Tradition, Pride and Craftsmanship

Tradition, pride and craftsmanship go together in Sheffield, a centre of British skill since the days of Chaucer. One small part of this tradition is marked in 1977, with the centenary of the establishment of Pinder Brothers, then, as now, a family company,

Here, we try to trace the evolution of the company, from its small beginnings to its place today in the mainstream of a smaller, but highly specialised industry.

Even the family name takes us back in history. The Pinder, or Pounder was a manorial official who rounded up, and impounded, the stray sheep and cattle of a village until they could be reclaimed by their owners. Sheffield, and its neighbourhood, was largely pastoral; hence the name is not uncommon. It is to be found in the early records of many of the old villages surrounding the city area - Shiregreen, Holmesfield and Ecclesfield, as well as Sheffield itself.

From about 1780 to 1820, partly as a result of the rural hardships brought on by the Enclosure Acts, some of the population of the hill villages and water mill sites moved to Sheffield. In a belt or zone on the western fringe of the area already developed, small workshops arose using coal, and later gas, in various metal making processes - taking obvious advantage of the better communications and marketing facilities.

From Fire Irons to Silver

The Pinder family, it is believed, originated in Derbyshire, perhaps in Bradwell where they later owned a cottage. But it is in Sheffield where we find the first real evidence of the present family. John Pinder, described as a 'fireiron maker' and his wife Mary lived first in Arundel Street - strangely enough the location of the company today - and later in Shepherd Street. Here, in 1830 their son George William Pinder was born. He lived here until his marriage.

He is significant as the first silversmith in the family. Although described as a journeyman, or craftsman who worked for several firms on their premises, the firms he worked for are not known.

In 1852, in the Parish Church, George William married Ellen, the 28 year old daughter of John Nodder, a metal smith of Furnace Hill. Perhaps the family was rather affluent: certainly they owned a croft or close behind the Parish Church (now Sheffield Cathedral).

The couple set up house at 178 St.Philips Road, and here their sons were born John Thomas Griffith (left) in 1854, followed by Charles Edward two years later.

It was in 1877 that the two brothers, then 23 and 20, set up in business as silversmiths, and electro-platers. A third brother, George Willis, was not financially involved, apparently preferring to act as a journeyman for his brothers who had rented premises in the name of the elder, John Thomas, in Court 2, Headford Street (entered between number 2 and number 4).

These premises have now been demolished, but similar premises still exist at the lower end of the street today. Elsewhere in Headford Street, Ellen Pinder kept a shop. Perhaps she was the widow of George.

The brothers did not stay long in Headford Street, moving to 2, Fitzwilliam Lane in 1882, and to 142 Rockingham Lane, six years later. Both these premises, incidently, were taken in the name of the younger brother, Charles Edward of 36, Myrtle Road, Heely.

The important move came in 1895, when the two Pinder brothers moved into Court 4, Garden Street. They remained here, as silversmiths and platers for 44 years and a detailed look at the layout is quite possible, as the premises remain today (1977).

Probably once quite a pleasant spot, as the name suggests, Garden Street was laid out according to the Fairbanks maps of the end of the 18th Century, although Court 4 (number 48) seems to have been built after the turn of the century. Facing the street is a lodge - a three-storey house - where the caretakers and some of the workers apparently lived.

At Pinder Brothers in the two-storey brick workshop, built in piecemeal perhaps, the silversmiths' workroom was on the ground floor. Above worked the buffer girls, and there was a warehouse there too. Including management, the total workforce was about ten people.

But the firm prospered, having had their first mark registered at the Assay Office in 1888. It was C.E.P. - the initials of Charles Edward. In 1907, a different mark, incorporating Pinder Brothers was registered.

In the early days, church vessels and ornaments were a speciality, with candelabra and crucifixes being produced for both the local Catholic community and for export to Ireland. Communian cups for Non Conformists were another line. Allied with this, glassware was brought in and resold and more general items of cutlery and holloware were produced.

John William Pinder, born in 1882, the son of John Thomas joined the firm. He was to serve in the Royal Flying Corps in World War One. Another Pinder, his brother Charles Nicholson - not in the company, but a cartoonist with the Sheffield Star - also served in France and was killed in 1917.

Pinder Brothers continued, and in 1920, their Minute Book records the decision to turn the private firm into a Limited Liability Company. John Thomas Pinder was chairman, Charles Edward was managing director and John William was secretary. The telegraphic address, incidentally, was 'Cruets, Sheffield'.

The depression of the 1930s proved a difficult period, but the company struggled through. John Thomas died in 1930, in Glenalmond Road, followed by Charles Edward, in 1937 in Chippinghouse Road. John William Pinder, who had been a traveller for the company in the 1920s took over the firm, joined by his son Alan, who worked his way through the departments of the business.

Alan's arrival encouraged his father to push through plans for a new works in Arundel Street, at the junction with Matilda Street. The site was once occupied by a Public house and a cobbled lane.

Arundel Street itself is a footnote in the history of the development of Sheffield, for it forms one of the parallel streets laid out in a gridiron pattern between 1776 and 1793, by Eyres, steward to the Duke of Norfolk who owned the estate. All the streets were named after Norfolk family connections, for example Arundel, after the Sussex castle of the Norfolks.

The first section of the new factory lay on the corner of Arundel Street and Matilda Street, but it has since been extended further along Arundel Street and along Matilda Street/Sidney Street into premises once occupied by Charles Marsden and Sons.

Opened in 1939, the premises covered offices, warehouse, packing and dispatch departments, showroom, silversmiths' workshops, electro-plating department etc. The opening, however, virtually coincided with World War Two. Staff were called up, and the factory continued on the basis of Government contracts; cutlery for the Forces, and copper bands for shells. Later, high speed steel tools, and parts for Bailey Bridges were added.

The premises escaped the worst of the night of terror endured by Sheffield in its own blitz, although a bomb hit the works across the road, and incendiaries had to be removed from the roof.

Peace saw a return to the traditional role of quality silversmiths and cutlers although the engineering side of the business continued for another twenty years. It was eventually sold to make more room for expansion of the Company along more traditional lines.

In the early 1950s world trade began to expand and importing (which was started before the war) of specialist goods - cut glass from Czechoslovakia, tarnish resistant silverplate from West Germany, clocks and watches from Switzerland and stainless steel from Denmark, later from the Far East - grew in volume as the years progressed.

Sudden death hit the family and the company in 1969 when Alan Pinder died, and the firm reverted to Pinder Brothers with his sons David and John at the helm. They are currently joint Managing Directors of the company.