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Joseph Turner & Co


John Russell

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I have a card that is printed with the words...

Joseph Turner & Co,

Late Sorby & Turner

Mark I. Sorby

Manufacturers of

Edge Tools, Sheep Shears, Augers,

Joiners Tools &c

Castle Hill Sheffield

Underneath this my elderly mother wrote in ink "Later of John Street, SHEFFIELD" (these same hand-written words were also written on the back by my great aunt, Muriel Englert, the grand daughter of Joseph Turner).

Joseph Turner, was my great, great, great, grandfather, and was born in aound 1810 in Eckington, Derbshire. He died 26/03/1895. I believe at one time his factory employed about 50 people.

I'm interested in locating any of the edge tools he made. That and any other information gratefully received.

I've attached an image of the card.

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Guest Fretless

Hi John. Have you found out more about Joseph Turner? I have some information you might be interested in if you're still around?

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Joseph Turner & Co,

Late Sorby & Turner

Mark I. Sorby

Manufacturers of

Edge Tools, Sheep Shears, Augers,

Joiners Tools &c

Castle Hill Sheffield

Sorby & Turner.

Rattaning

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Mark I Sorby

"Punch brand" tools sole manufacturers: Turner, Naylor & Co. (late Sorby and Turner Limited),

Northern tool works, Sheffield. 2.
Established? 1810.

London office:? 44, Upper Thames St. EC4

connectedhistories.org

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Guest Fretless

Ah yes, that's the plaque at Kelham Island Museum. I wish they had a view from straight on as I would love to have one for the book I'm doing on the subject. Does anyone from here ever go to the Museum at all? Unfortunately I'm in Australia so it's a little bit far for me to travel - well, on a day pass anyway :-)

I have to say, SteveHB, that death notice has thrown a spanner into the works for me. Quite confusing as John Sorby is associated with a different business altogether. Intriguing.

By the way John (Russell), the 'Turner' in 'Sorby & Turner' is Joseph's father, John, who died in 1854. The business was then jointly run by John's two sons, Charles and Joseph, before being solely taken over by Joseph sometime around 1858. That's when he moved the business from 31 Earl Street to Castle Hill.

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Would you be able to tell me the sources for these snippets, SteveHB? It would be much appreciated.

Hello Fretless,

Sheffield Independant newspaper.

But I noticed that you are in Australia, so the source of my info would be of no benefit to you,

you would need to have a UK home address.

:(

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Guest Fretless

Hello Fretless,

Sheffield Independant newspaper.

But I noticed that you are in Australia, so the source of my info would be of no benefit to you,

you would need to have a UK home address.

:(

Too true :(

Does this mean that you have to go to the library to check these things up or are you able to do it online? The death notice for John Sorby is interesting because the other John Sorby, of Spital Hill, also died in 1829 (30th January). Do you know if there is a death notice in 1833 for Isaac Sorby at all? I not sure of the exact month i'm afraid.

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Too true :(

Does this mean that you have to go to the library to check these things up or are you able to do it online? The death notice for John Sorby is interesting because the other John Sorby, of Spital Hill, also died in 1829 (30th January). Do you know if there is a death notice in 1833 for Isaac Sorby at all? I not sure of the exact month i'm afraid.

The one I'm using is online.

Not found any mention to a "Isaac Sorby",

came across a 'Charles Sorby', ironmonger, in Wakefield. Died April 6th 1833, aged 43.

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Hi,

I just belatedly came across this topic while doing some digging about the Sorby family and their various companies. There is an excellent history on the Robert Sorby web-site - http://www.robert-sorby.co.uk/companyinfo.htm .

Robert Sorby was and is a different company but the page does try and sort out the confusion, particularly between the 'John Sorby and Sons' branch (trade-marks 'I and H Sorby' after John's sons John and Henry, and 'Pampa') which was taken over by Lockwoods; and 'Sorby and Turner' (trade -mark 'I. Sorby') which passed through the hands of Joseph Turner and Co.

Lots of research has been done on the Sorby family, largely in relation to Henry Clifton Sorby, a grandson of John Sorby. I don't know if that might sort out any issues. The above page includes a link to a family tree - http://www.robert-sorby.co.uk/pdf/familytree.pdf

Good look with the research.

Adrian

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On ‎14‎/‎07‎/‎2013 at 1:32 PM, vox said:

post-3521-0-06229500-1373804990_thumb.jp

 

This is from the website backsaw.net

 

William Marples carried on making chisels and wood drill bits as the name was acquired by C&J Hampton's Record tools. I knew them at Dronfield, then Shepherd St. and finally at Record's Parkway Works. At Parkway they only made the wood chisels. After Hampton's were bought out by an American Company they transferred production to China.

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Many thanks to everyone who has replied.

While visiting Sheffield last year, I went to the Central Library to find out more about Joseph Turner. It was a very productive visit. Perhaps the most interesting find was this line drawing of the Northern Tool Works on John Street. The site is now a block of flats. I include a Victorian map which shows the site in context. Note that the line drawing tends to exaggerate the size and scale of the works—though 70+ people worked there.

Again, if anyone knows any more, I'd  be grateful for knowledge of it.

Northern Tool Works, cropped.jpg

Northern Toll Works 2, off London Road.JPG

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This won`t help you with your Joseph Turner Quest John! 

My connection is to the Sorby Family through my 3xGrandfather.

In 1854 William Turnell my 3xGrandfather placed this announcement in the Sheffield & Rotherham Independent.

William Turnell.jpg

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If I'm reading the map you posted correctly, rather than being a block of flats, the building shown as 'Northern Tool Works' is now Ozmen Extra, a world food supermarket. However, in my day it was best known as Thomas Meldrum & Sons, manufacturers of pressed tools, box spanners, garage tooling equipment, etc. In fact, the majority of the 'Melco Works' are still standing and visible today, as well as on google aerial and street view. I'd go as far to say that the outlines of some of the derelict structures follow the lines of the original drawing (the red brick buildings on the right of the image, with the arch marked 'Wheatsheaf Works')

This is a link to the map, with a pin on the location, with boundaries of John Street, Hill Street and Denby Street (then New Thomas Street)

Modern Day Site of Northern Tool Works

Some more links, with some familiar images included?!

http://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/forums/mr-punch-first-appearance-i-sorby-t82871.html

https://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Thomas_Meldrum

Maybe someone has pointed this out already, but it appears you have a site many old buildings still standing and probably some new links to continue your research?

p.s. Looking at an aerial view from 1948, the taller of the two chimneys is still standing and although the stack may look slightly different, look at the square base on both images. The buildings here are also much more familiar with the original image from almost a century earlier?!

Screen Shot 2017-09-11 at 21.42.00.jpg

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Many thanks for the exhaustive info, RLongden. I hadn't realised the site of the Northern Tool Works still existed. I looked down John Street from the London Road end and everything seemed to be demolished. I must take a look next time I'm in Sheffield.

I'll take this opportunity to post images of some of products that came out of this works; the photos being gleaned from my visit to Sheffield Library last November.

Joseph Turner 6.JPG

Joseph Turner 7.JPG

Joseph Turner 8.JPG

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I lived at 15 John Street and I was born at that address too. My father worked for turner and naylors, then marples, then record ridgeway. Any photos of the premises at John Street would be much appreciated 

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Hi Joollee

If you look up the thread there are several pictures of the John Street works, in the post by 'RLongden', including an aerial view from Google Earth of the site today.

All the best, John

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