Riverdale House

Riverdale House was put up for sale in June 1898 and was described as “a substantially stone built family mansion, having upwards of 13 acres of valuable freehold land (exclusive roads) surrounded by excellent boundary walls and belted with well grown plantations”.

The 36-year-old Graves was a successful and wealthy businessman who had set up one of the first mail order catalogues selling furniture, electro-plated goods, tools, drapery and clothes, he also became known as a generous benefactor to the City of Sheffield.

At its height Graves’ company employed 3,000 people and he and his wife Lucy held an annual tea party for staff in Riverdale House's large grounds (photograph on Picture Sheffield).

The substantial grounds were built on in the mid 1970s to accommodate the Riverdale Park apartment complex and the house is now hemmed in by modern buildings.

[4] The house has been described as “Sumptuous Gothic”[5] and is built from rock faced stone with ashlar dressings and gabled and hipped slate roofs.