MASTER CUTLERS OF SHEFFIELD
1624-1925
(From Hallamshire Worthies' by Rev W. Odom 1926)

The Company of Cutlers was formed in 1624 (incorporated). In June, 1897, the late Mr. Charles Belk, a past Master Cutler, presented to the "Cutlers Company" two handsome brass tablets on which the names and dates are deeply engraved. The tablets are on the grand staircase of the Cutlers' Hall. 
See also 360° Views of Cutlers' Hall and Hadfield Hall. See also Looking at Buildings Sheffield's Cutler's Hall.

1624 Robert Sorsby 1625 John Rawson 1626 William Warter 1627 William Webster 1628 Robert Sorsby 1629 John Webster 1630 William Creswicke 1631 Robert Stacie 1632 James Creswicke 1633 George Valiance 1634 William Walker 1635 Thomas Creswicke 1636 Richard Wilkinson 1637 John Crooke 1638 James Creswicke 1639 Robert Carr 1640 Robert Skargell 1641 Thomas Milward 1642 Richard Slack 1643 Richard Base 1644 William Pell 1645 William Warter 1646 Thomas Ludlam 1647 Maim Sorsby 1648 Robert Brelsforth 1649 Richard Jackson 1650 George Barnesley 1651 William Birley 1652 Thomas Bate 1653 Edward Barlowe 1654 William Crashawe 1655 Thomas Pearson 1656 John Webster 1657 Malin Sorsbie 1658 John Rawson 1659 William Creswicke 1660 Stephen Carr 1661 Robert Allin 1662 James Staniforth 1663 James Newton 1664 John Pearson 1665 Thomas Jeninges 1666 Nathaniel Robbinson 1667 George Creswicke 1668 John Webstarr 1669 Robert Soresbie 1670 Edward Barlow 1671 Richard Parramour 1672 Mathew Arnold 1673 John Sutton 1674 Castle Shemield 1675 William Crashaw 1676 James Newton 1677 John Pearson 1678 Thomas Jenings 1679 Joshua Baies 1680 Jonathan Webster 1681 Robert Nicholls 1682 John Winter 1683 Edward Badger 1684 William Ellis 1685 Thomas Tucker 1686 Benjamin Kerkbie 1687 John Webster 1688 Robert Breilsforth 1689 James Webster 1690 Joseph Downes 1691 John Webster 1692 Thomas Johnson 1693 John King 1694 John Trippet 1695 Robert Spooner 1696 Chris. Brumhead 1697 Richard Downes 1698 Andrew Wade 1699 Benjamin Pearson 1700 Robert Savage 1701 Richard Marsh 1702 Ephraim Nicholls 1703 John Pearson 1704 Edwd. Sanderson 1705 Joseph Nutt 1706 Ezra Cawton 1707 Geo. Cartwright 1708 John Downes 1709 James Hoole 1710 John Morton 1711 Samuel Smith 1712 *Samuel Twible 1713 Thomas Tooker 1714 Jonathan Birks 1715 William Moor 1716 Thos. Broadhead 1717 John Guest 1718 Tobias Ellis 1719 Peter Symon 1720 James Longsden 1721 James Crawshaw

