Enterprise works revisited

[juzpat]

Im afraid that you have got it wrong Viners has not exsisted for over thirty years, the name still exsists but the cutlery that carries the name VINER is made in Japan, so dont think its made in Sheffield. The only time it reaches any Sheffield workers is when comes to Saynors Silver Platers on Egerton St, where it is either plated or re-packed into different boxes and by a quirk of fate the Saynors building is the last bit of VINERS factory that survives. Lots of firms do this, even the firm I work for and I am disgusted at the practice.

The Sheffield Shop on Ecclesall Rd has some Japanese knives on display but they dont know that they are Japanese, its true because our firm sells them to them.

 

Hi ,

I am looking for information on my Uncle he was Charles Frederick Hall known as Fred Viner Hall . He died in Australia in 1961 and was involved with Viner & Hall . Does any one know anything about the union. He was always known as Fred Viner Hall .

[Guest]

I once worked in the Enterprise Works for a chap called Hayes.

Its full address was 66 St Marys Road, it was knocked down years ago . It was where Pee Bees sandwich shop is on Shoreham is.The exact place is just past the sandwich shop and where the grassed area is as you turn to go up St Marys Rd thats where it was.

The place itself was full of little mesters (not Small men ) who worked for themselves, thats just what the man I worked for did. I used to polish garden trowels, spades, hoes and also hand guards for claymore swords.

Hi there, I worked on the Enterprise works from 1959 to 1961, I'm afraid I can't tell you anything about Deardon & Richmond (although I remember the name) but I'm trying to recall names of the little mesters who worked in the buildings. I worked for a firm called Boardman Plate on there. Old Mr. Boardman retired and I rented his grinding shop from his son Jack (who owned Mary Gentles chip shop & cafe on Howard Street) and set up as an outwork grinder. I remember Gerry Hayes, who Lazarus worked for - his outfit was known on the works as Gerry & the Spademakers (after the Liverpool group). Another tenant was George Sadler who was an outwork cutler in the top shop up the iron outside staircase. A guy called Roy (surname I can't remember) rented the shop underneath Sadler's. I believe Herbert Housley was originally in the grinding shop that I worked in for Boardmans and which I rented.

[MysTique]

Hello Organgrinder.

 

Thank you for that information, it all helps to give a bigger picture of where my grandad worked and is very useful for others interested in Enterprise Works. If anything else springs to mind please post it up.

 

For anyone interested I now have a spoon to add to my knife - I'm slowly building up my canteen!

[oldtimer]

Two comments. As a lad I worked in Langsett Road Barracks, (Burdalls Buildings) at a very small machine shop called Sycamore Repetition. We made small rotary tools that I , as the 'young lad', had to take in a sack to a 'Little Mesters place just off Langsett Road. The tools had teeth put on them, and were then sent elsewhere for finishing. This was in 1955. A few years ago, I had dentures made for me in Edmonton. Alberta, Canada. Imagine my surprise when I saw the dental technician adjusting the fit of my dentures, using one of the rotary tools that I had handled so long ago. I know they were the ones I made, because the box that had other tools in was marked with the name of the place where I worked, with the appropriate date!

The other comment? I had two uncles, Tom Parkes and Ernest Brady, (my dad's brother) who leased a small shop somewhere around Scotland street, they were file makers. My mother spent many years after WW2 working for Leppingtons Cutlers.

[jockey]

George was my grandad and he worked as a little mester in a scruffy workshop above the old Saddle pub on west street, up some thin white washed steps.

 

Next to him worked Eric Wragg, who made hunting knifes and pen knifes, I remember my grandad taking us next door to see Eric, Eric showed us (me and my twin brother) 2 leather bound books with his design drawings in, they must have been 100 years old then !!

 

Fantastic memories of time spent in 6 weeks holidays watching my gradad, polishing, sharpening and fixing real stag handles, fixed using resin and ash from his pot bellied stove. Must have been 200 years worth of dust in those workshops, my mum used to go mad, we'd come back covered !!

 

Happy memories.

 

Steve Sadler:)

[gabrielle]

My relative is Samuel Saynor who worked with brother John in the 1780-19's. Can you tell me if they eventually sold out to Viners. I have found a reference to a "Rainbow" mark, I would like more information or clues on how to follow up if possible?

[lazyherbert]

I should have a look at the records they hold in the Cutlers hall because they have all the trade marks of all the cutlers in & around Sheffield.It is worth a try.

[gabrielle]

thanks lazyherbert. I'm in the Uk in July and staying in Sheffield. I shall visit the Cutlers Hall for myself. Another branch of my family are Shaws, also cutlery makers. Family history on the net is great for people like me, I live in France. I spend all year building up areas to explore and then race round trying to get answers in 5 days, exhausting but sometimes rewarding.

Gabrielle

[bobsue]

Hi, Has anyone come across cutlery with the Trademark Edley Bros. Sheffield. My Gt Grandfather and Granfather were Silver Comb manufacturers, later Tool & Saw maufacturers. They then went on to Cutlery. They Patented the Yureeda Knife Sharpeners. Pretoria Works Sidney St. I believe its a nightclub now. I recently obtained a Cake Knife & Cheese Knife which they had patented with the trademark on them. Interested to know if anyone has come across any items bearing the Edley Bros trademark. I understand they had places on Arundel St, [Potter St, this was Chumley & Edley] Shoreham St. There are a couple of other addresses in the directories I don't remember. They existed in the 1800s and into the 1900s, my Grandfather died 1933, his brother continued in business. What happened after that ??. Any clues out there?

 

Ihave a cutlery set in a wooden box made by Edley Bros of Sheffield . It is in prefect condition and it belonged to my Grandparents and i aquired after they died. If interested please reply .

[bobsue]

Ihave a cutlery set in a wooden box made by Edley Bros of Sheffield . It is in prefect condition and it belonged to my Grandparents and i aquired after they died. If interested please reply .I dont know how old it is but my Grandparents died in 1977 and 1982 at the ages of 86 and 88 and i have had the set ever since , so i cant put a date on it and how much it is worth, a reply to this would be most welcome.