Samuel Williamson (1844-1910) was born in Sheffield, the son of Charles Williamson and his wife, Frances.  He started in his father’s warehouse and then became a cutlery manager – probably in the family business.  After his father’s death in 1875, he partnered Hiram Wild, but this was dissolved in 1876.  He next launched S. Williamson & Sons in Hollis Croft.  During a smallpox outbreak, he refused to employ anyone who refused to follow his preventive measure: cream of tartar and rhubarb, and a bath at least once a week (Sheffield Daily Telegraph, 24 January 1888).  

Samuel died at Western Bank (aged 67) on 21 April 1910 and was buried in the General Cemetery.  S. Williamson & Sons, Toledo Works, operated until its bankruptcy in 1926. The last owners were Adolphus Samuel Williamson, Thomas Fenton Williamson, and Charles Alfred Williamson. The trade mark was a match (picture), with the slogan ‘A MATCH FOR ALL’.  It appears that this mark had been owned by Thomas McGrah (1831-1908), who had been a manager in a table knife manufactory (Woodhead, 1991¹).

^1. Woodhead, Eileen, Trademarks on Base-Metal Tableware (Ottawa, Canada Parks Service, 1991)