Gillott Cutlery Co was based in Nottingham. Although one advertisement claimed a starting date of 1790, its first appearance was in the 1870s. The founder was Thomas Gillott (1832-1903), who stated in Census returns that he had been born in Sheffield. However, Gillott was a family name particularly associated with Norton and Bradfield (hamlets near Sheffield). Thomas Gillott may have been born at the former: if so, his father may have been Richard Gillott (1796-1868), a farmer, and his wife, Mary Ann. What is certain is that the Census (1861) shows Thomas and his family (including his wife, Ann née Hague) living at Leicester Street in Sheffield.  Thomas was a scissors forger.  A decade later the family had moved to Nottingham, where Thomas began work as a cutlery re-grinder, repairer, and cutlery dealer. By the 1890s, he advertised regularly in the local press. One Christmas instruction to potential customers was as follows:
‘Your Beef and even your Turkey will appear tough if your Knife is dull; therefore see that it has a good sharp edge if not send it to GILLOTT’S CUTLERY AND GRINDING WORKS, HOCKLEY MILL, and have it sharpened while you wait’ (Nottingham Daily Express, 20 December 1893).

By 1901, Thomas Gillott had retired to Southsea, Hampshire. He died there ‘suddenly’ on 18 June 1903, aged 71, and was buried at Rock Municipal Cemetery, Nottingham. He left £2,217.  The business passed to his son, Edwin Gillott (1855-1927). E. Gillott & Son remained at Goose Gate, Hockley. Part of its trade was grinding and repairing lawn mowers (Nottingham Evening Post, 8 June 1909). According to a later court case, Gillott’s had introduced into the trade from the USA the serrated bread knife (Sheffield Daily Telegraph, 29 December 1928).  This knife, which appeared in Gillott advertisements in the 1920s as the ‘Burns’ double-edge saw knife, had been designed by Syracuse inventor and entrepreneur, Joseph E. Burns. The serrated-edge bread knife became a popular design in Sheffield in the 1920s (see Paget & Senior).

Edwin was the principal of the firm (E. Gillott & Sons) at his death in Nottingham on 4 July 1927. An obituarist noted that he had been born in Sheffield, and ‘achieved considerable fame as a racing cyclist between the ages of 18 and 23, and on the old type of bicycle, known as the “boneshaker”, he won the championship of England’ (Sheffield Daily Telegraph, 6 July 1927). He left £11,211. 

Edwin’s son, John Thomas Gillott (1882-1968), inherited the business. He was described as a cutlery grinder and repairer in the 1939 Register.  Gillott Cutlery Co was still in business in the late 1940s, but it seems to have ceased trading soon after that date.