William Dodge (c.1747-1815) was listed in 1797 as a haft presser in West Street.  He later partnered his son, Robert Dodge (c.1776-1835), but in 1805 their arrangement ended.  William was buried on 20 March 1815, aged 68, in St Peter’s churchyard.  Robert & James Dodge, horn presser, merchant, and cutler of West Street (and Amsterdam), was formed, but this was dissolved in 1819.  Robert and James – apparently brothers – continued to have an office in Amsterdam until at least 1832 (Hawley, 1988¹; Sterre, 1989²).  In Sheffield, Robert Dodge continued the horn and hafting business, besides marketing umbrella hoops, firebricks and clay. James’s death date is unknown;  Robert died on 14 January 1835 and was buried in St Peter’s churchyard. He and his wife,  Hannah, had several sons, including Nathaniel (7 January 1803-1866) and Robert (10 January 1805-1843).  The brothers operated as cutlery manufacturers and horn pressers in West Street, until Robert’s demise on 30 April 1843, aged 38.  He was buried at St Peter’s.  

Joseph Dodge (18 April 1816-1865) – another son of the first Robert Dodge – became active in the business.  After Nathaniel withdrew in about 1862, the firm became Joseph & Robert Dodge, merchants and manufacturers of table cutlery, West Street.  A third Robert Dodge (1837-1906) joined the firm: he was the son of the second Robert (the firm’s traveller) and his wife, Maria née Johnson.  Joseph Dodge, merchant of Western Bank, died on 22 January 1865, aged 48.  Nathaniel died the following year on 10 October, aged 63.  They were buried in the General Cemetery, leaving about £5,000 and £35,000, respectively.  Robert Dodge – a ‘continental merchant’ in Eyre Lane – now assumed control.  In 1875, he formed Joseph & Robert Dodge Ltd with £40,000 nominal capital.  Dodge absorbed W. I. Horn & Co at Continental Works, Bridge Street.  William Ibbotson Horn had been an edge tool manufacturer, tilter and roller, and merchant.  Born in London in 1808, he had links with Ibbotsons Bros.  He had died on 3 January 1873 at his residence Carrwood House, Grimesthorpe Road.  He was buried in Burngreave cemetery, leaving a fortune approaching £100,000.  He left various legacies, particularly to Wesleyan institutions, worth £17,000 (Sheffield Independent, 11 January 1873).

Besides cutlery, J. & R. Dodge Ltd in Bridge Street dealt in steel and tools, such as strickles and files.  Robert Dodge was chairman, with T. H. Waterhouse as managing-director.  The company struggled in the 1870s and when a trade depression hit Dodge in 1884 the owners liquidated the firm.  After an auction of table cutlery and trade knives, the assets/marks were purchased by Francis Newton & Sons.  Dodge’s marks were: ‘JUSTE JUDICATO’, ‘J.R. DODGE’, ‘JRD’; and ‘W.I. HORN & CO’.  They were later owned by Hiram Wild.  Robert Dodge died at Cranbourne House, Cranbourne Road, Bournemouth, on Christmas Day in 1906. He left £5,951 and was buried in Ecclesall.

¹  Hawley, Ken, ‘J. & R. Dodge of Sheffield and Amsterdam’, Tools & Trades History Society Newsletter 21 (Spring 1988)
^2. Sterre, Gerrit van der, ‘The International Exhibition Amsterdam 1869 – The Exhibit of J. & R. Dodge, Sheffield’,  Tools & Trades History Society Newsletter 26 (Summer 1989)