1722 John Smith 1723 Jonathan Moor 1724 Jeremy Beet 1725 Thomas Redforth 1726 John Tooker 1727 Andrew Wade 1728 Andrew Wade 1729 Thomas Cotton 1730 Saml. Wainwright 1731 Thomas Wilson 1732 John Ward 1733 Cotton Watkin 1734 John Osborne 1735 Joseph Turner 1736 Joshua Cawton 1737 Joseph Shepherd 1738 Joseph Kenyon 1739 Jonath. Dixon, jr. 1740 Jonath. Dixon, sr. 1741 Richard Kent 1742 *Thomas Rose 1743 George Marriott 1744 John Spooner 1745 Joseph Leathly 1746 Robert Dent 1747 Edward Windle 1748 Leonard Webster 1749 George Smith 1750 William Hides 1751 Thos. Newbould 1752 Joseph Parkin 1753 Thomas Law 1754 Joseph Owen 1755 William Webster 1756 Benjamin Withers 1757 John Wilson 1758 Jonathan Moore 1759 Jos. Ibberson 1760 William Webster 1761 William Parker 1762 George Greaves 1763 Joseph Hancock 1764 Samuel Bates 1765 Joseph Bower 1766 William Birks 1767 John Turner 1768 Thomas Beely 1769 Jeremiah Ward 1770 Joshua Cawton 1771 William Trickett 1772 Robert Owen 1773 George Brittain 1774 Joseph Kenyon 1775 John Winter 1776 John Green 1777 Samuel Norris 1778 William Linley 1779 Josephus Parkin 1780 *John Rowbotham 1781 Peter Spurr 1782 Joseph Hawksley 1783 William Fowler 1784 Benj. Broomhead 1785 Thomas Settle 1786 Samuel Wilson 1787 Jonath. Watkinson 1788 Thomas Nowell 1789 Thos. Tillotson 1790 Joseph Ward 1791 George Wood 1792 John Henfrey 1793 Thomas Warris 1794 Benj. Withers 1795 William Birks 1796 J. Fletcher Smith 1797 John Linley 1798 S. B. Ward 1799 Benjamin Vickers 1800 Samuel Newbould 1801 Joseph Bailey 1802 Joseph Withers 1803 James Makin 1804 Wm. Nicholson 1805 John Eyre 1806 John Sorby 1807 Peter Brownell 1808 Ebenezer Rhodes 1809 Robt. Brightmore 1810 John Tillotson 1811 John Eadon 1812 James Smith 1813 John Holt 1814 Joseph Parkin 1815 James Makin 1816 Thos. Asline Ward 1817 George Tillotson 1818 John Fox 1819 John Hounsfield

1820 J. Dixon Skelton 1821 William Colley 1822 Thos. Champion 1823 Thomas Dewsnap 1824 Peter Spurr 1825 Henry Moorhouse 1826 William Sansom 1827 Samuel Hadfield 1828 James Crawshaw 1829 Philip Law 1830 Enoch Barber 1831 *John Blake 1832 ?Thomas Dunn (see below) 1833 Thos. Ellin, sen. 1834 John Sansom 1835 John Spencer 1836 Thos. Blake 1837 John Greaves 1838 Samuel Hadfield 1839 Samuel Smith 1840 James Moorhouse 1841 Thos. Ellin, Jr. 1842 Wm. Broadhurst 1843 Thos. Wilkinson 1844 Francis Newton 1845 William Butcher 1846 T. Burdett Turton 1847 Henry Mort 1848 Frederick Fenny 1849 Henry Atkin 1850 Sam Scott Deakin 1851 William Webster 1852 Michael Hunter 1853 Wm. A. Matthews 1854 Thomas Moulson 1855 ?F. Thorpe Mappin 1856 Geo. Wostenholm 1857 Wm. Hutchinson 1858-9 Robert Jackson 1860 Michl. Hunter, jr. 1861 George Wilkinson 1862 Henry Harrison 1863 Thomas Jessop 1864 Charles Atkinson 1865-6 ??John Brown 1867-8-9 Mark Firth 1870 William Bragge 1871 Thomas Turner 1872 Thos. E. Vickers 1873 Samuel Osborn 1874 George Wilson 1875-6 Edward Tozer 1877 David Ward 1878 Wm. H. Brittain 1879 Jos. B. Jackson 1880 Wm. Chesterman 1881 ¦¦John E. Bingham 1882 Albert A. Jowitt 1883 George Barnsley 1884 ¦¦J. E. Bingham 1885 Charles Belk 1886 Geo. F. Lockwood 1887 James Dixon 1888 S. E. Howell 1889 S. G. Richardson 1890 Robert Colver 1891 Robert Belfitt 1892 John F. Atkinson 1893 George Howson 1894 C. H. Bingham 1895 H. H. Andrew 1896 §Sir Alex. Wilson, Bart. 1897 *M. G. Rodgers 1898 F. C. Wild 1899 ??R. A. Hadfield 1900 R. G. Holland 1901 A. R. Ellin 1902 A. J. Hobson 1903 M. J. Hunter 1904 George Hall 1905 S. J. Robinson 1906 W. F. Osborn 1907 Henry H. Bedford 1908 Douglas Vickers 1909 Herbert Barber 1910 George Senior 1911 Arthur Balfour 1912 J. Rossiter Hoyle 1913 Thos. W. Ward 1914-17 Sir W. H. Ellis 1918 Sir A. Bingham,Bart. 1919 Lt.-Col. Henry K Stephenson 1920 William Clark 1921 Marmaduke Wardlow 1922 R. W. Matthews 1923 James Neill 1924 W. W. Wood, jr. 1925 Thos. R. Ellin

Mr. Thomas Dunn

The first Dissenter admitted to the office of Master Cutler.

