JOHN R. BUSS & SONS LIMITED
45 Deansgate and Exchange Arcade , 64 & 66 King Street Manchester
Hello, a little while ago, in a mixed auction lot, I saw some electroplated spoons with a good set of marks on.
“Buss” was a manufacturer’s mark I did not recognise but I possibly know a little more about that mark now.
On this couple of different table knives we have two "Manchester" addresses. Presumeably "45 Deansgate" is the earlier of the 2 addresses as the firm is called "Buss & Sons" while the firm has become "Buss & Sons Ltd" at "King Street". I think that the mark next to the "Buss" on the spoon marks in my first image must be a short hand version of "Manchester". I see it as "M/C".
I have not found any other information regarding "45 Deansgate" though as I show below there are several "King Street" references. Below is an image of a label on a cutlery box and it seems that "sets of cutlery" were associated with the "Buss" name.
Here "Buss" are describing themselves as "Cutlers, Electro-platers & C.". The "&C" needs clarifacation. However the following references do not confirm the "Cutlers, Electro-platers" business.
There is a reference from a local Manchester archive concerning a typed recept dating October 31st 1936
Description:
Account, John R Buss & Sons Ltd. 64 & 66 King Street, Manchester 2,
To Mrs Jennison, Barwicke Lodge, Disley.
Aug 24th
4 Stainless Steel Wardrobe Hooks with screws 1/6, 6. 0
Aug 28th ...
refinishing in silver Grey :
4 Cupboard Knobs - 1 Escutcheon Screws, 12 6
Lever handle, 1 Escutcheon Screw
Alarm Clock 15/-
1 pr Pruners, 1. 1. 6
2. 0. 0
Gummed receipt label, dated Dec 28th 1936 with orange George V stamp, oversigned.
Date: October 31st 1936
Held by: Chetham's Library, not available at The National Archives
Possibly the older British members of the forum will recognise this bill is in the old "pounds, shillings and pence" currency. It shows more hardware shop purchases and less a cutlery dealer bill.
Adding to that thought is a reference from the "National Archives /Manchester". This document pertains to
"John Roaf Buss & Sons Ltd", Manchester. Ironmongers from 1856 to 1963.”
Finally the "London Gazette" has
Name of Company: JOHN R. BUSS & SONS LIMITED.
Nature of Business: HARDWARE (RETAILERS).
Address of Registered Office: 23 King 'Street, Manchester.
Liquidator's Name and Address:
L. H. .'Shipton, 31
Lloyd Street, Manchester M2 5LP.
Date of Appointment: 30th June 1969.
From this information I had settled on the fact that "Buss's" company (1856 to 1969), originally had a stronger assoociation with cutlery retailing and as the 20th century had progressed, general hardware sales took the business forward. That was until I finally found a reference mentioning "45 Deansgate". A PDF with entries, I believe, taken from "Slaters Dictionaries"
For "Buss John R. & Sons", cutlers, electro-platers and furnishing and general ironmongers,
45 Deansgate and Exchange Arcade" there was no date but in association was a
"Percy C." cutler (John R. Buss & Sons), Lynford, Fog la. Didsbury" and there was another "Buss" entry.
"Buss G. Herbert", cutler (John R. Buss & Sons), Colby, Princes rd. Heaton Moor"
It seems "cutlers" did work for John R. Buss & Sons so I searched again for dated material and I found from the 1883 "Slater's Directory of Manchester & Salford", this.
"Buss John R". furnishing & general ironmonger, cutler and electroplater, 42, 44 & 46 Victoria St". This possibly an address before "& Sons" arrived
and from the 1876 "Slater", "John Buss" was said only to be a "furnishing & general ironmonger" and it was also a Victoria St. address.
The "John Buss" concern was centrally based in Manchester for over 100 years from 1853 with addresses including, Victoria Street, Deansgate and King Street. It started and ended as being known as an ironmomgers but did have at some period an involvement in the cutlery business.
My last image shows another cutlery box, possibly not retailed from Manchester though.
"Buss & Co" of Brexelles are here for added confusion.
Please do bring more information about "Buss's" if you have some and correct any errors I may have made.
Fishless