Sheffield Cutlery Manufacturers

[wharnie 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

 

Could be an interesting story here. As I understand, Hiram Wild saved a boy from drowning in a reservoir, (poss. Strines) His grateful dad started Hiram off in Cutlery.

Mike

[patsycher 10]

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.

 

yes the building is still there i am told its going to be converted and used for the homeless at the moment i believe it is used to sell second hand furniture i know sipples very well i worked there 1n 1950 s i was a buffer girl and i was the firsl person in sheffield to work on the bank polisheing machines

[sparkyfred 10]

Tibits of information I know:

Cooper Brothers were based on Arundel Street......

 

I worked there for a couple of months as a drop stamper when I first left school in 74. It was all hand made stuff. I worked with a Jamaican guy, he set the dies up etc and held the blanks in place and I pulled the rope and dropped the top die. Once I let it go before he was ready and hurt his thumb, so I had to hold them on while he pulled the rope until his thumb was better. I didn't enjoy that, I was always worried the same would happen to me so I didn't have a very steady grip!

[barton123 10]

i workt at cooper bros in the 1980s with my dad jess douglas

[elvisedge 10]

does anyone remember Albert Edge, who worked for harris millar's in the late 60's early 70's, he was my dad, i remember going into work with him a couple of time's around christmas, ny mum Ivy also worked there for a while

[poppins 10]

I worked at a few of the cutlery factories, I was a W&H when they closed down, we all got some real good deals, wish I had bought more, a couple of the men got caught stealing and selling the stuff to the staff, shame as we could have just stolen it olurselves I thnk they got some jail timne over it.

 

I don't remember names too well, but we had some good laughs with a girls that worked on the belts...last buff, I remember Vera, another lady had 2 or 3 fingers missing she was the fastest worker there.

 

I think Trerry (somebody) was one of our bosses back then...good looking chap.

 

Anyhow every day I bought a pack of 5 woodbines from a hole in the wall accross the street from W&H.

Edited December 6, 2010 by poppins

[Taekwondo 10]

"work for a cutlery manufacturer who are still going stong (thank goodness!) Harrison Fisher & co. Ltd. (a.k.a Taylors Eye Witness)".

 

My DAd HArry Green worked for Harrison Fisher for much of his life RIP Dad

[cheawa 10]

My father Paul Wietscher worked for Sipples before the war. He moved to Sheffield in 1932 having been approached by an agent sent to Solingen the cutlery centre of Germany by the Sipple brothers who were looking for skilled workers. My father married when his fiancée travelled from Germany to join him in Sheffield. One of the witnesses at the wedding was one of the Sipple brothers. Both my mother and father were interned the Isle of Man for the duration of the war. My father went back to work for the Sipple brothers upon his return to Sheffield after the war. Many of the German cutlery families changed their names after the war due to the intense anti German feelings generated by the heavy bombing of Sheffield. The Rickardt family became Richards, Vymear family became Vyners etc. My father refused to change his name, which I recall, led to many problems for my brother and myself. Eventually my father started his own company, which was called FT Plating and was situated at Jubilee Works.

Sipples went on to become one of the top five cutlery Companies and were well known for their forward thinking. Latterly it was run by Kenneth Lovell Collin. He was a great innovator and was proud to say that they had not had a strike in 25 years. They specialised in very high quality products. They even made a set of cutlery named Apollo. A complete set was sent to each of the men who landed on the moon in exchange (as was the custom) for a small coin. Mrs Aldrin even sent the required small coin along with her thanks.

 

In my own research I have not been able to find any photographs taken at the works and would very much like to contact anyone who has any details or photographs of the workers and machinery.

[Klondike Kid 10]

I work for a cutlery manufacturer who are still going stong (thank goodness!) Harrison Fisher & co. Ltd. (a.k.a Taylors Eye Witness).

 

I know I am picking up on an old answer but just like to add that my late mother worked for Harrison Fisher (a.k.a Taylors Eye Witness)until the 70's I think. I have a cake knife which she got for my wedding in 1972.I have very vague memory of visiting the premises (must have been in the 50's)and going up some wooden stair to the buffing shop? probably to see her workmates.Very dark place to work in as I recall.Is it or was it on Rockingham street?

I did think it had gone out of existance

[foxtalbot2 10]

I am trying to trace information about two manufacturers of cutlery in Sheffield. The first is a company that stamped each Stainless steel item with H M & Co and the year - I have pieces dated from 1966 to 1981. The other marked a spoon I have with Sipelia Stainless Steel Sheffield England. there is also another query but it may not relate to Sheffield - the front of the Sipelia spoon is stamped Edwin Jones & Co Ltd along the handle and Coronet across it. Can anyone out there help with any of these?

Christopher

 

The name Sipelia came from the Sipel family who named their factory Sipelia Works. The Sipels were German jews who fled the persecution in the 1930s. The Sipels were friends of my grandfather and my late mother used to talk about them. I am sure I met one of them in the late 1950s. You might find this link interesting

http://www.emmaus-sheffield.org.uk/sipelia_history.php

[atwg224 10]

Hi ,after recently being in contact with a second cousin removed who has been researching our family tree , I discovered that my family tree leads back to the Twigg cutlery business in Sheffield. My grandfather William Twigg who died in 1966 was one of many William Twiggs going back to 1766, the cutlery business was at Bridge street and was passed down from father to son, over many years . The relative I mentioned is called Stuart Daglish from Thorne in Doncaster and is registered on genes reunited,most of his research has been done through local libraries and the register office birth and death certificates , and the information he has provided me has been very interesting ,please contact me if you would like any more details , regards , Andrew Twigg

[jan1947 10]

hi does anyone know where I could search for details of a company doing electro plating around 1860-1865. in Sheffield area. this was occupation given on my ggranddads army record when he joined the army in 1867. any clue would be a help.