Daniel Mather
Wire drawer and tool maker, of Liverpool
1723 Born 6 October at Toxteth Park, Liverpool[1]
1782 Died on 30 June.
R. R. Angerstein, Swedish industrial spy, visited the 'factory for watchmaker's tools in Liverpool' of 'Mr Dan. Mather' in 1754. In particular he noted the drawing of grooved steel wire for pinions in small pocket watches. The drawn pinion wire was sold by the foot, with between 5 and 12 grooves. The raw material was Bertram's Double Shear Steel. He illustrated the process, showing the wire being drawn by pincers attached to a rope pulled by a simple winch turned by a wheel resembling a large ship's steering wheel. He also showed four dies with round and pinion-shaped holes of various sizes.
Described as a 'famous Liverpool manufacturer and the author of one of the first catalogues of tools'[2]