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Saynor Knife Information


Guest CalScotsGran

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Guest CalScotsGran

Hi -I was born in Sheffield but left for Canada when I was 5 - 60 years ago. I have always heard about my Grandfather, William Saynor making this knife with a record number of attachments and that it was in the Sheffield Museum. I have just finished my Saynor/Gillott Family Tree and want to put extra information in like this. Would anyone here have any photos or know where I might find this kind of information? It might have been the Weston Park Museum as I do remember going there a lot, plus as silly as this might sound - I remember a Polar Bear that was still there in 1976 when I returned for a visit to my home town. Thanks in advance for any help.

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Hi -I was born in Sheffield but left for Canada when I was 5 - 60 years ago. I have always heard about my Grandfather, William Saynor making this knife with a record number of attachments and that it was in the Sheffield Museum. I have just finished my Saynor/Gillott Family Tree and want to put extra information in like this. Would anyone here have any photos or know where I might find this kind of information? It might have been the Weston Park Museum as I do remember going there a lot, plus as silly as this might sound - I remember a Polar Bear that was still there in 1976 when I returned for a visit to my home town. Thanks in advance for any help.

Hello CalScotsGran and Welcome to the Site

Towards the bottom of this reply it says

Sheffield History Google Search Tool

Go there (it's free and simple), type in

"William Saynor"

don't forget the " "'s and search.

Some mention there of William Saynor and knives in the Museum; Good Luck, please keep us updated.

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Guest CalScotsGran

Hello CalScotsGran and Welcome to the Site

Towards the bottom of this reply it says

Sheffield History Google Search Tool

Go there (it's free and simple), type in

"William Saynor"

don't forget the " "'s and search.

Some mention there of William Saynor and knives in the Museum; Good Luck, please keep us updated.

Wow - talk about a small world - the link took me right to my cousin's son Damien who is on here too. His Granddad is my uncle! Haven't seen any of my British relatives since 1976 - simply amazing!

Thank you - Carole

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might have been the Weston Park Museum as I do remember going there a lot, plus as silly as this might sound - I remember a Polar Bear that was still there in 1976 when I returned for a visit to my home town. Thanks in advance for any help.

There certainly was a polar bear. Id be pretty sure it was there as far back as the 50's.

The fur was worn away round it's nose as a result of us children not being able to resist a stroke as we went past.

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From Sheffield Independent 16 May 1873, correspondence from J Nadin, Shales moor.

The fiddler and wait, Thomas Saynor, lived at 14, Bank street, and carried on business at the back of Alderman Vickers’ offices. The original Saynors were John and Samuel. They were both factors and manufacturers, their chief business being done in London in all kinds of knives, swords, shoe buckles, skates, scissors, and razors up to the year 1811. Then the business came into the hands of Thomas Saynor, Scargill croft, who manufactured the sportman’s knife, scissors, razors, and pen machine knife. After the steel pen came into use, trade began to be bad. In sailing from London to Hull a drunken sailor fell out of his hammock on to Mr. Saynor, and injured him for life. He lay for a long time in Hull, and after he came home he was unable to attend to his business. The mark which he struck was Rainbow , and his eldest son strikes the same mark. At Whitby, Yorkshire, another brother, Jeremiah Saynor, was town beadle. John kept the Old Barrack Tavern Bowling Green, and another Saynor drove the coach to Doncaster and Thorne from Waingate. The Saynors of Edward street are grandchildren of the Saynors. 

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On 24/03/2011 at 12:44, CalScotsGran said:

Hi -I was born in Sheffield but left for Canada when I was 5 - 60 years ago. I have always heard about my Grandfather, William Saynor making this knife with a record number of attachments and that it was in the Sheffield Museum. I have just finished my Saynor/Gillott Family Tree and want to put extra information in like this. Would anyone here have any photos or know where I might find this kind of information? It might have been the Weston Park Museum as I do remember going there a lot, plus as silly as this might sound - I remember a Polar Bear that was still there in 1976 when I returned for a visit to my home town. Thanks in advance for any help.

Sheffield Archives & Local Studies Library have these catalogues etc.

W. Saynor Limited

Specialists in Cutlery for Horticultural purposes

Carlton Works, Sidney Street, Sheffield

• Catalogue / price list, [20 th cent] (Sheffield Archives: MD7761/5)

• Catalogues, 1966, 1970 and 1971 (Sheffield Local Studies Library: TRC SAYN)

• Catalogues / price lists, 1957, 1971, 1981 and no date (Sheffield Archives: SY764)

Saynor Cooke and Ridal

Manufacturers of pruning knives and scissors, etc.

Paxton Works, Edward Street, Sheffield

• Papers, 1882-1948 (Sheffield Archives: NVT/7)

• Certificates of awards: Exposition Universelle, 1878; Cutlers Co

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Some Saynor marks below -

willie_saynor.png

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saynor_cook_and_ridal.png

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saynor_and_co.png

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john_ridal.png

EDIT  --- Is W H Saynor & Son Ltd:  Metal Finishing Services - who were wound up in 2010 of any interest    --------  https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/company/01228664/filing-history

Also - 1855 Paris Universal Exhibition - Second-Class Medal Saynor and Cooke

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Hi people. I have Saynor pruning knife I was thinking of selling. Anyone interested in it or know a good place to sell? Happy to send more pics.

Cheers.

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Saynors ended up as Silver Platers in what may have been a small unit belonging to Viners just opposite Pryors on Egerton Street, my son worked for them as a silver plater, they also were a depot for the importing of cutlery with the Viner mark, even though Viners went into receivership in 1982, the Viners brand  was obtained by Oneida Ltd then in 2014 by the Liverpool based Rayware Group, the cutlery would arrive at Egerton Street, unpacked then repacked in different packaging and sent to outlets around the country and people actually thought they were buying Sheffield made cutlery when it was being imported from abroad.

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