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GEORGE WARRIS

He entered a maker's mark of his initials in an oval shape at Sheffield Assay Office in 1885 from 32 Howard Street.
The 1901 UK Census recorded him aged 73 years as a silversmith living at 40 Crescent Road, Ecclesall Brierlow.
His death in 1906 was recorded in the Ecclesall Brierlow register.

Mike

SHAW & FISHER

Norfolk Place, Sheffield


Shaw & Fisher - Sheffield - 1849


Shaw & Fisher - Sheffield - 1853


Shaw & Fisher - Sheffield - 1857


Shaw & Fisher - Sheffield - 1880

Another old-established concern in the Britannia-metal and electro-plate trade is in the market. The firm of Shaw and Fisher, in Suffolk-road, has scarcely seen its 60th birthday, but in the course of a few weeks it will be brought to the hammer " in two lots." The first comprises the buildings, and the second the "good-will," trade mark, registered designs, &c. There has been neither Shaw nor Fisher in the concern for many a year. The late head of the firm was Mr. C. Hall, whose death was noticed in these notes last year. Mr. Hall's son has decided not to continue the business, hence the sale. For some time past the business has been offered for sale as a going concern, but in these times such intangible things as good-will do not bring very much in the market. A rumour got abroad in the town that Messrs. John Round and Son were about to purchase, but the only foundation for this somewhat unlikely story appears to have been the fact that Mr. Ridge and Mr. Sawson paid a visit to the works by invitation. The works and business will be offered for sale at the auction rooms of Messrs. Nicholson, Greaves and Barber, early in June.

Source: The Watchmaker, Jeweller and Silversmith - 1st June 1894

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KNIGHT BROTHERS

28, Burgess Street, Sheffield


Knight Brothers - Sheffield - 1879

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CHARLES ELLIS & Co.

39, and later, 57, Norfolk Street, Sheffield


Charles Ellis & Co. - Sheffield - 1863

'Made from the Pure Arguroid'



Charles Ellis & Co. - Sheffield - 1888

Charles Ellis & Co. entered their mark 'C' 'E' '&' 'Co' with the Sheffield Assay Office on the 13th December 1893.

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LEVESLEY BROTHERS

Central Works, West Street, and later, Mary Street, Sheffield


Levesley Brothers - Sheffield - 1870

Levesley Brothers (Charles, William, and Thomas Levesley) registered at the Sheffield Assay Office in 1863, and at the London Assay Office in 1893.

By 1883, they were noted as moving to Mary Street, Sheffield, the factory still known as the Central Works. Following that date, the business was styled Levesley Brothers & Lloyd (Thomas Levesley and William Lloyd). Following William Lloyd's retirement in 1893, the firm reverted to its former name. The last owner of the firm was Leonard Walter Levesley, who went bankrupt in 1929, which is presumabley when the business closed.

Levesley Brothers were noted as exhibitors at the Jewellers' Exhibition in 1913.

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GIBSON & SWIFT

Goodwin Road Works, Sheffield


Gibson & Swift - Sheffield - 1897


Gibson & Swift - Sheffield - 1900

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GEORGE CLAYTON & Co.

Love Street, Sheffield


George Clayton & Co. - Sheffield - 1846

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HAMMOND CREAKE & Co.

St. Mary's Road, Sheffield


Hammond Creake & Co. - Sheffield - 1894

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GEORGE TANDY

Kenilworth Comb Works, New Thomas Street, Highfields, Sheffield


George Tandy - Sheffield - 1879

Established in 1854.

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JAMES COWEN & SONS

Queen's Works, Division Street, Sheffield. And later at Industry Works, 42, Cambridge Street, Sheffield


James Cowen & Sons - Sheffield - 1875

As can be seen from the above advertisement, James Cowen served 21 years with Joseph Rodgers & Sons of Sheffield.

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THOMAS WARD

Rockingham Street, Sheffield


Thomas Ward - Sheffield - 1880

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FRANCIS HOWARD

West-End Works, West Street, and later, Aberdeen Works, Trafalgar Street, Sheffield


Francis Howard - Sheffield - 1875


Francis Howard - Sheffield - 1960

Incorporating H. Hunt

Established 1870.

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WILFRED JACKSON

75,77, Hollis Croft, Sheffield



Wilfred Jackson - Sheffield - 1878


Wilfred Jackson - Sheffield - 1882

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ARTHUR CULF & Co.

34 & 36, Charlotte Street, Sheffield


Arthur Culf & Co. - Sheffield - 1891

Formerly the business of Arthur Culf and Carrington Culf. This partnership was dissolved on the 31st December 1887 and from that date the firm appears to be in the hands of William Henry Allcard.

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SANSOM & DAVENPORT

Rockingham Electro-Plate Works, Sheffield


Sansom & Davenport - Sheffield - 1855


Sansom & Davenport are thought to have been established in 1853.

Sansom & Davenport displayed their wares at the Paris Universal Exhibition of 1855.

John Waterhouse Sansom and Joseph Davenport dissolved their partnership on the 2nd April 1856.

