Silver Makers

R. F. Mosley was a Sheffield based cutlery maker who were the first company to manufacture cutlery in what was to become known as ‘stainless steel’. Robert Mosley was the son of an affluent jeweller in Hatton Garden in London who moved to Sheffield as a teenager in 1856. He worked in the house of […]

Robert Hennell II was part of the Hennell family ‘dynasty’ that practiced as silversmiths for the best part of 200 years. The Hennell family business opened in London under David Hennell in 1736. Robert Hennell II was apprenticed to his uncle Robert Hennell I (the son of David Hennell) in 1778, as well as to...

Robert Hennell III was part of the large Hennell silversmith family in London. When his father Robert Hennell II retired, Robert III entered his first mark in 1834. The census of 1851 describes him as a silversmith aged 56 employing nine men and his wife Jane with his four sons: Robert (IV) a silver chaser, […]

Roberts & Slater were Sheffield based silversmiths operating between 1845 and 1858. The partnership of William Briggs, Samuel Roberts and Joseph Slater entered their first mark in September 1845 as silver and electroplate manufacturers. The firm also had showrooms in Holborn in London, opened in 1858 and later at...

Saunders & Shepherd were silversmiths and jewellers based in London trading from 1869 to the present day. Their claim to fame is the invention of the self-closing bracelet in 1889. The firm was started by Cornelius Desormeaux Saunders (senior) and James Francis Hollings Shepherd in 1869. They registered their...

The Smily Family were a family of London based silversmiths operating from around 1820 until the late 19th Century. The family silversmith dynasty started with William Smily who was apprenticed in 1809 to Joseph Preston, a spoon and fork maker. When Joseph Preston died in 1815 he passed over to Thomas Wallis II to...

Storr & Mortimer were Goldsmiths and Jewellers with a Royal Warrant between 1822 and 1839. Paul Storr left working for Rundell, Bridge and Rundell in 1819 and set up in business with John Mortimer. They named their firm Storr & Mortimer with a factory in Grays Inn Lane (now Road) run by Storr and retail...

Thomas Bradbury & Sons were silversmiths and Sheffield Plate makers based in Sheffield active between 1795 and 1943. The partnership between Thomas Bradbury, Thomas Watson and James Fenton was formed in 1795 under the name of Watson & Co. They were registered as silversmiths and Sheffield Plate makers. The son of...

Thomas Farren was a London based silversmith operating between 1707 and 1742. His apprenticeship started in 1695 with John Denny and he got his freedom in 1707 and registered his first mark that same year as a largeworker in ‘Sweeting Lane’. He went on to register further marks in 1720 and 1739. His name also...

Thomas Johnson I was a well known London based silversmith working from Dyers Building in Holborn, London. He registered his first mark in January in 1850. His specialism was in smaller silver wares such as jars,spoons, boxes and travelling cases which needed attention to fine detail.