H G Long & Co

[Stuart0742]

Received this today

I am trying to find more information about the cutlery firms my Great Great Grandfather - Henry Biggin apparently owned. May have been small cottage type industries or larger.

According to family stories they are:

H G Long & Co,

I E Sorby,

Turner Son and Naylor.

Henry had a Electroplate Silver or Silverplate mark of Henry over Biggin & Co over Sheffield.

May have existed partly in Bramall Lane as had a mortgaged property there.

Henry's wife, Alicia was daughter of James Barber, a Gentleman, who's money was aquired by winning a horse in a gambling game. From being apparently one of the richest men in England, he died in poverty in a Public House in Sheffield.

Any information about either family would be greatly received.

[Edmund]

Some information, hopefully helpful, but there were numerous Henry Biggins about, so care must be taken...

There is a fair amount of correspondence regarding Mr Biggin on Sheffield History:

I think these are the correct man in the 1871 and 1881 census, living at 3 Woodhead Road, then Grange Crescent, a Cutlery Merchant and Manufacturer:

There is evidence that Mr Biggin was involved with various incarnations of the firm that occuped the Hallamshire Works, Rockingham Street

In 1846 Long, Gregory & Co advertised for a Youth as an apprentice in a Merchant and Manufacturer's warehouse, Hallamshire Works, Rockingham Street. By March 1847 they were still advertising for an apprentice but the firm was now H.G.Long & Co. In October of that year H.G.Long were advertising the sale of a 2-3 HP steam engine, and still looking for an apprentice. By January 1848 they were still advertising for an apprentice, the firm now being H.G.Long, Son and Hawksley, Hallamshire Works, Rockingham Street. By 1854 they were Long, Hawksley & Marples.

In 1854 there was a theft at Long, Hawksley & Marples:

The embezzler got 2 years in York Castle:

In March 1875 a Henry Biggin of 55 Montgomery Terrace, Britannia Metal Manufacturer of Wolstenholm and Biggin, Matilda Street was in court facing charges of stealing and copying the pattern of a tea-pot handle from a competitor. The charges were increased to include numerous offences of fraud. The charge was dismissed at the Wakefield sessions on April 6th of that year. This Henry Biggin appears to be related to Samuel Biggin - I don't think he is the one married to Alicia:

On 21st August 1879 the partnership between the Wolstenholmes and Biggin was dissolved:

London Gazette 21 Nov 1879.pdf

The infamous Henry Biggin of tea-pot handle fame, was still at Matilda street in 1879 when he was the victim of a theft himself:

In 1890 Biggin left a partnership leaving his brother Alexander, and Francis Henry Cockayne, trading as Long, Hawksley & Co, Hallamshire Works, Rockingham street:

London Gazette 28 Mar 1890.pdf

[Edmund]

A couple more London Gazette entries:

1855 Henry Godfrey Lamb Long of Long, Hawksley and Co deceased:

London Gazette 20 February 1855.pdf

1866 Benjamin Marples deceased, so partnership with George Hawksley at the Hallamshire Works was diissolved:

London Gazette 21 September 1866.pdf

[vox]

I Sorby

(www.silvercollection.it)

---------------------------

H.G. LONG & CO

LONG HAWKSLEY & CO

LONG HAWKSLEY & CO LTD

Sheffield

Active at Hallamshire Works, 216-220 Rockingam St, Sheffield (1878-1911). Became LTD in 1900

[vox]

From (bladeforums.com)

H. G. Long & Co. of Sheffield, England was established somewhere around 1846-1849. By 1852 Henry Godfrey Lamb Long entered into a partnership with George Hawksley and Benjamin Marples and established the firm of Long, Hawksley & Marples. Henry Godfrey Lamb Long died in 1853. Many years later in 1911 the firm became H.G. Long & Co. Ltd.