Two unusual Sheffield patterns

[Misplaced Hillbilly]

Hm I see all of them, I use my phone, don't know if that makes a difference.

 

[JohnDF]

I see them all, and cool knives they be too.

 

[Jack Black]

Thanks for the feedback on the pics fellers

 

[Prester John]

See them all too. Using phone.

 

[5K Qs]

I only see the very last photo in the original post. Every other image has the white "?" in a blue field; clicking it takes me to a blank image at the PhotoBucket site.

- GT

Update: I happened to come back to this thread several hours later, and now I can see ALL the pics in the original post!
(Actually, I saw the thread title later, and decided to try a different browser (Firefox instead of Safari) on my MacBook Pro. I could see all the photos, so I thought, "Hmm - a browser-related problem." But then I decided to go back and try Safari, and everything was fine there, too! These tech glitches are fascinating but frustrating.)

- GT

 

[Justin Sheldon]

This knife was designed and patented by my grandfather Albert Sheldon, hence the name. He probably also made it himself.

He acquired the business of Arthur Wright and Son where he made these. I’m presuming given there are versions made at Butchers and Oates, he worked there before he acquired Arthur Wright. You can research the patent number to see the details from 1965.

https://patents.google.com/patent/GB1056094A/en


Sadly he died in 1989 when I was 18. He was still going to work in his 70s just before he died, and the business continues to this day, although it was sold by my grandmother to one of the fellow directors after his death.

If anyone has one they would be willing to sell, I would be interested.

Justin Sheldon

 

[Jack Black]

This knife was designed and patented by my grandfather Albert Sheldon, hence the name.

He acquired the business of Arthur Wright and Son where he made these. I’m presuming given there are versions made at Oates, he worked there before he acquired Arthur Wright. You can research the patent number to see the details.

https://patents.google.com/patent/GB1056094A/en


Sadly he died in 1989 when I was 18. He was still going to work in his 70s just before he died, and the business continues to this day, although it was sold by my grandmother to one of the fellow directors after his death.

If anyone has one they would be willing to sell, I would be interested.

Justin Sheldon

What a fantastic first post Justin I have one made by Wright's, which I would be happy to gift you. If you can tell us anything more about your grandfather, and perhaps about his time at Arthur Wright's, many of us would find it fascinating

 

[Justin Sheldon]

Jack, that would be too kind, I would gladly pay so you can use that to acquire a suitable replacement. My Grandfather would have preferred it that way also.

The Wright versions are probably the most relevant to me as I remember going in with him on a Saturday morning as a child to help in the workshop, sweeping, painting etc.

About six months before he died, and just after I passed my driving test, I would drive him into work as his eyesight wasn’t upto driving, but still went to work!

 

[Jack Black]

Jack, that would be too kind, I would gladly pay so you can use that to acquire a suitable replacement. My Grandfather would have preferred it that way also.

The Wright versions are probably the most relevant to me as I remember going in with him on a Saturday morning as a child to help in the workshop, sweeping, painting etc.

About six months before he died, and just after I passed my driving test, I would drive him into work as he was too ill to drive, but still went to work!

I'm afraid that your membership level does not allow to offer to purchase (I don't think), and requests to purchase are also in violation of the sub-forum guidelines. I'll accept a penny though

I bought 3 of the knives, which were discovered at Wright's a while back. They haven't made them for years. I also found out that they used to be made with a Lambsfoot blade also, I think I have a photo somewhere...

Those sound like happy memories, was that when Wright's was on Sidney Street, or at their current location. I had understand that the firm was bought by Mr J Howarth, before it was in turn bought by John Maleham some years back? I am from Sheffield myself, and of course had many relatives in the trade. I was at Arthur Wright's a couple of days ago.

 

[Justin Sheldon]

These are the old premises on Sidney Street. Still there I am glad to see, but it’s now surrounded by student accommodation and is used as a gallery of some sort. As a new driver, I would dread having to thread the car through the gates. I was in Sheffield today, I walked past on my route from the station, first time seeing the building in probably 20 years so brought back a lot of nice memories.

https://goo.gl/maps/JjBzts7rex72

 

[Justin Sheldon]

Was that Jack Howarth, if so, I think that was the other director at the time my grandmother sold the business??

I have seen the knife with both the straight blade and the lambs foot blade.

 

[Jack Black]

These are the old premises on Sidney Street. Still there I am glad to see, but it’s now surrounded by student accommodation and is used as a gallery of some sort. As a new driver, I would dread having to throw the car through the gates. I was in Sheffield today, I walked past on my route from the station, first time seeing the building in probably 20 years so brought back a lot of nice memories.

https://goo.gl/maps/JjBzts7rex72

A shame what's happened to it, but at least, unlike many of the old factories in that area, it is still standing. Do you know when your grandfather took over at Wright's?

 

[Jack Black]

Was that Jack Howarth, if so, I think that was the other director at the time my grandmother sold the business??

I have seen the knife with both the straight blade and the lambs foot blade.

Yes, it was, the last of the Howarth line of cutlers. He ran Wright's alongside his own business, but it had become a very small firm by the time he eventually retired. John Maleham had another tool business in the same building, and ended up buying Wright's because he wanted the building, but he runs it quite well I think

You might find this thread of interest: https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/visiting-arthur-wright-son-pics.1481181/

 

[Justin Sheldon]

I think late 1970’s, but I was only 9 or 10, so can’t be too sure, but won’t be too far either side.

 

[Justin Sheldon]

Great, thanks for that. John Malehams name sounds familiar, but I may be imagining that, if he was in the building in the late 80s, then perhaps I heard his name being mentioned.

Great to see that they are still making the Bowie knife’s and the stag handled steak knives, which was a mainstay of the business from my grandfather owned it, and I recall him telling me how he exported a lot of these to America. He also made contractions for litter picking and also to help people weed in gardens. Great to see that they are still making Bowie knife‘s and the stag handled steak knife’s, which was a mainstay of the business when my grandfather owned it, I recall him telling me how he exported a lot of these to America. He also diversified and made contraptions for litter picking and also to help people weed in gardens who couldn’t bend down so easily.

 

[Jack Black]

Here's the firm's original Accident Book - fortunately accidents seem to have been both rare, and minor.

 

[Jack Black]

I think late 1970’s, but I was only 9 or 10, so can’t be too sure, but won’t be too far either side.

Ah, I have a knife from 1945, made by Wright's, when they were a new firm, and another from 1952, both Army patterns, but that would have been before your grandfather was there

I have some other old papers relating to the firm...

I also have an awful lot of their knives!

 

[Campbellclanman]

So so interesting Jack my friend.

 

[Justin Sheldon]

I can see a picture of the weed puller that I referred to.

There is a fair chance if you have a few A Wright knives then one could have been made by my Grandfather

 

[Jack Black]

So so interesting Jack my friend.

I'm glad you caught this Duncan

I can see a picture of the weed puller that I referred to.

There is a fair chance if you have a few A Wright knives then one could have been made by my Grandfather

I have a lot of A.Wright & Son knives, but most were made in the last decade. However, there are other members who have older knives. There's at least one older A.Wright Lambsfoot belonging to one of our members in the Lambsfoot thread here (the thread is indexed, so you should be able to find the examples): https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/guardians-of-the-lambsfoot.1406735/