John Waterhouse Sansom later went into a short-lived partnership with Thomas John Creswick, styled as Sansom & Creswick. Following that he is thought to have left the silver trade and went to live in France.

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MARK WILLIS & SON

Exchange Works, Rockingham Street, Sheffield


Mark Willis & Son - Sheffield - 1889


Mark Willis & Son - Sheffield - 1891

Established in 1874.

Last month, Messrs. Mark Willis and Son, silversmiths, Rockingham Street, Sheffield, took the whole of their workmen and employes to Chatsworth. The company numbered about 70, and had a pleasant drive in wagonettes. A substantial meat tea was served up at the Royal Hotel, Baslow, and during the after proceedings, advantage was taken of the occasion to present to Mr. William Willis, who recently attained his majority, an elaborate dressing case, with silver-mounted fittings, which' had been subscribed for by the workpeople. Mr. Willis suitably acknowledged the presentation, and the whole proceedings passed off in a very satisfactory manner. The marked and steady increase of business done by this enterprising firm with each succeeding year, is a just tribute to the quality of the goods they supply to their customers. We are pleased to see that, with increased prosperity, they are not forgetful of the actual producers, and have no doubt of having to chronicle further events of a similar pleasing character in connexion with this establishment.

Source: The Watchmaker, Jeweller and Silversmith - 1st July 1890



The works of Mr. Mark Willis in Rockingham Street have within the last few months undergone some rather extensive improvements. The increasing business of the firm has rendered it absolutely necessary to increase the warehouse accommodation, and this has been done by the addition of several rooms opening out of each other over the offices. The stone-ware, glass, and other goods, which it is necessary for silversmiths to stock in large quantities, are now systematically arranged in the new store-rooms, and the eye of the manager can detect at a glance which stocks require replenishing. In this part of the works also a new finishing-room has been opened out, and the cheerful aspect of the place, filled as it is with the smartest of burnishers, shows little signs of the depression in trade which is supposed to exist. Mr. Willis, in point of fact, has no complaint to make as to the state of trade, being fairly well employed in every branch. One evidence of this is that there appears to be nothing new in course of being got up in the workshops. The warehouse contains a large assortment of breakfast cruets, tea and coffee services, Crown Derby, Worcester, Wedgewood, and Doulton ware; cake-stands, bon-bons, fruit dishes, honey dishes, grapescissors of various descriptions and prices. These, with dinner cruet-frames of various patterns, combination toast and butter frames, afternoon tea sets and so forth, are all got up in a style that sufficiently accounts for the progress made by this house within the last few years. The accepted design for a football challenge cup, which I was shown, demonstrates that Mr. Willis does not confine his attention to the more utilitarian branches of the trade.

Source: The Watchmaker, Jeweller and Silversmith - 1st September 1892









M.W - Sheffield - 1903

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MARK WILLIS & SON

The 1851 UK Census records Mark Willis in Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire. He had been born there in 1842 and was living with his parents William, a tailor, and Ann.
Separated from their parents he was recorded in 1861 as a silversmith in lodgings in Sheffield with his brother Charles.
He had married and become an electro plate manager in Sheffield by 1871.
He entered a maker's mark at the Sheffield Assay Office from Exchange Works, 56 Fargate, Sheffield in 1875.
The 1881 UK Census records he employed 5 men and 4 boys.
Website information shows the business transferred to Tudor Place, Sheffield in 1882 and to Exchange Works, 207 Rockingham Street in 1886 where it changed name to Mark Willis & Son. A son William had been born in Sheffield in 1870.
Another maker's mark was entered on becoming a limited company in 1904 and the business closed down in 1918.
Mark Willis had died in Sheffield in 1915. His estate was valued at £9408.

Mike

W.G. MEMMOTT

22, Charles Street, Sheffield


W.G. Memmott - Sheffield - 1878

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HENRY WILKINSON & Co.

38, Norfolk Street, Sheffield


Henry Wilkinson & Co. - Sheffield - 1892

An old mark, for a new company. The above advertisement is probably the first one from the new company of Henry Wilkinson & Co. In April 1892 the old company of Henry Wilkinson & Co. Ltd. went into liquidation. Following the winding up, the assets were acquired by Walker & Hall and they reintroduced the firm's old title that was previously in use from 1830 until 1872.

Henry Wilkinson & Co. displayed their wares at the Great Exhibition of 1851, and the International Exhibition of 1862.

The 'Crossed Keys' device was granted in 1784 by the Cutlers Company to the firm when it was styled as John Parsons & Co.

Henry Wilkinson & Co. entered their marks at the Sheffield Assay Office in 1852, and the London Assay Office in 1892 (Henry Wilkinson & Co. Ltd had also entered marks at the LAO in 1890).

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MICHAEL HUNTER & SON

Talbot Works, Sheffield


M. Hunter & Son - Sheffield - 1879



The marks of Michael Hunter & Co.

It is likely that the firm were styled M. Hunter & Son up until c.1884, and then styled as Hunter & Co. after that date. They are believed to have been in business until c.1925.

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