Sheffield, Yorkshire, England

Samuel Staniforths, Carver Street, 1900

Samuel Staniforth was born in 1839 to Samuel Staniforth and Prudence Stacey. His father was a Spring Knife Cutler, born on March 18th, 1813. His mother passed away at the age of 47 in 1856.

On the 1841 Census, Samuel is living with his parents and Brother Albert on Strawberry Lane, Sheffield.

On the 1851 Census, the family has moved to Earl Street, where his father is working as a Pen Blade Forger, Samuel is aged 11 and his brother Albert has passed away. He has two brothers, George aged 9, Walter aged 3 and sisters Sarah aged 5, Agnes aged 1 and Prudence, not a year old. There is also an apprentice in the home named James Mayland, aged 18 and a servant Mary May, aged 14.

Samuel opened his business in 1864, his line of work was unique as he was never considered a Cutler, he was a forger, as he never grinded items that ‘cut’. Cutler forgers made blade blanks and parts that were sold to cutlers. It should also be noted that unlike Thomas Staniforth of Hackenthorpe, Samuel was never granted a mark.

On the 1871 Census, Samuel is living with his new wife Alice at Bingley Cottage, his occupation is recorded as Scale & Spring Knife Manufacturer.

Samuel is recorded on an 1871 Sheffield director as operating out of No. 49 Carver Street, as a manufacturer of fancy pen and pocket knives, scales, blades and springs.

On the 1881 Census, Samuel and his wife Alice are living at 9 Spring Street, his occupation is recorded as Knife Scale Blade + Spring Manufacturer, Employed 30 men and 8 boys.

The Bull stamp used on Samuel Staniforth products.

Samuel retired from active work in 1894, however on the 1901 Census he is still listed as an employer as a Table Blade Manufacturer, his wife Alice had died by this point and he did not have any children.

In 1910 Samuel died at the age of 70.

Although his company hit a rough patch in the 1920s following the First World War, the name would eventually be picked up, and the iconic Bull stamp used on modern knives that are crafted at Halfway, Sheffield.