Sheffield Cutlery Manufacturers

[silicondale 10]

Apologies for another thread hijack!

 

From family history research, I have found that my ggg-grandfather was William Willey, who with his sons Henry, Charles, and William was manufacturing penknives, razors, and table knives in the 1830s and 1840s under the name William Willey & Sons, and possibly using the trademark 'RAILWAY' granted to him when he achieved his 'freedom' in 1831. They were living and working in the Chester Street area. The firm was dissolved in the mid-1840s when Henry moved to Liverpool, William and his son William went to London, and left Charles to continue in Sheffield until he too moved out (to Liverpool) several years later.

 

However, apart from entries in the trade directories I have no information about the firm. I should be very grateful if anybody has copies of advertising material, catalogues, etc - or examples of the knives themselves, which I have never seen.

 

William set up two shops in London, one on Fish Street hill in the City (close to the Great Fire Monument) and on at 113 Ratcliff Highway in the east end. The latter shop continued operating until the 1890s.

 

Please email me if you have any information at all !

 

- Steve

[WestRiding 10]

Does anyone know who makes the John Lewis line of cutlery that is stamped "Made in Sheffield"?

[lazarus 68]

Sorry to cause you any offence whatsoever, Lazarus and thanks for your input. My excuse, and I'm sticking to it, is that I'm actually a Mancunian who has never worked in the industry but likes to do his bit to keep cultlery (particularly, flatware) alive and kicking in it's spiritual home. When I've visited Sheffield over the years, I have bought goods from the former Hiram Wild's, the Sheffield Scene on Surrey Street and Kutrite scissors. I thought I'd put together a sort of amateur's directory using information I've gathered through Dun & Bradstreet company directories and what I've found on the internet. Arthur Price do claim to be Britain's largest manufacturer, yet I seem to think Carrs is now probably the most important manufacturer as it does all the processes from start to finish in Sheffield. I read from others, that there are some who import the steel and / or blanks and finish them in Sheffield! I would have thought that all the companies I mentioned had some part to play in the manufacture of cutlery and there are others who are merely involved in the distribution of cutlery like Grunwerg and Amefa.

I do take your point but when youve worked in the Cutlery trade as I have for nearly 50 years you get to know which company produces quality and which produce quantity, Hiram Wild was a quantity firm poducing for Airlines, Hotels etc. Carrs do make some good sterling silver wares but some of their cheaper ranges look good but there are subtle differences. I once worked at a firm called British Silverware and we had some work that they did and the knife handles (may have been paper-knives) were so thin as soon as you put a bit of pressure on to hand finish you were through the handle.Sheffield Scene is owned by CARRS and I must say the quality of the cutlery sold there is very good. David Mellor sells a range of black handled kitchen knives which are very expensive from £60 upwards for each piece but these goods are bought in China and Mellors just etch the David Mellor name on and to think that the items are bought for around $5 to $10 each thats one hell of a mark up BUT the quality of the items is very good.

[steven85 10]

Does anyone know who makes the John Lewis line of cutlery that is stamped "Made in Sheffield"?

 

It is made at Taylors eye witness Sheffield.

[WestRiding 10]

Thanks, Steven85.

 

Coincidentally the old Taylors works (near Charter Row) is rather near the Sheffield John Lewis. I did hear that Taylors was hoping to move out to the Parkway or somewhere that they could acquire a more modern facility.

[spunkee 10]

When i left school in u.k. I went to work in the office of brooksbanks on boston st.,

Whilst there i tried every machine etc., in the processes of making cutlery,just so i knew what i was talking about when ordering etc.,

I was able to actually make some cutlery myself & to this day i still have them.

Brooksbanks used to supply woolworths internationally with crappy looking furnace made knives, & the forks they bought from another manufacturer if i remember correctly.

We did work with hiram wild,whats the names of the 2 big firms argh can't remember but harold brooksbank used to 'sashay' around town with a john vere(sp),his father had a large cut.firm.

I tried to sit at a furnace (which was always staffed by arabs,many of who had just landed & couldn't speak a word of english except social security) & the heat was unbearable & so dangerous.

The big drop hammer had chopped off a few fingers too-not a guard in site & some machines did have guards but workers took them off.

Saw 1 stupid youth with below shoulder length hair be scalped by the grinding wheel he bent over after taking guard off -very bloody, no compo in those days.

Whenever an accident occured it had to be put in the acc.book which was for gov.to see.Many times heard & watch management working out how to make the accident look real instead of telling the truth re.no guards etc.,

[den37 10]

I worked at harris millers around 1986 after i finished college worked in the press shop remember neville wright think his surname was he was dating a girl called jayne bit bossy .

There was a long steel table we used to cob the cutlery into trays for the guys to press on the big machines one guy was called alan and a youngish lad on the other press think he had an accident from what i can remember .

Remember using a machine to take guards off forks and buffing think i remember a sharon and rachelle .

[1339lars 10]

Hello I´am a new user, and looking for the cutlery firm of Pearson Bros. LONG ROW (norrm) Ltd ???

[hodkin 10]

Here's my list of companies that may still be involved in at least part manufacture of cutlery in Sheffield. As well as flatware, I've included knives and scissors. All postal addresses are city of Sheffield unless stated. I would welcome additions, corrections or comments!

 

Just wondering, i worked for a short time after leaving school in the office of h.brooksbanks on boston st.,

i see on google earth the factory is still there ,

do you know when they closed down?

[general_head 10]

Thanks, Steven85.

 

Coincidentally the old Taylors works (near Charter Row) is rather near the Sheffield John Lewis. I did hear that Taylors was hoping to move out to the Parkway or somewhere that they could acquire a more modern facility.

 

One of my first jobs on leaving school was at Harrison Fisher/ Taylor's Eyewittness.. I was a handle finisher and absolutely loved doing the work.. cant get a job in that line with any job security these days though

[meggymoo 10]

I worked at harris millers around 1986 after i finished college worked in the press shop remember neville wright think his surname was he was dating a girl called jayne bit bossy .

There was a long steel table we used to cob the cutlery into trays for the guys to press on the big machines one guy was called alan and a youngish lad on the other press think he had an accident from what i can remember .

Remember using a machine to take guards off forks and buffing think i remember a sharon and rachelle .

 

I worked there too in the 80s around the same time. I started in the press shop. I remember being on a machine next to one of the hammers and one man had the tips of his fingers took off by one of the hammers (i remember clearly the hammer in question didnt have the safety guards on) We had to search around for his fingers which made me run to the toilets trying not to be sick after finding one in my box of cutlery! I remember when it happened because I felt wetness at the side of my face which turned out to his blood. When I turned around he was holding out his hand to me which looked like strings of skin dangling from his finger ends dripping blood. At first I didnt know if to laugh, because he was a bit of a joker and I first thought he was having me on! Brrr I will always remember that horrible event.

I remember the press shop foreman Neville and his bird Jayne, she thought she was the boss how she used to order us around.

After I went into the warehouse where I worked on the tryco cleaning tanks. That was hot work and after about a year I ended being poorly with stomach cramps. I had to have tests and they found certain amounts of trichloroethylene in my urine. I know health and safety officers was involved, because the vents to the tanks wasnt efficient. I had to leave and it wasnt long then when they closed down.

Edited May 21, 2012 by meggymoo

[den37 10]

was he a youngish lad or was it alan used to talk to him all the time my memorys rubbish yes she likes telling us what to do thanks for the pm