Sheffield Skills for Ireland

In 1935 Newbridge, in Co Kildare Ireland set up a cutlery manufacturing factory.

Some local people took shares in the venture, and experts were brought in from Sheffield in England to train the local labour force. Mr J. W. Haigh was appointed managing director and he came over from Sheffield with six men skilled in the craft of cutlery making to train local workers here. One of these men, William Gamble, would stay on and settle in Newbridge. Ten former barracks houses were assigned by the Town Commissioners as living quarters for key members of the work force. By 1939, the factory was working to capacity and had cornered the major share of the Irish market.

This company is still in existance albetit not just selling cutlery, and is now named Newbridge Silverware.

See http://www.newbridgehistory.org/index.php/industry/newbridgecutlerysilverware1934/167-newbridge-cutlery-1935-70

Does anyone know who the 6 skilled men in cutlery making may have been?

Blade Smith Ernest Harrison from Portland Works and brothers Percy & Sam Wainwright were three more of them, these names were supplied to me by Herbert Housley M.B.E. who became Managing Director of the Newbridge Cutlery Company in1974, you should buy Herbert's book "Grindstones Gathers Moss" its a fascinating insight into Herbert's life in the cutlery trade along with his families involvement too.

Thank you Lazarus, will look out for that book. Another interesting thing I heard about this transfer of skills from Sheffield was that as part of the deal new housing was to be supplied for the Sheffield men and most importantly these house had to have bathrooms.

Very clean people in Sheffield in the 1930's.

Hi Gregconn, my grandfather was William Gamble that you mentioned. He came to Ireland with the other men you've mentioned and stayed because of the same old reason most people relocate for: love! He met my grandmother, Jo O'Brien who was working in the cutlery. They married and had four children, William Jnr, Mary, Raymond and Ann. I am Mary's daughter and we still live in and around the Newbridge area. Another member of the group you're looking for was Fred Bell. We know his address because he had a pet parrot called Billy and he used to say "My name is Billy Bell and I live in 60 Guernsey Road, Healey, Sheffield." Lol. I hope this helps. My mother and uncle could tell you lots more.

Julie, thank you for your response, it is great that descendants of that first group of Sheffield silversmith's are still around the area. I live close to Newbridge and my interest was firstly I was born in Sheffield and heard the story of Newbridge cutlery and the Sheffield connection via a presentation by the Newbridge History group. I wonder how many other family's descendants are still in Ireland?

Julie, thank you for your response, it is great that descendants of that first group of Sheffield silversmith's are still around the area. I live close to Newbridge and my interest was firstly I was born in Sheffield and heard the story of Newbridge cutlery and the Sheffield connection via a presentation by the Newbridge History group. I wonder how many other family's descendants are still in Ireland?

William Gamble was the only cutler to remain as far as I know. All the rest returned to Sheffield. His son William Junior married and had four children, one son (another William) who still lives in Newbridge, and three daughters, two now in England and one in Australia. I'm one of four, belonging to his daughter Mary, three of whom are living nearby and one in the Channel Islands. His daughter Ann married and settled in Sicily with two children and his son Ray retired to there recently.

Julie, would you have any information of which cutlery company William Gamble worked for in Sheffield?

Julie, would you have any information of which cutlery company William Gamble worked for in Sheffield?

Yes, he worked for Harold Moore. My mother remembers visiting the factory there any time grandad went back to visit his family in Sheffield.

Did not know the company, Harold Moore, so googled it and I find it is an old company that seems to have diversified as time moved on. Do you know if all the men who moved over to start Newbridge Cutlery all came from Harold Moore's.

Did not know the company, Harold Moore, so googled it and I find it is an old company that seems to have diversified as time moved on. Do you know if all the men who moved over to start Newbridge Cutlery all came from Harold Moore's.

That I'm not sure of. I'll be at home for Easter so I'll try and find out for you. The only other thing I know about Harold Moore's was that his father was famed locally as the first causality of World War Two. He was a night watchman who died on duty the first night of the war from a heart attack (interesting but not relevant to your research). I loved listening to older generations' stories and thankfully some of it sank in!

I'll see what I can find out for you. J