MARSDEN HANDSAWS: SHEFFIELD

Discussion in 'Saw Makers Forum' started by val, Jun 7, 2009.

  1. val

    val New Member

    Messages:
    2
    Can anyone help me locate a handsaw manufactured by Henry Melton Marsden (Fargate Sheffield)or William Marsden (Green Lane Sheffield)? Henry is my great grandfather, William my gg-grandfather. Sad to say we don\'t own one of their handsaws and I would dearly love to get one (if there are any still out there) for my father who\'s approaching his 87th birthday.
    Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated!
     
  2. ray

    ray Administrator Staff Member

    Messages:
    671
    Hi Val,

    Welcome to the website, I hope that there is someone who can help you find a Marsden saw. I will keep an eye out and
    see what turns up.

    I did a quick check using Simon Barley\'s list of Sheffield saw makers and there is a series of saw makers with the
    name Marsden, in chronological order, as far as I can tell..

    Marsden, William Norfolk lane 1825-8 busks, trusses, hardware dealer
    Marsden, William & Son Hollis croft 10 1828
    Marsden, E J and Co Green lane 1828
    Marsden & Downend West st 77 1833 as B; 1837-41 West st 100
    Marsden, Jane New Meadow st 39 1837 busks
    Marsden Bros & Co Bridge st 51 1856-76 joiners\' tools, edgetools+C75
    Marsden Bros & Co Bridge steel works; 1884-87 Bridge st, (1898 see John Wilson, West st 222)
    Marsden, Henry Matthew Hillfoot 1868-71 as B; 1879 Bolsover st, Reliance works
    Marsden, Henry Morton Fargate, Exchange gateway 1893

    There are some interesting flood claims listed here .. http://www2.shu.ac.uk/sfca/search.cfm
    type in Marsden and there are numerous claims for lost wages as a result of the stoppage at the
    Marsden Bros works in Bridge St. It gives an insight into some of what they were manufacturing at the
    time of the flood.

    A little unclear on Henry Melton Marsden, I have a directory listing for Henry Morton Marsden, as a saw
    maker in Fargate 1893,

    I found a Henry Milton Marsden, might be a miss-spelling of Melton, Grave L14 in the Sheffied General Cemetery

    Alice Melton MARSDEN
    Infant, 15 Red Hill Terrace
    age: 10m, buried: 25 Sep 1855

    Edith Melton MARSDEN
    Daughter of Henry Melton Marsden,Sawmaker, 139 Broomhall Street
    age: 4m, buried: 24 Jan 1858

    Sarah Ann MARSDEN
    Wife of Henry Mellor Marsden, Saw Manager, 17 Upper Hanover Street
    age: 46, buried: 22 Dec 1875

    Henry Milton MARSDEN
    Saw Manager, Shrewsbury Hospital
    age: 83, buried: 10 Aug 1906


    I suspect that the Mellor, is a mis-transcription of Melton, and Milton might also be mis-transcribed.

    Either way, I am thinking that the listing I have for Henry Morton Marsden, is the same gentleman as your
    Henry Melton Marsden.

    I will do some more digging and see what I can find.

    Regards
    Ray

    Additional...
    John Wilson, bought out Marsden Bros, (1898?) and were in turn purchased by Robert Sorby in 1901.
    Marsden Bros were known for supplying ice skates to the Royal Family, and in some years the
    sales from skates exceeded the sales of tools.
     
  3. ray

    ray Administrator Staff Member

    Messages:
    671
    Random snippets...

    Here is a link to Marsden Brothers Flood Claim http://www2.shu.ac.uk/sfca/claimDetails.cfm?claim=11-4535

    An obscure connection to the 1867 Outrages, as an interesting side line,

    J.B.Addis evidently worked at Marsden Bros Grinding Wheel
    http://www.shef.ac.uk/hawley/project/research/addis/outrages.html

    Robert Marsden was evidently in some kind of partnership with Mitchell - Wreaks, at least according to his will.....

    Will and probate of Robert Marsden of Whiteley Wood in the parish of Sheffield, saw manufacturer YWD 1417/3 1814-1822
    Contents:
    Wife Martha, sons George and Ebenezer, daughter Sarah (wife of Samuel Downend); piece of land called Roise Fields, partners Samuel Mitchell, Joseph Wreaks, William Jessop. Dated 26 January, 1814. Proved 8 June, 1822
     
  4. val

    val New Member

    Messages:
    2
    Hi Ray,

    Many thanks for all the info below - really helpful, I\'m starting to read up on saw making in Sheffield to get a picture of how working conditions were. \"Henry Morton\" & \"Henry Milton\" are indeed my Henry Melton, his death cert gives the same date of deat . I have discovered that a patent for a handsaw was registered in his name in Germany (there seems to be some connection there with handsaws?)and will pursue that further. I wonder if the Robert Marsden you mention was the one (or could be his son) involved with Tyzacks of Shoreditch, London? Henry\'s son Herbert moved down to London sometime in the 1870s (may be at the same time Tyzack did) and worked in Shoreditch for a while before starting his own engineering business in North London. Well I\'ve got my bedtime reading sorted out for a while! Once again many thanks for you help and I do hope I\'m successful getting one of Henry\'s handsaws it would make my Dad\'s year to get his hands on one!
    Regards
    Val Marsden
     
  5. ray

    ray Administrator Staff Member

    Messages:
    671
    Hi Val,

    I just sent you an email, I got in touch with Simon Barley, and have forwarded you his reply.
    So you and Simon can correspond directly.

    If it all works out, maybe you could post a birthday picture of your father. I admit to being
    somewhat sentimental in these sort of cases....

    Regards
    Ray