~                  ~                   ~ 

Mayors and Lord Mayors

Mayors 1843-1896 1843 ..... Jeffcock William 1844 ..... Thomas Dunn 1845 ..... Samuel Butcher 1846 ..... Henry Wilkinson 1847 ..... Edward Vickers 1848 ..... T. R. Barker 1849 ..... Thomas Birks 1850 ..... T. B. Turton 1851 ..... John Carr 1852 ..... W. A. Matthews 1853 ..... F. Hoole 1854 ..... Wm. Fisher 1855 ..... Wm. Fawcett 1856 ..... J. W. Pye Smith 1857 ..... R. Jackson 1858 ..... Charles Atkinson 1859 ..... Henry E. Hoole 1860 ..... Henry Vickers 1861-62 ..... Sir John Brown 1863-64 ..... Thomas Jessop 1865 ..... W. E. Laycock 1866-67 ..... John Webster 1868-71 ..... Thomas Moore 1872 ..... John Fairburn 1873 ..... Joseph Hallam 1874 ..... Mark Firth 1875 ..... John Tasker 1876 ..... George Bassett 1877 ..... Sir Fredk. T. Mappin 1878 ..... David Ward 1879 ..... Edward Tozer 1880 ..... Abram Brooksbank 1881-82 ..... Michael Hunter, Jnr. 1883-34 ..... Wm. Henry Brittain 1885 ..... John W. Pye Smith 1886 ..... Sir Henry Stephenson 1887-78 ..... William Johnson Clegg 1889 ..... J. B. Jackson 1890 ..... Samuel Osborn ** 1891 ..... William Johnson Clegg  **  1891 ..... Joseph Gamble 1892 ..... Batty Langley 1893 ..... E. S. Foster 1894 ..... Sir Charles. T. Skelton 1895-96 ..... The Duke of Norfolk  ** ** See Notes

Lord Mayors 1896-1950 1896 ..... Duke of Norfolk  ** 1897 ..... George Franklin 1898 ..... William Edwin Clegg 1899 ..... Samuel Roberts 1900 ..... John Eaton 1901 ..... George Senior 1902 ..... John Wycliffe Wilson 1903 ..... J. R. Wheatley 1904 ..... Sir Joseph Jonas 1905 ..... Herbert Hughes 1906 ..... Robert Styring 1907 ..... Harry Parker Marsh 1908 ..... H. K. Stephenson 1909 ..... The Earl Fitzwilliarn 1910 ..... H. K. Stephenson 1911 ..... Albert J. Hobson 1912 ..... Samuel Osborn 1913 ..... G. E. Branson 1914 ..... Oliver C. Wilson 1915 ..... F. A. Warlow 1916 ..... Walter Appleyard 1917 ..... Alfred Cattell 1918 ..... William Irons 1919 ..... Samuel Roberts, Jnr. 1920 ..... William F. Wardley 1921 ..... Charles Simpson 1922 ..... William C. Fenton 1923 ..... Arthur J. Blanchard 1924 ..... Alfred J. Bailey 1925 ..... Joseph Benson 1926 ..... John G Graves 1927 ..... Moses Humberstone 1928 ..... Harry Bolton 1929 ..... Charles W Beardlsley 1930 ..... Harold W Jackson 1931 ..... Thomas H Watkins 1932 ..... Ernest Wilson 1933 ..... Fred Marshall 1934 ..... Percival J M Turner 1935 ..... Frank Thraves 1936 ..... Ann E Longdon 1937 ..... Ernest G Rowlinson 1938 ..... William J Hunter 1939 ..... John A Longdon 1940 ..... Luther F Milner

Lord Mayors 1896-1950 1941 ..... Charles J Mitchell 1942 ..... Harry E Bridgewater 1943 ..... Samuel H Marshall 1944 ..... George E Marlow 1945 ..... Charles W Gascoigne 1946 ..... Ernest S Graham 1947-49 ..... William E Yorke 1949 ..... Grace Tebbutt 1950 ..... Hrebert K Hawson 1951 Thomas W Bridgeland 1952 ..... Peter Buchanan 1953 ..... Oliver S Holmes 1954 ..... John H Bingham ** Notes **    Samuel Osborn died in year of office. William Johnson Clegg was re-elected in 1891 due to the death of Samuel Johnson In 1897 the Duke of Norfolk was the first "Lord" Mayor, taking the title in July until November of that year.

