Catherine Pinion’s life-long career as a librarian was more to do with volume than volumes because for many years she oversaw music and audio collections. She has been a resident of Loxley Park since 2023.
Catherine’s family moved to Sheffield in 1950 when her father was appointed headmaster of Woodhouse Grammar School. Her first job was at the Manor Branch Library. Later, she worked in the General Reference Library at the Central Library on Surrey Street. She studied librarianship in Liverpool, qualifying as a librarian in 1966. She subsequently became a music librarian in the recently opened music department at Sheffield Central Library.
Being a music librarian was well-suited to Catherine, who played the flute in several local orchestras. Her favourite composer is Beethoven, though Schubert comes a close second, and she admits to being “mesmerised” by Mahler. Catherine was at the music library for 20 years, during which time her work gradually extended to include all types of non-print information materials and their uses beyond music. She felt fortunate to supervise an oral history project that collected about 340 recordings of interviews with local people regarding their lives.
In 1986, Catherine’s work took her to London and the Central Music Library at Westminster City Libraries, a reference library that had been founded by musicians for musicians. Again, she was responsible for music services and the use of non-book materials throughout the library service.
Life at Loxley Park
Catherine retired in 1991 but continued with her professional interests through research. She returned to Sheffield in 1997, to the family home at Ranmoor, but about three years ago slipped and suffered a severe back injury. “I moved to a flat at Bents Green, but after a few months felt isolated, so I came to Loxley Park for respite care. I’m still here — in my two-bedroomed apartment — because it’s such a friendly place. The staff and residents are like one big, happy family, the food is excellent, and there’s easy parking. I often drive to Meadowhall for shopping and to visit friends.”
Loxley Park has 75 one and two-bedroom apartments offering long-term residency or a short stay to recover after an operation.
Apartments are either fully furnished for short stays or personal furniture can be brought for long-term stays. Staff at Loxley Park are highly trained and caring. In addition to providing 24-hour emergency cover, a personalised care plan is developed to meet individual requirements. An on-site activities team schedules regular excursions and activities, ranging from tai chi to sequence dancing and flower arranging.
There is a laundry service, a hairdresser, and an excellent restaurant that serves food three times daily, though meals can be served in residents’ apartments if they wish.
