Robinson Hall Tools

[Guest swagman]

I have a number of woodwork chisels that are stamped ROBINSON HALL, SHEFFIELD, (followed by a Scottish Thistle). Apart from chisels I have also seen spokeshaves & marking gauges by the same maker. Can anyone tell me any history behind this tool maker. Details such as when they manufactured tools, was there some link in the use of the thistle as a trademark, and Scotland. I have searched Google and found a Robinson Hall Ltd. , Duracut Works, Newcastle St, Sheffield, Registered 1942. But further searching on Duracut, ties it to a brand name for dry wall tooling used in the plastering industry, with no trademark as found on the woodwork chisels. Can anyone help.

[RichardB]

Robinson Hall, Joiners tool makers, 1 Sylvester Street, telephone 21226 (in 1957).

(Sylvester Works, 1 Sylvester Street was the premises of Joseph Elliott and Son (Sheffield) Ltd, cutlery manufacturer)

[Guest swagman]

Robinson Hall, Joiners tool makers, 1 Sylvester Street, telephone 21226 (in 1957).

(Sylvester Works, 1 Sylvester Street was the premises of Joseph Elliott and Son (Sheffield) Ltd, cutlery manufacturer)

Thanks RichardB. Do you have a link you can forward on this Manufacturer. It would be interesting to find out when they ceased operation.

Cheers; Swagman.

[RichardB]

Thanks RichardB. Do you have a link you can forward on this Manufacturer. It would be interesting to find out when they ceased operation.

Cheers; Swagman.

Robinson Hall detail (sparse thought it is) came from Kelly's 1957 Directory; Elliott : http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/A2A/records.aspx?cat=199-bus12&cid=-1#-1

[Guest swagman]

Robinson Hall detail (sparse thought it is) came from Kelly's 1957 Directory; Elliott : http://www.nationala...bus12&cid=-1#-1

Hi RichardB. Have read the document and don't see a mention of Robinson Hall. Apologies for being half blind.

Swagman.

[RichardB]

Hi RichardB. Have read the document and don't see a mention of Robinson Hall. Apologies for being half blind.

Swagman.

Robinson Hall is just a line in a trade directory. No other details (yet) on then.

[Guest swagman]

Robinson Hall is just a line in a trade directory. No other details (yet) on then.

Thanks RichardB. Where does the search go from here.

swagman.

[RichardB]

Thanks RichardB. Where does the search go from here.

swagman.

Fingers crossed someone either remembers the Company or can provide further information. Trade directories are only likely to repeat what I have already posted. Anyone any further suggestions for progressing the search ?

[Guest swagman]

Fingers crossed someone either remembers the Company or can provide further information. Trade directories are only likely to repeat what I have already posted. Anyone any further suggestions for progressing the search ?

Feedback from Brian Read at TATHS tells me that the 1919 Sheffield Toolmarks Listing shows only 2 Companies with a Thistle Trademark. They were WM COOK & SONS, & LOCKWOOD BROS. With this in mind, could ROBINSON HALL be linked in some way with them.

Swagman.

[Guest swagman]

Robinson Hall, Joiners tool makers, 1 Sylvester Street, telephone 21226 (in 1957).

(Sylvester Works, 1 Sylvester Street was the premises of Joseph Elliott and Son (Sheffield) Ltd, cutlery manufacturer)

In 1919 the firm became part of Sheffield Cutlery Manufacturers Ltd, a grouping of cutlery firms led by Needham, Veall & Tyzack. Lockwood’s, which had been losing money for years, did no better allied with firms such as Joseph Elliot. By the early 1930’s, after a decade of losses, Lockwood’s had moved to Sylvester Street, but by 1933 the name disappeared from local directories. Its marks were acquired by Elliot.

http://www.elephanttoenails.com/thenews/2008/05/06/knife-company-history-lockwood-brothers-and-one-rare-bird/

