English Edge Tool Makers

AB - a blacksmith made billhook, made from an old farrier's rasp - the workmanship is superb, and similar to that of A Willis of Bramley in Hants. I guess many blacksmiths made tools when trade was quiet..

J BRATLEY - this one was found in Easton, Nottinghamshire and is typical of those from the county. The incused name stamp with a zig zag edge is of a type used in the mid 19th century.

BROOKES BROTHERS of Sheffield - no other information

CARTER - Richard Carter Ltd is still making edge tools, including billhooks, in Honley, near Huddersfield. Established in 1740 by Jeremiah Carter in High Burton: the 1834 Piggots directory list three edge tool makers at Kirk Burton: Henry Carter, John Carter and Robert Carter. By 1870 the company was known by its current name. The No 2 Yorkshire billhook shown is stamped Richard Carter, Kirk Burton and has a stamp with IC in a heart (which is probably the original stamp of John Carter).

FINCH - the Finch Foundry in Sticklepath operated from to 1814 to1960. After closure it was saved from demolition by the efforts of Bob Barron, who founded the Finch Foundry Trust in 1966. The site is now in the care of theNational Trust. From 1814 the firm operated as William Finch, and from about 1835 as Finch & Sons (at the time of the 1851 Census, William, his five sons, and his grandson all worked there). After William's death in 1862, the firm was known as Isaac & John Finch. When Isaac died in 1873 it became John Finch, and after his death his wife, Emlin, ran the business in her name until 1882. From 1883 to 1885 it was run by their son George, and after his premature death by his widow Rebecca. She died in 1891, and the firm was run jointly by her sons, and became known as Finch Brothers until the last of the brothers, Albany George, died in 1945. It then became Finch Brothers Ltd until closure in 1960.

FIRTH Thomas, Sheffield from 1842 - started as scythe makers, so probably also made billhooks. In 1900 the tool division became Firth Brown Tools, with the parent company continuing as steelmakers. This is a blade from an 'azuala' a stirrup adze made for the Spanish market

GOULDING - no other details. This billhook was found in Derbyshire, and is a Midlands pattern, closest in shape to a Nottingham broom hook. Goulding is a name found in Derbyshire, but I have been unable to trace any edge tool maker of that name.

GREEN - Alfred Green - no information on this edge tool maker - I do not know if he also made billhooks. This tool is a tanners fleshing knife.

HELSON - Thomas Helson (Snr) was born in 1782 and worked at the Iron Mills in Dunsford Devon - he was retired in 1851 and his son Thomas (Jnr), born 1816 ran the business, employing at least four other edge tool makers.  In the 1851 Census he is shown as having a son, John, then six years old, who presumably suceeded him. Alec Morris's father moved from Gilpins to work there approx 1930 and took over the business a few years later.

HOLTZAPFFEL - a London based comany who specialised in engineers' tools; notably their ornamental turning lathes. They also made high quality hand tools for gentlemen. This is a Milton Hatchet, with a single bevel to the straight blade on the back.

HUNTER T - no other details

KITCHIN S&J  - this a a double edged Kent pattern stamped GPO. Kitchin specialised in supplying tools to government contracts. Their Snakebrand trademark is now owned by Martindale (see below).

LODER - Frederick George Loder was working in 1923 and 1930 at the Holbeam Works situated on the river Lemon at West Ogwell in Devon. His father, John, ran the forge before him and is listed in the 1891 census. A John Loder (possible relative) was listed in 1851 as the head blacksmith in Dunsford, then the site of the Helson edge tool works (which later became Morris of Dunsford). The village had a hand forge making tools from the late 18th century until 1830, when the cornmill was converted into a hammer works with two trip hammers powered by the water wheel. When the works closed the hammers were removed to the Science Museum in London for preservation.

MARTINDALE - a military pattern dated 1915 with their Crocodile Works logo (see Yates, below). They specialise in export tools, notably machetes for plantation work.

MATHER Richard & Son - Shoreham Street Works, Sheffield

NEWNHAM - stamped G Newnham, I have no more details on this maker, but the blade shape indicates he may be one of the smaller makers from the Sussex or Kentish Weald. Update, he is on Ralph Griffin's list as being from West Hoathly in West Sussex c 1915 .

J NOWILL & SONS SHEFFIELD - a Sheffield cutler who also made edge tools. Their JN&S  cutlery mark was used from about 1901 to 1930 (prior to that they used JN), so this small billhook probably dates  from the beginning of the 20th century. The damasced appearance of the blade was accidentally exposed after cleaning by acid and is typical of forged crucible steel, rather than as a result of deliberate pattern welding.

J ONIONS on the blade of a Newtown pattern billhook

PADFIELD - stamped W C Padfield & Son - believed to be a Somerset maker (a Jacob Padfield and his son Isaac were listed in the 1861 Census as edge tool makers in Ashwick, near Gurney Slade). The long blade is typical of those sold as thatchers' hooks, and the notch near the tang of those from Bristol.

RICE - stamped G Rice this looks like a blacksmith made billhook. It was found in Norfolk, ansd is a variant on the Norfolk light pattern, with a round notch at the end of the blade rather than the more common vee.

RODGERS - probably the cutler, William Rodgers, Sheffield - no more details, but this is a tea pruning hook of a type produced in Sheffield and exported to India. Also sold in the UK as a garden prunuing knife.

ROGERS - no more details

SAYNOR, COOKE & RIDAL - Paxton Works, Sheffield  1876 to 1948 - cutlers as well as edge tool makers - Samuel & John Saynor c 1810, Saynor and Cooke 1852 to 1876, they specialised in horticultural tools and budding knives. William Saynor & Co were an unrelated company.

SWIFT - William Swift was established at Seal in Kent. He succeeded Richard Shoebridge (Piggots of 1840 lists two edge too  makers in Seal, Shoebridge and a Robert Marchant). In 1858 there was a William Swift working as a blacksmith in Seal, possibly the father of the edge tool maker. It is not known if he worked for Shoebridge, or just bought the goodwill of his business. He was working from late 19th to early 20th century. later the business name was bought out, and manufacturing transferred to Staffordshire (probably to Cannock).  Early tools have three deeply incised stamps: WS a crown WS - later billhooks have the word 'genuine' added - much later the stamp hardly bears any resemblance to the original

THOMAS Richard , Icknield Works, Icknield Square, Birmingham - they were listed in the 1849 directory

YATES - John Yates of the Edge Tool and Plantation Hoe Works Birmingham, also later part of EVA Industries - situated near Martindales' Works and now believed to be a tradename owned by them (see also the Chillington Hoe Company)

WILLIS - Alfred Willis was the blacksmith at Bramley in Hants and marked his tools as such. He specialised in making billhooks from old farriers' rasps - like the one marked AB above, the teeth marks of the rasp still show, and so demonstrate the level of skill required to thin the blade and bend it to shape without resorting to cropping and grinding... This one from MERL collection at Reading... I am still looking for one....

WILLS - A W Wills from Wolverhamton, later part of EVA Industries, the brush hook was found in Australia - a UK export. Certain makers such as Lidstone from Kingsbridge in Devon, or Martindale in Birmingham specialised in plantation tools and exported most of their output.