Former St Joseph's House Chapel, Walkley, Sheffield

Image: © David Hallam-Jones Taken: 19 Feb 2018

This Grade II-listed former Roman Catholic chapel - with school rooms beneath it - was built in 1872, whereas the residential reformatory, beyond the chapel - but attached to it - was opened in this former boarding school building i.e. "Howard House" but renamed St Joseph’s. Later, between 1887-1931, the premises became a residential “Industrial School for Roman Catholic Girls”. Even later still later, after a period of closure, it reopened in 1934 as St Joseph’s House for Mentally Handicapped Women and Girls, receiving referrals from across Gt. Britain. By this time additional buildings had been added on site. In 1971 its management was assumed by the Sheffield Health Board, although the Sisters of Charity continued to staff it. In 1974 however, the nuns withdraw their services at the time that the more stringent regulations relating to meeting the educational needs of individuals with learning difficulties came into being. These facilities closed permanently in 1983 and these buildings are currently occupied by a Buddhist community. (See also: http://saintjosephshome.weebly.com/download-the-booklet.html) The South Yorkshire Housing Association hoped to convert the chapel into apartments but the planning authorities determined that it should remain in use as a religious establishment. The housing association were however, granted permission to build numerous houses on this site, the front doors of which now face the chapel.

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