The company of Bird and Blake was the result of a partnership between Edward Bird (1870 – 1916) born in South Molton, Devon, the son of John Bird (a railway clerk) and his wife, Emma and John Harold Blake, the son of Thomas Henry Blake, a spoon and fork manufacturer from Spalding, Lincs and his wife, Mary.  Bird had previously operated the Practical Cutlery Co (formed by 1876 as a merchant and manufacturer of table, butchers’, and spear knives at Zebra Works in Union Lane) with John Hardy.  That partnership ended in 1895 and thereafter Bird and Blake came together to manufacture spoons, forks, electro-plate and cutlery.  They operated at the Imperial silver works, 85 Edward Street and used the ‘Duchess’ mark.

It is not clear when the partnership began, however at various times throughout 1903, the company advertised in the local press for staff including electro-plate cutlers, spoon and fork buffers, spoon and fork filers, Britannia metal smiths and warehouse staff for spoon, fork and holloware.  However, on the 24th December 1903, the partnership was dissolved.  Bird remained at the premises on Edward Street manufacturing under the name of Bird & Co although a report of a fire at the works in the Sheffield Telegraph of 11 January 1906 refers to the ‘premises occupied by Messrs Bird and Blake’.