According to Tweedale's book, Joseph Eliot & Sons was founded in 1795 and the trademark was granted in 1805. The original factory was in Hollis Croft but was renamed the Granville Works following the acquisition of Allen & Sons in 1902. In the 1920s the company moved to the Sylvester works on Sylvester street. It was bought from the Elliot family in 1972 by men named Slater and Taylor and production ceased at the Sylvester works by around 1990. Elliot & Sons made pocket and kitchen knives, scissors, forks, spoons etc.

http://www.allaboutpocketknives.com/knife_forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=5145&start=0

Brian Read wrote:

I went to Sheffield on Wednesday and checked the trade directories. This is what I found. I didn't have trade directories for all years

1940 - no mention of Robinson Hall

1942 - Hall, T.H. Robinson at 3 Sylvester Street

1944 - Robinson Hall at 3 Sylvester Street

1948 - Robinson Hall at 1 Sylvester Street, an address shared with Lockwood Bros, one of whose trade marks in 1919 was a thistle. *** (Lockwood’s had moved to Sylvester Street, but by 1933 the name disappeared from local directories. Its marks were acquired by Elliot.)

1951 - ditto

1974 - Robinson Hall at 1 Sylvester Street, Lockwood Bros no longer there that I could see

1975 - Not in the Telephone Directory

Swagman.

[RichardB]

Nice research - as far as my eyes can focus at ten to three - reminder to self "Must kick cat" ...

[Guest swagman]

Nice research - as far as my eyes can focus at ten to three - reminder to self "Must kick cat" ...

(1942 - Hall, T.H. Robinson at 3 Sylvester Street . This fellow is a bit of a mystery.) Is there a possibility that Elliot & Sons (siblings of Joseph) may have also manufactured joinery tools under the brand name of ROBINSON HALL,SHEFFIELD, using the Thistle Mark which there company had previously obtained from Lockwood Bros. The address certainly fits. (Robinson Hall, Joiners tool makers, 1 Sylvester Street, telephone 21226 (in 1957). (Sylvester Works, 1 Sylvester Street was the premises of Joseph Elliott and Son (Sheffield) Ltd, cutlery manufacturer). !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(go back to sleep, sleep, sleep, Richard)

Swagman.

[Edmund]

I have a number of woodwork chisels that are stamped ROBINSON HALL, SHEFFIELD, (followed by a Scottish Thistle). Apart from chisels I have also seen spokeshaves & marking gauges by the same maker. Can anyone tell me any history behind this tool maker. Details such as when they manufactured tools, was there some link in the use of the thistle as a trademark, and Scotland. I have searched Google and found a Robinson Hall Ltd. , Duracut Works, Newcastle St, Sheffield, Registered 1942. But further searching on Duracut, ties it to a brand name for dry wall tooling used in the plastering industry, with no trademark as found on the woodwork chisels. Can anyone help.

Extract from Archaeological survey on Rockingham Street / Newcastle Street :

Duracut. Alan Wasden Limited, Hand Tool Manufacturer. Has a dedication stone which reads: "M Bernard & Co April 1939. This stone was laid on behalf of the above by Miss Shifra & Master Derek Hiller" The building had been used continually from 1939 to 2004 for the production of hand tools, notably hard steel punches and cold chisels. Production machinery, some dating from the late 1930s, survived in the building at the date of the survey (Oct 2005)

Link is:

http://archaeologyda...l11-20847_3.pdf

[RichardB]

Keep it going Edmund; we can discuss the names of our children later

Great work.

Thank you.

Extract from Archaeological survey on Rockingham Street / Newcastle Street :

Duracut. Alan Wasden Limited, Hand Tool Manufacturer. Has a dedication stone which reads: "M Bernard & Co April 1939. This stone was laid on behalf of the above by Miss Shifra & Master Derek Hiller" The building had been used continually from 1939 to 2004 for the production of hand tools, notably hard steel punches and cold chisels. Production machinery, some dating from the late 1930s, survived in the building at the date of the survey (Oct 2005)

Link is:

http://archaeologyda...l11-20847_3.pdf