Edge tool makers of Sheffield

Sheffield in the English Midlands (although Yorkshiremen would probably say the Midlands start further south in Derbyshire) has long been a world renowned centre of cutlery and edge tool making, and for steel making, the raw material of the edge tool  makers...

 

From the late 18th century directories of the town (now a city) and its surrounding areas were produced listing the tradesmen (and women). These are a valuable (but often incomplete) source of information. From the pages can also be gleaned the social history of the area, e.g a blacksmith also running a public house and acting as a merchant for other makers tools, and the lineage and family nature of some well known names...

 

 

Sheffield Edge Tool Makers
A short list of edge tool and sickle makers working in and around Sheffield from 1787 to 1911, many of whom were makers of billhooks.
Sheffield Edge Tool makers.pdf
Adobe Acrobat document [570.4 KB]

Yet to be added, the edge tool makers of Ridgeway, Derbyshire. This village south of Sheffield, near Dronfield, was a centre of sickle and scythe making for centuries. The last works, that of Hutton & Company, closed in 1988. For now you will have to make your own list from the excellent web-pages on the Pheonix Works at http://www.ridgewayhistory.org.uk 

and the images of a village history written by Willis Fox of Ridgeway in 1950, printed by A Macdougall & Son, Sheffield, some page of which are visible at http://history.youle.info/Ridgeway/Ridgeway.html