Vanessa, in the newspaper archive on FMP the name William Goddard brings up over 180 answers. They will not all be your William but it may be worth skimming through them for the few who may be.
Dave
Hi Elaine,
His wife's name was Mary Goddard and he lived in Nether Hallam with his 4 children, George, Sarah, Harold and Nellie(1901 census) if that helps any.
GODDARD, WILLIAM HALL
GRO Reference: 1854 M Quarter in SHEFFIELD Volume 09C Page 321
I have looked at the census from 1881 to 1911 and that 1854 seems to fit.
I also noted that on all census he states he is a worker meaning he worked for someone else.
I believe when completing your apprenticeship you would make an item that would be scrutinized as being up to standard. The knife could be that item. OR could it be his fathers?
They lived at the following.
1911. 102 Cromwell St, Walkley.
1901 80 Slinn St, Crookes
1891 91 Harrington Place, Ecclesall
1881 180 Grammer St, Owlerton. N.H.
He married Mary Hoyland in June qtr 1879 Sheffield 9c 464.
I used Ancestry by the way. It was his birth year that you gave us being why I couldn't pull him up originally so I used Mary Goddard.
Sheffield Parish Church (Cathedral), 27 April 1879. Marriage.
William Goddard, 25yrs, bat, cutler, 25 Shude Hill, father - George Goddard,
cutler.
Mary Hoyland, 21yrs, spin, of Sheaf Street Terrace, father - George Hoyland,
steel melter.
Witnesses: Frank Hoyland and George Henry Goddard.
Thank you so much for all this info.
It's all really interesting.
I do know that there are more knives that other family members have got and my great grandad was a cutler too hence the William Goddard and sons on the knife itself.
But I am so grateful for the information you have given me as there's very little regarding his work.
Hi Dave,
I have pictures of the knife but can't upload them on here?
If he did have some sort of business it's this what I would love to find more info on. I literally don't know where to start!
From the directories on this site.
Whites Directory 1905.
William Goddard (table knife hafter)
Address: 32 Charlotte Road.
Sheffield Evening Telegraph, 20 December 1899.
Fire at a Sheffield Cutlery Works.
Xylonite Again The Cause.
Occured in Charlotte Street, at the works of Messrs. C. Parkin & Son.
Parts of the premises are tenanted by Mr. William Goddard who is
a "little mester" in the cutlery trade. He occupies a portion of the
second floor on one side of the building. Mr Goddard was busy and a
spark flew from the highly flammable material. Mr Goddard his son
and other workers tried to put it out but made a hasty retreat.
Mr Goddard and son were slightly injured by the flames but not
seriously. Goddard's place was gutted and roof all burnt off. (Abridged).
This is really really good 😊
And all fits in my timeline too.
His son George would have been 18/19 at the time.
This was Williams occupation all his life, so to have an address of where he was based, even if he was only a "little mester"
Is fantastic
Thank you so much for taking the time out to look, much appreciated!
Vanessa, your ancestor was working at a very difficult time for Sheffied cutlers. The newspaper archive contains hundreds of articles from the period on Xylonite, Little Mesters and the American politics which severely dammaged the industry (McKinley Tariff).
Xylonite (nitrocellulose) was the first plastic to be used to simulate ivory.
There are many reports of fires (even explosions) and of court cases where men were punished for selling Xylonite knives as genuine ivory. There was a thriving and honest trade in mass producing such knives for export, until McKinley stepped in.
There is one report that traditional cutler objector to the use of Xylonite put a match to a knife in front of the home secretary and it virtually exploded.
Be careful where you store your knife.
Dave