UK Makers of Edge Tools

Edward Elwell's works at Wednesbury c 1870

In the UK as in most of Europe there existed hundreds of small regional edge tool works, often one or two man works. Some like Buckland of Netheravon (Wilts) or Fussells of Mells & Nunney (Somerset) became quite large, but even they could not compete with the large industrial makers from the Midlands (Birmingham to Sheffield) and by the beginning of the 20th century most had disppeared without trace or record.

Some like Finch Bros of Sticklepath (Devon) and Morris of Dunsford (Devon) managed to keep going into the 20th century, and after various closures and family buy-backs the Morris name is still being continued by Richard Morris, grandson of the ex Gilpin's worker who moved to work for Helson's in the inter-war period....

As the larger companies moved into supplying tools in other parts of the country they started to produce pattern books to show what they could offer. By 1900 these had become large illustrated books, showing the different tools for the different trades. Those that included billhooks and similar tools included several pages showing the range they could offer.