Tucked away in Lichfield’s rich industrial heritage is Sandfields Pumping Station, a historic engineering site that once played a vital role in supplying clean water to the local community. While the machinery may now be silent, the stories of the people who worked there remain an important part of Lichfield’s living history.
The Lichfield Waterworks Trust is currently carrying out further research into Sandfields Pumping Station and is calling on former workers, their families, and anyone with personal connections to the site to come forward and share their memories. Their aim is to build a fuller picture of what daily life was like inside the filtration plant, the kind of work that went on behind the scenes, and the challenges staff faced in keeping the town’s water supply running safely.
For many people, Sandfields was more than just a workplace. It was part of everyday life. Shifts started early, the work was often physically demanding, and the responsibility was huge. The people who worked there were helping to provide one of life’s most essential resources, long before modern automation made water treatment largely invisible to the public.
The Trust is especially keen to hear personal anecdotes. These could be small moments, such as a memorable colleague, a particular task that stands out, or even the atmosphere of the site on a cold winter morning. It might be a story passed down from a parent or grandparent who worked at the pumping station, or memories of visiting the site as a child. Even the smallest recollections can help bring the history of Sandfields to life.
Local heritage groups rely heavily on the memories of the community to piece together the human side of historic sites. While official records can tell us when buildings were constructed or when machinery was installed, they rarely capture what it felt like to work there, the friendships formed, or the pride people took in their role. Those personal details help future generations understand not just how places worked, but why they mattered.
Preserving local history is about more than saving bricks and mortar. It is about remembering the people whose working lives shaped the town we know today. By sharing memories of Sandfields Pumping Station, former workers and their families can help ensure that an important chapter of Lichfield’s story is not lost to time.
If you or someone you know has a connection to Sandfields Pumping Station, the Lichfield Waterworks Trust would love to hear from you. You can share your memories or insights by emailing chairman@lichfieldwaterworkstrust.co.uk. Your story, no matter how small it may seem, could help preserve a valuable piece of Lichfield’s heritage for years to come.
