I have a knife with Birtles Bros. Cutlers stamped on it, which came from somewhere in my father's family. I have not been able to find any information about this company, maybe it was short-lived?

My father was an only child (Charles Birtles). His father was Alick Albert Birtles (born 1/4/1890 in Handsworth). Alick had 5 siblings (4 sisters, all spinsters and 1 brother, Henry). There is no link there, both Henry and Alick were miners.

Alick's father was Charles Edward Birtles, born 1862 in Handsworth. He was listed as a miner in the 1891 census, living in Treeton, Rotherham.

Charles Edward's father was Frederick Birtles, a Blue Stone merchant in the 1861 census, living at Quarry House, Handsworth (born 4/2/1820).

I can find no link to the cutlery trade in my direct ancestry.

To my knowledge my father did not have any active contacts with distant relatives in Sheffield so I have no idea how he got the cutlery, of which sadly only 1 knife survives. I would love to know more about this part of my family's history if anyone can help.

Thank you

1923 directory lists an Albert Birtles, cutlery manufacturer (A. Birtles & Co.) with house at 615 Chesterfield Rd. Business at 28 Cambridge St.
Maybe he could be linked to Birtles Bros?

Heths

Margaret, is there any other information marked on the knife please?
Am I correct in thinking it is a table knife
Dave

My sister has the knife. I will ask her to check it, and maybe get a picture too.

OK. If you get a picture please email to me.
Dave

Not listed in Tweedale's Directory of Sheffield Cutlery Manufacturers (disappointingly)

Hugh

Thank you. I did see this entry and my grandfather's name was Alick Albert, but haven't been able to make a connection. The timing may be wrong, as he was in Dinnington by 1921.

A question / train of thought to anyone who might have an answer:

Would there have been any way that someone could produce cutlery (table knives are all I know of) with a specific name (Birtles Bros) on them if they did not have their own factory? Might an established manufacturer produce these for them? Would they have needed to at least register this as a company name somewhere?

I feel I'm heading for straw clutching just now. Maybe I will need to do more extended family history research before I can find any viable links.

Margaret, thank you for the pictures of the knife. As well as Birtles Bros there are also the words Stainless Steel stamped on the blade. Stainless Steel was discovered or invented in 1913 so that knife was made in the 20th century and could easily be as late as the second half of that century. So if there is a family link it it is modern not historical. Is it possible that it was obtained just because it had the Birtles name on it, rather than any family connection?
Dave

Dave,

Thank you for the comments. I didn't think the knife would be too old, but didn't consider it might be that new either. We did have a few knives at one time, but no more than half a dozen. I suppose they could have been acquired for the name, but I'm wondering how they got to be produced in the first place if there was no company bearing that name listed in any directories. It doesn't seem likely they would have been on general sale unless produced in large numbers (but maybe I'm making all the wrong assumptions).

Unfortunately their provenance wasn't something that interested me when my parents were still around to ask.

I think I need to start digging more into the Birtles of Sheffield and see if that can find any connections there. Can you suggest any other leads that might be worth pursuing?

Margaret

Hi Margaret,

Just a suggestion.

As you only have six knives could they be the pieces that someone in your family made at the end of his apprenticeship and that is what his workmanship would have been tested on???

Not sure if this is how it would work.


Elaine in Ottawa

Instant Messenger: Skype

Margaret, do you or did know your cousins, the children of Henry? Were there brothers ?
They would have been born in the 1930s 1940s and therefore starting work in the late 1950S 1960S. Could they have made them.
Alternatively, try to find out what happened to Albert Birtles co after Albert died. Did he have more than one son? Did he have sons who made in their own joint name while still working under their fathers company name, either before or after he died.
Dave

Some interesting suggestions there Dave, thank you.

My father would have known his grandfather Charles I think, so maybe this is the place to start. There were more female siblings than male in the Birtles line it seems, so maybe I will need to go back a bit farther. So far I haven't found an Albert at all in my line, but I haven't gone beyond the direct descendants so still a lot of potential there.

Off on holiday in a couple of days so something to occupy me when I get back.

Many thanks to everyone who responded. I will let you know if (or when, let's be optimistic) I finally solve the puzzle.

Mrgaret

Margaret, the latest directory in our files is 1925. This knife was almost certainly made later than that so . At that late stage a cutlery manufacturer would simply be someone who fixed the handle to the knife and polished it. All the earlier operations would be done by big machines. There would be lots of small companies simply buying in the bits, already stamped with their name.
In fact, that was what it was like already in 1925. There were 5 or 6 companies in 1925 operating from the same 28 Cambridge St where A Birtles and Co was. You can find that in our Directories file over to the left. It is highly likely that Birtles Bros were the sons of Albert Birtles. They would be operating from possibly as early as 1925 under their father then take over when he retired, or maybe even after he died in the 1960s.
Dave