Monument to Thomas Boulsover

This substantial monument to Thomas Boulsover, situated beside Wiremill Dam, was erected by Sheffield's Master Cutler in 1926 and is a must for anyone interested in the industrial history of the area. Thomas Boulsover was the inventor of Sheffield Plate (a cheaper alternative to silver plating) and as such is often given credit for establishing Sheffield's reputation as the world centre of iron and steel products. He was born in 1704 and died in 1788 at Whiteley Wood Hall. He built rolling mills and a forge in the area and apparently discovered his plating technique by accident. With a small car park nearby, this is also a very good point to start a walk along the attractive Porter Valley.