SHEFFIELD CUTLERY

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 117, 13 November 1926, Page 20

SHEFFIELD CUTLERY

GROWTH OF OLD-TIME INDUSTRY.

For centuries Sheffield has been associated with the making and working of iron and steel. There are many evidences of ancient workings of iron ore in this district, and, but for the rapidity with which iron rusts in such a northern climate as ours, archaeologists would doubtless have found many more interesting examples of early ironwork. The Eomans themselves, «ays "Engineering," taught the Briton much concerning the working of iron, and the Norman invaders brought over many smiths and skilled artisans. It is recorded that one of the Norman lords obtained a charter to erect forges at Kimberworth about the year 1100. Of one of the characters in Chaucer's "Canterbury Tales," we learn, "A Shefelde thwytel bare he in his hose," showing that Sheffield cutlery wm well known and esteemed nearly 600 years ago. At a later date, when presenting Sheffield-made knives to Lord Burleigh, Lord Shrewsbury wrote: "Such things as this poor country affordeth with fame throughout the realm." Sheavea of arrows form the device on the seal of the church burgesses of Sheffield and, in the tradition that arrow jads made at Sheffield were largely responsible for the victories of Crecy and Agincourt,

we have the earliest reference to arm-our-piercing projectiles of those days being made in this city. According to Johnston, the antiquarian, Sheffield had, at that time, supplied the Government with 5000 arrow heads at a price of 15 pence per hundred.

Mr. John Derry, in his interesting "Story of Sheffield," recalls that Leland, -who travelled through England between the years 1536 and 1542, said there were "many smiths and cutlers in Hallamshire,?' and also "very good amiths for all cutting tools" at Botherham. Between 1554 and 1570, 61 trade marks were granted by the Lord, of Hallamshire (the Earl of Shrewsbury) through his Court vi Sheffield, to the master cutlers in his lordship. At this time iron was being imported into Hallamshire from Sweden and Spain through Hull and Bawtry. The arrival of six barrels of steel from Bawtry is noted in the memorandum book o£ the earl's steward on Bth October, 1574. In his book, "The Writing Schoolmaster," Peter Bates (1590) gave advice regarding the making of quill pens: >"first then by the choice of your pen-knifo. A right Sheffield knife is best." The dramatist Nash also .uses the term "right Sheffield" to signify the best quality. The, preamble to the Act of James I. (1624), incorporating the Cutlers Company spenks of the cutlers who had "by their industry and labour gained the reputation of great skill aud dexterityj" and "made knives of the best edge, wherewith they served the most part of this kingdom and other foreign countries." A few years later a Sheffield cutler and his trade mark figured prominently in the history of the Civil War, for the knife found in the body of tho Duko of Buckingham, assassinated in 1628, was stamped with a corporate mark which led immediately to the discovery of its maker. Notwithstanding the fact that its fame had spread "throughout the realm," the Sheffield of those days was small and far from flourishing. Local history states that its population was about 2000, nearly onethird of whom were unable to live, save by tho charity of their neighbours.