Universe Works Mary Street

[SteveHB]

Fined for Smoking:

"Wm. Ward, proprietor, Porter Island, was summoned by Smoke inspector Cockayne,

for an offence against the smoke bye-laws, and was fined 20s. and 8s. costs."

September 07, 1861.

[tozzin]

Well we know it didn't start in 2003 even by the lettering on the building plus the sole photo in Picture Sheffield of Buffer Girls at the Universe Works working at Tom Gilpins in the 1960s. There must be people still around that remember Tom Gilpins.

Anybody who worked in the Cutlery trade for a few years should know of Gilpins, I remember it from the early sixties when I entered the trade.

[Kalfred]

Hello, an interest in researching some cutlery, with particular reference to the “Tom Gilpin Ltd” concern, has brought me to this old thread. There is little information on line, but I did come up with  “Mary Street”. Your Kelly’s 1965 address guide above shows “Smith Seymour” and Tom Gilpin” at the same place. I have a lot of questions to ask but I will save those for another post a bit later in the “Made in Sheffield” section where they may be more relevant. In the meantime I have a picture of an insert from a box of spoons to offer here.

There must have been a very close link between Smith Seymour and Gilpin’s and I note there is a discussion earlier about how “concerns” described themselves. Would there be demarcation between the “blade” makers and the “pressed electroplated cutlery” manufacturers. Nickel silver is mentioned here on the insert but elsewhere I have seen both the Smith Seymour and Gilpin names on various knife blades. Is there any one out there in forum land who knows a little bit more about "Tom Gilpin's"  it than just the "Buffer Girls" photo?

Kalfred

[Edmund]

From about 1912, David and Tom Gilpin, trading as Osborne and Company, Abbey Works, 128 Rockingham Street, used the 'Abbey' trademark.  In 1939 the Tom Gilpin company was registered.  The Smith Seymour company was wound up in 1981.

[Kalfred]

Thank you Edmund, I was a bit worried that because this was an old thread, that I might need to wait a while for a response. However, just an overnight wait, and myself and the rest of the net have more information out “there” to be readily found and used.

I need to ask now, how were you so fast with the extra facts. Am I just a poor researcher?

Thank you again

Kalfred

[Edmund]

Newspaper reports are courtesy of a (paid for) Findmypast account.  The London Gazette is free to search.  Lots of time to waste is due to retirement!