The preceding information reproduced with kind permission of Tony Morton.

 
Additional Cutler Info

Cutlery and Cutlers of Sheffield - by Eric Youle
Sheffield historical material and online references including; Cutlery & Cutlers Sheffield of 1884, Sheffield Spring Knife Cutlers and much more.  See also Eric's lists of Hallamshire Cutlers.

Cutlery History Sheffield           << NEW
Why was Sheffield the birth place of a cutlery tradition that has survived for so long? Simply because of its unique position and resources. Five rivers splash down into Sheffield from the surrounding ring of hills to drive water wheels. Coal was available in abundant quantities; so was iron ore. And nearby quarries provided enormous supplies of the milestone grit from which the cutler's grinding wheels were fashioned.

Abbeydale Industrial Hamlet & More - Tilthammer.com
Industrial History of Sheffield, with particular reference to Abbeydale, an 18th Century Scythe Works.  The Tilt Hammer site includes an extensive list of links to Sheffield & the Cutlery Trade, Water Wheel & Watermill Sites, Museums & Galleries, Archaeology & Scythe Links etc.

The Silver Trade in Sheffield
Information on the origins of the Silver Trade in Sheffield by Edward Law.

Sheffield Assay Office
There has been an Assay Office in Sheffield since 1773, when local silversmiths, who resented the inconvenience of having to send their wares to London for hallmarking, joined with Birmingham petitioners to ask Parliament for their own Offices. Despite fierce opposition from the London Goldsmiths' Company, an Act of Parliament was passed, granting Sheffield the right to assay silver.  See also How Much is that Coin Worth?

Makers' Marks on British Silver
It is normally fairly straightforward to identify where and when British silver has been made. There are many books and tables of town marks and date letters to help the collector. Identifying the silversmith is a little more difficult. All graphics available on this site are taken from real hallmarks listed by Assay Office. To get started click on the Assay Office and follow the alphabetical links.

Trade Marks on Base-Metal
Extensive 347 page book (Downloads in PDF 9.67MB) offering a selection of marks on file that relate primarily to tableware items, from the late 18th century to about 1900. These marks were used on tableware and other small hardware goods made in base metals in Great Britain, Germany, France and the United States. The Parks file has proven to be useful to researchers and archaeologists for identifying the origin and the date range of tableware and related metal artifacts from a variety of archaeological sites. This guide was prepared by the Metal Unit of the Material Culture Section, Archaeology Research Division, Canadian Parks Service.

Sheffield Steelworks           << MORE
SHEFFIELD WAS A CUTLERY TOWN long before it became Steel City. The first documentary reference to a Sheffield Cutler comes from 1297, but steel was not made there until just after 1700. The town was known as a smoky centre of industry long before the first steel furnace was erected.

Trades, Directories & Unions           << MORE
Sheffield indexers collections of the links to Directories, Trades, Unions & Workers, Business, Terms & General Info.

Photo:  The Knife Grinders, Sheffield - Courtesy of J. Perkins
 

More Sheffield History

Sheffield Indexers, Sheffield History
Sheffield Indexers collection of links to historical Sheffield including; Sheffield History, Laws & Acts, Living & Working Conditions, Historical Land & Buildings, Sheffield Flood and War Memories.

Sheffield Indexers, Other Historical Info
Sheffield Indexers collection of links to more articles of interest relating to Sheffield including; Sheffield Stories, Newspaper Articles, Editorials & General Interests, Sheffield Rhymes Etc, Cherished Sheffield Family Memories, Recipes of Olde Yorkshire, Old Sheffield Picture Post Cards and Yorkshire Expressions.

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