Michael Hersey began his career at William Comyns & Sons Limited, in Soho, London when he started his apprenticeship in 1954, aged 15, to learn the trade of a silver spinner. He furthered his knowledge of silversmithing skills with the firm of C.J. Vander Limited. In 1971 he joined forces with another silversmith, David Mills, and founded the firm of Mills & Hersey, located at a workshop in Rawston Street, Clerkenwell. They specialised in the manufacture of candlesticks, napkin rings and wine coasters.
The business expanded and removed in 1974 from Clerkenwell to Church Street, Twickenham, Middlesex, a combined manufacturing premises and retail shop.
Stewart Hersey, Michael’s son, joined the firm in 1981 following training as a silversmith at the Sir John Cass College, London Guildhall University and as an apprentice under Grant Macdonald. In 1983 David Mills left the company and in 1985 the firm changed its name to M C Hersey & Son. In 1987 the business moved once again to larger premises at Railway Road, Teddington, Middlesex, and the firm ceased retail activities. The business is now in the hands of Stewart Hersey.
Between 1971 and 1983 their maker’s mark was M&H and between 1983 and 2007 M over CH in a trefoil. Since 2007 their hallmark has been SH in a chamfered square, as shown below:
In 2009 they returned to retailing and opened a shop at East Molesey, Surrey. In 2011 a further branch was opened in Walton-on-Thames, Surrey.
In 2010 they were commissioned by the Joint Assay Offices Committee to manufacture an Armada Dish that was presented to Richard Vanderpump its retiring Chairman. As well as the Leopard’s Head hallmark for London, it also bore the representative marks of the Anchor hallmark for Birmingham, the Rose for Sheffield and the Castle for Edinburgh.
In 2011 Hersey & Son were commissioned to make the trophies for the Tranatlantic Race.
Below is a link to a short film describing the manufacture of Hersey & Son's candlesticks:
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Trev.
