Sheffield Cutlery Manufacturers

[lazarus 68]

Sipelia was a trade name for Sipels on Blast Lane, the firm ran along side the Canal and the Canal is full of pieces of Cutlery that was thrown out through the windows. I dont know if the building is still there as I have not been down that way for over forty years.

[skippy 11]

Sipple's bought a lot of the small cutlery companies in Sheffield in the early 60's, no doubt they got the work contracts from these companies too, I worked for Harrison's, which was somewhere off Stanley St in the Wicker, before being taken over by Sipple's.

All machinery was taken to the Blast Lane site & set up there, I found Sipple's to be more like a workhouse, they employed many of the immigrants that came to Sheffield at that time and treat them like slaves, the quality of their stuff was not as good as it use to be when the small companies were doing the jobs, as they cut corners, so I'm not suprised that the Sheffield cutlery isn't what it used to be.

[lakerman 16]

Try contacting the Archavist at the Cutlers Hall on Church Street. She will have all the info you want.

[lazarus 68]

Sipple's bought a lot of the small cutlery companies in Sheffield in the early 60's, no doubt they got the work contracts from these companies too, I worked for Harrison's, which was somewhere off Stanley St in the Wicker, before being taken over by Sipple's.

All machinery was taken to the Blast Lane site & set up there, I found Sipple's to be more like a workhouse, they employed many of the immigrants that came to Sheffield at that time and treat them like slaves, the quality of their stuff was not as good as it use to be when the small companies were doing the jobs, as they cut corners, so I'm not suprised that the Sheffield cutlery isn't what it used to be.

Sipels worked a piece work system so it was up to the individual to either skive or work and earn a decent wage, I knew these so called immigrants and they ended up as very good Cutlery workers and I even worked with them and THEY were ALL treated like the true Sheffield Cutlery workers. There is still a quality market of Sheffield Cutlery, British Silverware is just one company that makes excellent Cutlery and Holloware another firm makes all their Silverware by hand no presses or polishing machines. I work for a Cutlery firm based in Hathersage and the products are bought as an investment by customers but I am not very proud of some of the products that are made here.

[skippy 11]

Sipels worked a piece work system so it was up to the individual to either skive or work and earn a decent wage.

 

I agree with you there laz, but the others on an hourly rate got a raw deal, there were only about 8 West Indian blokes that were on Piece work when I was there, one called Po Po, they were fun to work with and great blokes and workers, but the others including us on the multiple polishers were exploited & underpaid, that was in 1960, I worked with Albert H, he was in charge of us & used to make up the dollies for the multiple polishers.

[lazarus 68]

I knew Tony Dylla who ran the filling shop a very good friend and he was Polish, his brother in law Graham Lee, Frank Beciz another Pole and a Jamaican called George Waite, I knew off these men long before I met them, I ended up working with them at George Butlers. I cant say what year or years they worked at Sipels but they all did work there.

[skippy 11]

There were 2 blokes that worked on the old multiple polishers when we first arrived with our you bute American machines, one was Polish, the other bloke [English] I think they were related by marriage, can't remember names though now.

We were in the buildings on the left as you came over the canal, half of those buildings were nearly empty when we arrived there, but were full of machinery from other companies within a year so I heard.

[lazarus 68]

Hi there Skippy the Polish chap was probably Tony Dylla, a lovely bloke. He was taken by the Germans when he was fourteen to work on a German farm he escaped to England and joined the Polish free Army and later parachuted into Arnhem.

[skippy 11]

There was a big Polish bloke that was in charge of moving all the machines from the various companies they bought around 1960, we nicknamed him the crane because he could lift the machines almost by himself, can't remember his name either unfortunately.

[lazarus 68]

There was a big Polish bloke that was in charge of moving all the machines from the various companies they bought around 1960, we nicknamed him the crane because he could lift the machines almost by himself, can't remember his name either unfortunately.

 

I can remember a Polish bloke called Big John cant remember his surname though, Ii know he lived on the manor but I didnt meet him till the late sixties early seventies and my first thought was, "he isnt that big" because Im six foot two and he didnt look taller or bigger than me - but - he was a good bloke,in fact all the poles I have met have been o.k.

[CathS 10]

Sorry to hijack this thread but i wondered if i could find out some info about some of my family, who were apparently cutlery manufacturers. This was in the 1830s to late 1800s and the family were called Wild.

Thanks

[bazjea 10]

Sorry to hijack this thread but i wondered if i could find out some info about some of my family, who were apparently cutlery manufacturers. This was in the 1830s to late 1800s and the family were called Wild.

Thanks

 

There was Hiram Wild cutlery manufacturers founded in 1864.

Their name still exists and they have a website. But I think they may now

be part of United Cutlers? Hope this is of some help.