Can anyone tell me what a 'scissor dresser' is/was?

[AEGALE]

This was an occupation but I don't know what it refered to. Can anyone help?

[lanzalass]

Hi,my mother was a scissor dresser many years ago,her job included pairing up

the two blades,buffing,sharpening,screwing together then franking the firms name on them,then they would be polished to perfection pre packing.

(any faults or defects resulted in docked pay) very tedious dirty work.

Id imagine this job would now be done by machines and not by hand and sharp eye as it was years ago.

[AEGALE]

Thanks lanzalass for the reply. Do you happen to know which factory she worked in? and where? Thanks in advance for any help.

[Tuppie]

Thanks lanzalass for the reply. Do you happen to know which factory she worked in? and where? Thanks in advance for any help.

 

There were lots of companies in Sheffield (including mine J & J Beal) who manufactured scissors, along with other products such as knives. Unless you have it documented it would be impossible to say.

 

Tuppie

[lanzalass]

Hi AEGALE, Sorry for the delay in answering, The firm my Mum worked in was relatively small and by to-days standards extremely dangerous (next to no safety regulations back then)It was on Canada Street in Sheffield 4.now Im never sure whether the name was CLIFFORD CHARLES or CHARLES CLIFFORD but it is positively one or the other.

Might I ask what your interest is in this profession?

[AEGALE]

Hi again lanzalass, No problem with delay I am trying to trace the company my mum worked for back in the 1930/40's. She worked from the age of 14. All I know is that when she married in 1947 that was her occupation. She lived on Wentworth Street Sheffield S6 which is now part of 'Ponderosa'? I believe. As it was war time and she lived in the slums I am guessing that her work place may have been quite close.

[carosio]

As I understand it, a Dresser was the person (usually women) who did the final polishing, checking and packing.

 

My father was a Scissor Assembler (or Putter-Together) for most of his working life from 1925 to his death in 1985. The assembly process, whilst simple, required skill and experience to do it properly. Both blades would be screwed and riveted to just the right tightness, then, with a small hammer and an anvil (Stiddy), they would be "set" to achieve a uniform cutting tension from the blade root to its tip.

 

His last job was assembling scissors made for medical and hospital use and they came in a huge variety of shapes and sizes, many having curved blades which required a high level of skill to set correctly.

 

The three types shown in the pic are: curved blade, needle point for eye operations, and for cutting the Umbilical Cord.

 

My father lived in the area of Meadow St at that time and could possibly have known your mum. One firm he worked for was George Gill who I think were on Gell Street (top of St Philips Rd). There were there were also some backyard scissor workshops on St Philips Rd, and some small cutlery firms in the area of Allen St, Sudbury St. etc.

 

http://i665.photobucket.com/albums/vv12/carosio/Scissors.jpg

[AEGALE]

Thanks carosio, my mum lived at Powell street and her father was Leonard Housley. A welder by profession but I don't know where. So maybe she worked at the same place?

[carosio]

It's possible, but there were many firms and "little mesters" workshops in the area making cutlery and scissors. Have you had a look at the Sheffield History forum, might gain some info from there. Or, start a thread about Powell Street, perhaps someone remembers your mum?

 

PS, left handed scissors were also made.

[shazbut44]

My mother was a buffer and worked at F.E.and J.R.Hopkinson on London Road,her aunt worked there as a scissor dresser.I was born on Wentworth Street and most of my family(Powells) lived there too.We were re housed to the then new Gleadless Valley when the slums were cleared in 1957.I now live up the road from yourself in Exeter.