John Russell Posted March 23, 2013 Share Posted March 23, 2013 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Fretless Posted July 14, 2013 Share Posted July 14, 2013 Hi John. Have you found out more about Joseph Turner? I have some information you might be interested in if you're still around? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveHB Posted July 14, 2013 Share Posted July 14, 2013 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vox Posted July 14, 2013 Share Posted July 14, 2013 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. EC4connectedhistories.org Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vox Posted July 14, 2013 Share Posted July 14, 2013 Sorby - some info. A complicated History it seems. Pictures Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vox Posted July 14, 2013 Share Posted July 14, 2013 This is from the website backsaw.net Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveHB Posted July 14, 2013 Share Posted July 14, 2013 'Punch Brand' Grace's Guide Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Fretless Posted July 18, 2013 Share Posted July 18, 2013 'Punch Brand' Grace's Guide 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Fretless Posted July 20, 2013 Share Posted July 20, 2013 Sorby & Turner. Rattaning rattening 1826.jpg sorby.jpg What does "Rattaning" refer to, SteveHB? Is that the source? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveHB Posted July 20, 2013 Share Posted July 20, 2013 What does "Rattaning" refer to, SteveHB? Is that the source? I obiously misspelled it (Rattening) ... http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=F40712F73E59157493C2AA178DD85F408584F9 Sorry. A couple SH links .. Rattening William Broadhead / Outrages Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Fretless Posted July 20, 2013 Share Posted July 20, 2013 Sorby & Turner. Rattaning rattening 1826.jpg sorby.jpg Would you be able to tell me the sources for these snippets, SteveHB? It would be much appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveHB Posted July 20, 2013 Share Posted July 20, 2013 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Fretless Posted July 21, 2013 Share Posted July 21, 2013 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveHB Posted July 21, 2013 Share Posted July 21, 2013 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdrianM Posted May 2, 2014 Share Posted May 2, 2014 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old rider Posted March 4, 2016 Share Posted March 4, 2016 On 14/07/2013 at 1:32 PM, vox said: 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Russell Posted September 3, 2017 Author Share Posted September 3, 2017 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southside Posted September 3, 2017 Share Posted September 3, 2017 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Russell Posted September 11, 2017 Author Share Posted September 11, 2017 You're right; it doesn't help :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RLongden Posted September 11, 2017 Share Posted September 11, 2017 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?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Russell Posted September 11, 2017 Author Share Posted September 11, 2017 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joollee Posted March 3, 2020 Share Posted March 3, 2020 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Russell Posted March 4, 2020 Author Share Posted March 4, 2020 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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