffield. He died on Charles Street, Sheffield, whilst firefighting on the night of 12th December 1940 during the Sheffield Blitz.
AFS Badge. John William Swaby, age 38. Fireman – Sheffield Auxiliary Fire Service. John a Sheffield Transport Tram Driver, lived at Boynton Road, Sheffield, with his wife Louisa. He died on Burgess Street, Sheffield, whilst firefighting on the night of 12th December 1940 during the Sheffield Blitz.
AFS Badge. Arthur Moore, age 28. Fireman (Driver) – Sheffield Auxiliary Fire Service. Arthur a Clerk and Commercial Traveller lived at 7 Norwood Road, Sheffield. He died on Burgess Street, Sheffield, whilst firefighting on the night of 12th December 1940 during the Sheffield Blitz.
AFS Badge. Tom Stacey, age 31. Fireman – Sheffield Auxiliary Fire Service. Tom a Sheffield Transport Tram Conductor, lived at 90 Paper Mill Road, Shiregreen, Sheffield, with his wife Winifred. He died on the corner of Castle Street and Castle Green, Sheffield, whilst firefighting on the night of 12th December 1940 during the Sheffield Blitz.
AFS Badge. Alfred Garlick, age 30. Fireman – Sheffield Auxiliary Fire Service. Alfred a Bricklayer, lived at 7 Cockayne Place, Sheffield, with his wife Betsy. He was injured whilst Firefighting on Archer Road, Sheffield, on the night of 12th December 1940, during the Sheffield Blitz. He died of his injuries on December 14th 1940, at the Royal Hospital.
AFS Badge. Albert Wallace, age 30. Fireman – Sheffield Auxiliary Fire Service. Albert a Drop Forge Hot Press Operator, lived at 39 Fawley Road, Sheffield, the son of Florence Wallace of the same address. He died at the Marples Hotel, Fitzalan Square, Sheffield, on the night of 12th December 1940 during the Sheffield Blitz.
Sheffield Blitz Memorial Trust:
The Sheffield Blitz Memorial Trust is dedicated to preserving and promoting the memory of the Sheffield Blitz. Its work includes exhibitions, books, education programmes, and community projects designed to keep the history alive.
The Blitz Kids Project, funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, is a two-year initiative capturing the memories of those who remember the Blitz firsthand.