Antique WW Harrison Etched Floral Silver Plate Butter Knife Electroplate

Description

Antique etched floral electroplated silver butter knife by W.W. Harrison. “William Wheatcroft Harrison was born on 27 April 1830, the eldest son of John Harrison and his wife, Harriot. His father was Sheffield’s first electro-plater. In the early 1850s, he partnered Thomas John Creswick at Montgomery Works, Pepper Alley, which sold electro-plate and German silver products. Creswick & Harrison was dissolved in 1856. William continued in Fargate. Family members involved in William’s enterprise included his father, his brother (John Maleham Harrison), and also George Harrison (unidentified). The firm registered silver marks in 1857, 1861, 1866, and 1907.

In 1861, Harrison employed 25 men, 20 women, and 20 boys; a number that had risen to 100 workers by 1871. The business had a London office in Hatton Garden by the late 1870s. In 1884, it relocated to Rockingham Street. William Harrison became wealthy and in 1880 commissioned Snaithing Brook (now known as Ranmoor Hall) in Belgrave Road, which remains one of the most impressive buildings in the area. Few details survive of Harrison’s career, though he left an account of the history of electro-plate manufacture in letters to The Sheffield Independent, 10, 16, 20 May 1887. The letters challenged the assertion by J.E. Bingham that Walker & Hall had invented electro-plate (Tweedale, 1997). In public life, Harrison was a City Councillor (Conservative) for Ecclesall; an Alderman; and on the management board of Sheffield Royal Hospital.

In 1858, Harrison had married at Womersley, near Pontefract, Anne Christiana, the eldest daughter of Robert Nicholson, a veterinarian surgeon. Harrison later resided at 2 Park Avenue, Riverdale Road, and died there, aged 74, on 27 July 1904. He was buried in Fulwood cemetery, leaving £13,642. His obituary described him as a ‘devoted son’ of the Church of England (Sheffield Daily Telegraph, 8 July 1904). He left the business to his son, Robert Henry, who was allowed the option in three years to either buy the business or convert it to limited liability. In 1907, the business combined with Charles Favell & Co to form W.W. Harrison Ltd. In 1913, the firm became insolvent and was wound up, though ‘W.W. Harrison & Co’ continued to be listed at 73 Arundel Street until 1918.”

Condition

Good Overall - Some tarnish; see pictures

Dimensions

5.125” x 0.75” / 13.4 g (Length x Width/Weight)