Cutlers Co
of "Hallamshire"
The Cutlers' Company was established by a parliamentary Act of Incorporation in 1624
The cutlers of Sheffield had lobbied Parliament for an act to give them control over the organisation of the cutlery industry in Sheffield and surrounding areas. It operated in much the same way as a mediaeval craft guild - indenting apprentices, registering Freemen and controlling the quality of goods manufactured. The Company had the right to enforce its bye-laws and charge fines. But it is not a Livery Company like the Worshipful Company of Cutlers in London.
The Company of Cutlers consists of an annually elected group of thirty-three people – a Master Cutler, two Wardens, six Searchers and twenty-four Assistants. A Clerk and a Beadle are employed for administration and to perform ceremonial duties.
For almost four hundred years it has sought to maintain the standards and quality of Sheffield manufactured cutlery and steel products and to promote the name of Sheffield.
As manufacturing in the region has changed over the centuries, so the Company has reflected this by highlighting the innovation in the region as well as upholding Sheffield's heritage.
1897 Alexander Wilson was Master Cutler and was knighted shortly after Queen Victoria's visit to Sheffield; this was the first time that a Master Cutler had been so honoured during his term of office.
1912 James Rossiter Hoyle was Master Cutler.
1926 Mr David Flather was elected as Master Cutler in succession to Mr Thomas R. Ellin.[1]
1974 The Master, Ken Lewis, told the Company's annual feast 'I think that women can be Freemen of the company if they qualify by the same standards as are applied to men'.[2]
List of Master Cutlers[3]
- 1624 Robert Sorby
- 1625 John Rawson
- 1626 William Warter
- 1627 William Webster
- 1628 Robert Sorsby
- 1629 John Webster
- 1630 William Creswick
- 1631 Robert Stacie
- 1632 James Creswicke
- 1633 George Valliance
- 1634 William Walker
- 1635 Thomas Creswicke
- 1636 Richard Wilkinson
- 1637 John Crooke
- 1638 James Creswick
- 1639 Robert Carr
- 1640 Robert Scargell
- 1641 Thomas Milward
- 1642 Richard Slack
- 1643 Richard Base
- 1644 William Pell
- 1645 William Warter
- 1646 Thomas Ludlam
- 1647 Malin Sorsby
- 1648 Robert Brelsforth
- 1649 Richard Jackson
- 1650 George Barnesley
- 1651 William Birley
- 1652 Thomas Bate
- 1653 Edward Barlowe
- 1654 William Crawshawe
- 1655 Thomas Pearson
- 1656 John Webster
- 1657 Malin Sorsbie
- 1658 John Rawson
- 1659 William Creswicke
- 1660 Stephen Carr
- 1661 Robert Allin
- 1662 James Staniforth
- 1663 James Newton
- 1664 John Pearson
- 1665 Thomas Jeninges
- 1666 Nathaniel Robinson
- 1667 George Creswicke
- 1668 John Webstarr
- 1669 Robert Sorsby
- 1670 Edward Barlow
- 1671 Richard Parramour
- 1672 Matthew Arnold
- 1673 John Sutton
- 1674 Castle Shemeld
- 1675 William Crashaw
- 1676 James Newton
- 1677 John Pearson
- 1678 Thomas Jennings senior
- 1679 Joshua Baies
- 1680 Jonathan Webster
- 1681 Robert Nicholls
- 1682 John Winter
- 1683 Edward Badger
- 1684 William Ellis
- 1685 Thomas Tooker
- 1686 Benjamin Kirkby
- 1687 John Webster junior
- 1688 Robert Breilsforth
- 1689 James Webster
- 1690 Joseph Downes
- 1691 John Webster
- 1692 Thomas Johnson
- 1693 John King
- 1694 John Trippett
- 1695 Robert Spooner
- 1696 Christophe Broomhead
- 1697 Richard Downes
- 1698 Andrew Wade
- 1699 Benjamin Pearson
- 1700 Robert Savage
- 1701 Richard Marsh
- 1702 Ephraim Nicholls
- 1703 John Pearson
- 1704 Edward Sanderson
- 1705 Joseph Nutt
- 1706 Ezra Cawton
- 1707 George Cartwright
- 1708 John Downes
- 1709 James Hoole
- 1710 John Morton
- 1711 Samuel Smith
See Also
Sources of Information
- Cutlers Company [2]