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The Marples was situated on Fitzalan Square.

Source: Ian Gaunt

The Marples (hotel, pub and restaurant) was destroyed by a direct hit on the night of Thursday December 12 1940 during the first of four nights of heavy bombing on Sheffield during WW2. It is not known for certain how many people died in the explosion which caused the building to collapse in on itself, and it took several weeks to clear the site, during which time 64 bodies were recovered and the partial remains of 6 or 7 other people were also identified, but only 14 people could be identified visually. The remainder were identified through their personal belongings with them on the night. It is said that the most accurate estimate is that 77 people were in the Marples when the bomb hit, and that 70 of those died as a result of their injuries. It was the worst loss of life in Sheffield from one incident during the War. The site remained undeveloped as a reminder of the events for 19 years.

Kathryn Ludlow (April 2024)

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