Hello all, This is a curious one, and there will never be a definitive answer to it, but it makes for a very good WAG. (Wild Ass Guess for new readers). I have found no saw makers called Harrold. There was a line of merchants (products unknown) in Birmingham with this name (and spelling) starting from Belles and Harrold (Baines 1822) to Harrold F.W. in P/O Birmingham 1867. They are not there, nor any obvious successor in Whites 1875. I do not believe that my saw was made by any of these. It could possibly have been made towards the end of their existence, but I cannot see a merchant/retailer with an ounce of self respect, accepting such a bodged and meagre stamp as is on my saw. But I think that it would be in keeping with a low grade saw branded by one of the larger makers. The complicating factor is that I have seen a photo of a stamp on a back that could well have been made for the Birmingham Harrolds and how the trade mark could have been transferred to my preferred WAG is unclear, but that , of course is part of the fun. I therefore searched for Harrolds from 1880 onwards and could find only one possible candidate in Whites, Sheffield 1911. This is Harrold, William Henry, a manager who lives at 81 Meersbrook Park Road. Now what William Henry managed is unclear, but Meersbrook Park Road is the next road to Valley Road, Heeley, the home of the Meersbrook Works and Joseph Tyzack and Son, 1895 to 1915 (HSMOB). And Meersbrook Park Road overlooks Meersbrook Park, a fitting residence for a manager. (It is worth putting it through Google Earth to see the relationship of the two roads). Some time ago I posted an image of a Fitzwilliam saw on here with rather a slapdash mark and this got me putting 2 and 2 together to get - what exactly I don't know, but perhaps a number other than 4. I understand that it was not uncommon for brand names on saws to be taken from a number of sources including employees. Now I am not sure that my saw is as late as 1911, (the only directory that Harrold appears in) but if you could push the date back by a decade, then there might be a chance. So have I got a JT and S brand. I will never know but I like to think so. Fred The last image is of the bodged/upside down JT and S on the Fitzwilliam saw.
Hi Fred, A possible lead from googling harrold ironmonger -harold There were a Joseph and Daniel Harrold, (of "Harrold Brothers" ), ironmongers, Hindley St, Adelaide South Australia 1850 http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/38447147 apparently they were successful ironmongers, with interests in a variety of other enterprises (incl. part owners of the ship "City of Adelaide"), and retired to live in London England "where they established a branch of their firm" http://cityofadelaide.org.au/david-bruce.html It seems quite likely that this London business would have included their ironmongering background, but that's not clear in the 1884 Business directory of London (p296 of 739), which lists "Harrold Brothers, merchants, 29 Gt St Helens xc" If the above suspects are the guilty party, your saw could date in the 1850s-1890s [OR, for something completely different.......maybe "Harrold" is the placename (Bedfordshire), and the merchant's name was lightly struck and is hidden under the rust.]
Hi Kiwi, Thank you for the extra Harrolds, you have provided a surfeit of them and an extra line of equally undemonstrable enquiry. The nuts and bolts of a good WAG. The name is right and the time is right for the saw, as is the trade and so it is a distinct possibility. (The interesting thing about the antipodean Harrolds is that in their bankrupcy hearing, the said that they were expecting a payment from England. Perhaps putting the arm on uncles/cousins/brothers/fathers for funds.) I have looked very carefully at the saw and there is no other writing on it. I still tend to believe that no self respecting merchant/retailer would accept such a poor mark as is on this saw and it cries out (to me at least) "brand". So, anyone out there with any Harrolds (with marks) which are definitely attributable to a specific Harrold, info/images will be appreciated. I got the London Harrolds from 1882 to 1895 with an L Harrold up to 1899 ( the were lots of "L" initials in the antipodean branch), and so even a photo of premises may exist somewhere. Fred