Thomas Flinn
Thomas Flinn was born in Sheffield
His grandfather, Walter Ellis, was the President of the Edge Grinders Union (also known as the Saw Grinders Union). Since the 1840s, that union had fought to protect the rights of saw grinders in the city of Sheffield.
1909 Walter was awarded a purse of gold for his service to the union (45 years as a member, 21 years as an officer and 16 years as President).
At about the age of 14 Thomas began a saw-making apprenticeship; another apprentice he met was Frank Ellis.
As one of 10 children, living in back to back housing it was common place to take such a work placement and aim to get your own house further down the same street as many of his siblings did. It seems this was, perhaps an inevitable piece of history.
1923 He set up his own saw-making business which became Thomas Flinn and Co.