Joseph Ashforth and Co

Map Bridge Street 1851.

Map Mowbray Street 1889.

1845.

1852.

1860.

1866.

1867.

1867.

1886.

1889.

1889.

of Bruce Works, Sheffield, in Bridge Street, then Mowbray Street

1841 Formerly George Whitham and Co, Ashforth and Barnes came into being on the dissolution of the former partnership on 30 Sep 1841. The partners were Joseph Ashforth and Charles Barnes.

1845 Directory entry - Ashforth and Barnes (late Whitham & Co) , 51 Bridge Street, Sheffield. File, spindle, screw, bold, loom spring, card engine teeth, steel, &c., manufacturers. Jointly occupied 51 Bridge Street with Fenton and Marsden.

1845 To be sold “a melting furnace, with thirteen holes, and converting furnace, with Steel House and Sheds, Counting- House, Warehouse, &c, with every Requisite for a Merchant and Manufacturer. Enquire of Ashforth and Barnes, Bridge street, Sheffield." It might be assumed that this was at 51 Bridge Street, but this is not stated. Whether it sold, and whether they moved then has not been established.

1847 Charles Barnes died at the Albion Hotel, Edinburgh on 13 Mar 1847. Notice states that he had been a commercial traveller for 30 years. The firm was thereafter known as Joseph Ashforth and Company.

1848 Design registration effected on 23 Nov 1848 by Joseph Ashforth and Co. of Bruce Works, Bridge-street, Sheffield, for a ratchet wrench or spanner - under the act for protecting new and original designs for articles of utility.

1849 Directory entry - Joseph Ashforth and Co., spindle, file, screw, bolt, loom spring, card engine teeth, steel, etc., manufacturers. 72 Bridge Street, Sheffield. No 72 is located directly across the road from no 51, see map attached.

1850 "Joseph Ashforth and Co., Bruce Works, Bridge Street, Sheffield, successors to the late Geo. Whitham and Co., File, Steel, Screw, &c, Manufacturers, beg to inform their Friends and the Public, that they have Purchased the Premises, Working Tools, etc., of the late Josiah Gallimore, Manufacturer of Screw Jacks, Press Screws, Screw Stocks and Dies, and Smith and Engineering Work in general, and beg to solicit a continuance of those favours so long bestowed on their Predecessors. N.B. — Manufacturers of Ashforth's Registered Ratchet Spanner. January 4th, 1850." Directories confirm that Gallimore had previously occupied 72 Bridge Street.

1852 Directory entry - Joseph Ashforth and Co., Bruce Works, 72 Bridge Street. Spindle, file, saw and edgetool, screw, bolt, loom-spring, card-engine teeth, steel, &c. manufacturers.

1854 “... the Partnership heretofore existing between us the undersigned, Joseph Ashforth and Thomas Fishbourne, of Bridge-street, in Sheffield, in the county of York, as Manufacturers of Spindles, Screws, Bolts, Loom Springs, and Card Engine Teeth, trading under the style or firm of Joseph Ashforth and Co., was dissolved, by mutual consent on the 1st day of January, 1854. As witness our hands this 26th day of May, 1854......”

The directory for 1854 lists both Joseph Ashforth & Co., steel and file manufacturers, Bruce Works, Bridge Street and Mowbray Street, Harvest Lane AND Ashforth, Fishbourne, Holman and Company, steel manufacturers, Bruce Steelworks, Harvest Lane. It therefore coincides with Joseph Ashforth relocating to a new site in Mowbray Street and to him letting the Bridge Street Works (which he owned) to his step sons, the Marchinton Brothers. The latter retained the Bruce Works name, which was also used for the Mowbray Street Works, so two Bruce Works co-existed. In the same time frame, a new partnership was established to own and operate the Mowbray Street works. Note, as the map attached shows, the new works was on the junction of Mowbray Street and Harvest Lane, hence both addresses being used.

1855 "... the Partnership heretofore existing between Joseph Ashforth, Thomas Fishbourne, and Nicholas Robert Holman, of the Bruce Steel Works, in Harvest-lane, in Sheffield...Manufacturers of Steel and Files, and General Merchants, carried on under the firm of Ashforth, Fishbourne, Holman, and Company, was this day dissolved by mutual consent, as from the 31st day of December last. All debts owing to or from the partnership will be received and paid by the said Joseph Ashforth and Nicholas Robert Holman, who will continue the business on their own account, in the firm of Ashforth, Holman, and Company. Witness the hands of the parties this 1st day of February, 1855..." When Fishbourne had joined Ashforth is not known, but he went on to have his own works, the Adelaide Works, Mowbray Street by 1862.

1856 Directory entry - Ashforth, Holman and Co., merchants and steel, file, saw, edge tool, etc. manufacturers. Bruce Works, Mowbray Street, Harvest Lane

1857 "...the Partnership heretofore subsisting between us the undersigned, Joseph Ashforth and Nicholas Robert Holman, carrying on business at Sheffield, ... as Steel and File Manufacturers, and Merchants, under the firm of Ashforth, Holman. and Company, was dissolved by mutual consent, on the 19th day of January instant; and that all debts due to and owing by the said late firm will be received and paid by the said Joseph Ashforth, who will henceforth carry on the said business on his own account.—As witness our hands the 27th day of January, 1857.." The firm reverted to the name Joseph Ashforth and Company.

1859 By 1859 Marchinton Brothers had ceased trading and 72 Bridge Street Works had reverted to Joseph Ashforth and Co.

1862 Directory entry - Joseph Ashforth & Co., merchants and manufacturers of steel, saws, edge tools, spindles & screws, &c. 72 Bridge Street and Bruce Works, Mowbray Street.

