I have traced the Maxfield family back into the 1600s and I now want to fill out my knowledge of them historically and know more about the world they lived in so I have 2 otherwise unrelated questions.
What would have been the religious implications on my family (all cutlers and Shearsmiths, etc.) of times like the Civil War and the Catholic/ Protestant tensions of the Stuarts? Was Sheffield Cathedral Protestant or Catholic? Would they have had to fight in the many wars of those times and can I find anything out about that?
Secondly I know that many of the family were Cutlers/ Shearsmiths and completed apprenticeships. Would they have their own trademarks and would I be able to find them?
I would appreciate any help. Any knowledge anyone can share? Websites to research? Books?
Thanks so much in advance.
Tony
All trade marks are recorded at the Cutlers Hall in Sheffield. In the list of apprentices and freemen to the left, Generally if a man is marked with F (for freeman) with a year alongside it then that will be the year he recorded a mark and paid for it.
The archivist at the Cutlers hall is usually very helpful. You can try emailing her with a list of names with year each one became freeman. I guess if you live in Sheffield you could go along there and look them up yourself.
I shall send you privately her email.
What is now Sheffield Cathedral was a then a parish church. It was, and still is, C of E
Dave