1875 In May, an "extensive works in Bridge Street called Bruce Works was to let. Last occupied by the owners, Joseph Ashforth and Co, it included a 16hp steam engine and 5 hole melting furnace. Re-advertised for sale in July with vacant possession.

1875 Joseph Ashforth died 4 Jun 1875 in his 70th year, at his home Rock House, after a long and severe affliction. The firm is believed to have passed into the sole hands of his son (by his second marriage), Joseph Samuel Laycock Ashforth (known as Laycock).

1879 Directory entry - Joseph Ashforth and Co., Manufacturers of steel, files, screws, nuts, bolts, etc. Bruce Works, Mowbray Street, Sheffield.

1886 J S L Ashforth patented a taper grip vice (illustrated). This was not a continuation of the Marchinton patents (as has been suggested elsewhere) which worked on completely different principle and were long void.

1887 Patent number No 15,549 dated 14 Nov 1887, in the names of John Thomas Hill and Edward Lloyd Wynyard Bellhouse (but part owned by the company) "For improvements in machines for cutting files, and other like articles"

1888 The firm converted to a limited company as Joseph Ashforth and Company (Limited). "The conversion to a company is announced of the business of manufacturer steel, files, nuts, bolts, screws, and carried on by Mr. J. S. L. Ashforth, at Bruce Works. Mowbray street, Sheffield. It was registered 26 May, with a capital £50,000 in £25 shares. The subscribers are:— J. S. L. Ashforth, Sheffield (540); E.L W. Bellhouse, Sheffield, mechanical engineer (160);* B. Wake, Sheffield (100); J. Tuxford, Sheffield, merchants' assistant (50); T. W. Willie, Sheffield, merchants' assistant (50); E. Hall, Abbey Dale Park, near Sheffield (50); J. C. Wing, Sheffield, merchant (40). The first three subscribers are appointed directors."

• Edward Lloyd Wynyard Bellhouse had been the works manager. He married Bernard Wake's daughter.

1888 Patent No 17,093 dated 24 Nov 1888, in the names of Thomas Wilkinson Willis and Joseph Tuxford (owned by the company) for "Improvements in Locknuts".

1889 Extensions to the Bruce Works completed, in shape of a new foundry for steel castings.

1889 A second design of parallel/taper grip vice was patented by J S Laycock Ashforth. This was branded the Triumph Vice, illustrated here.

1889 The advert attached shows that the firm had adopted several trademarks, two using the Triumph brand name and also a simple J A S in a triangle, presumably from J Ashforth, Sheffield. This advert also shows that they had other patents, for stocks and dies, locknuts and a "sudden grip" vice. Also a further registered tradename, "Handykey".

1890 This report for the year gives an interesting insight into the business of the firm, so is included in full. “Joseph Ashforth & Co. (Limited) are finding an excellent market for their special magnet steel, which is chiefly used, of course, for telegraph and telephone purposes. Home orders are not only numerous, but the fame of the specialty is bringing large lines from the continent of Europe. Ashforth & Co. have succeeded in manufacturing a magnet steel of high quality which never varies, a desideratum especially required in Government contracts and by telegraph experts generally . Recently the firm have commenced the manufacture of finished magnets, and are finding good markets for them. The "Bruce" tool steel continues to hold its own in competition with more ex pensive qualities. This is a specialty also in great favour on the Continent and in the colonies. Business with South America is fairly good. The firm do not report any briskness in the file department, but the demand for quarry steel keeps well up. Scotch orders are good in this department. Crucible cast steel and Bessemer billets are in fair demand. "Frostards" or horse-spikes, have sold exceedingly well, so much so that the firm have found it somewhat difficult to keep abreast of the demand. Had it not been for the large stock in hand at the beginning of the season, many orders could not have been so promptly executed. This special make of frostards is popular with dealers, and the firm find it useful to keep a very large stock in hand for even ordinary winters.”

1891 Liquidation proceedings begun. At an Extraordinary General Meeting on the 16 July 1891 the following resolution was carried unanimously :— "That it has been proved to the satisfaction of the Company that the Company cannot, by reason of its liabilities, continue its business, and that it is advisable to wind up the same, and accordingly that the Company be wound up voluntarily"

1892 In March, a major auction of all Ashforth's assets took place over 17 days. The full details can be viewed in the Sheffield Daily Telegraph of 27 Feb 1892, page 4, but of particular note is the last day of the sale which offered the name "Joseph Ashforth and Company" together with all the goodwill, trade marks and patents, but excluding the name of the works (ie the Bruce Works). Included was the trade name "Triumph". By 1895, the company name and trademarks had passed to J. J. Saville and Co. The works itself, described as the “Bruce Works, lately occupied by Joseph Ashforth and Co.” was offered to let in 1896.

1892 Whilst the old company was being liquidated, Joseph Ashforth opened a new business trading just as “Ashforths” and manufacturing fasteners, at 74 Bridge Street.

1894 By May, the works had moved to a new site in Bridge Street on the corner of Love Street, (nos 51-53), actually their old works from the 1840s, now a multiple occupancy site (see 1896 Map attached).

1902 Works relocated to Stanley Street, on a site with multiple occupation between Johnson Street and Brunswick Road.

1909 This business was offered for sale in 1909 as follows. "Under Deed Of Assignment. Re Joseph Samuel Laycock Ashforth, trading as "Ashforths" Bolts and Nuts. Screws, etc., manufacturers, Old Bruce Works, Stanley Lane, Sheffield. The Above Business to be sold as a going concern."

By 1911 the Ashforths was no longer listed and J S L Ashforth had moved to Peterborough. That year, aged 62, he was elected to receive a pension from the Royal Metal Trades Pension Society. He died in 1936.

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