This firm specialised in steel plasterers’ trowels and other builders’ tools, but it also marketed trade knives and gardening tools. The business was apparently started in 1837 by Joseph Tyzack (1813-1891), who dealt in gardeners’ tools and cutlery.  He used a striking ‘3 LEG’ trademark – issued in 1847 and regranted in 1863 – which celebrated his sales of cutlery to the Isle of Man.  His son, Thomas (1842-1923), inherited the business, which in 1884 moved to Meersbrook Works, Valley Road, in Heeley.  In 1897, Joseph Tyzack & Son became a private limited company, with £10,000 capital.

Thomas Tyzack was said to have been one of the city’s hardest working businessmen (Sheffield Daily Telegraph, 19 May 1923).  He died on 18 May 1923, leaving £17,636, and was buried at Norton Cemetery.  After his death, extensive alterations were made at Meersbrook Works and new plant was installed.  The press stated that Tyzack’s relied particularly on Colonial markets and that it had 200 workers (Empire Mail, February 1927).  The factory concentrated on plasterers’ tools.  Other tools – such as spades and garden forks – were bought in from West Midlands firms.  Cutlery products, such as this pruning knife, would have been ‘factored’ from other Sheffield manufacturers.

In 1943, Thomas Tyzack’s descendants sold the business to Isaac Nash & Sons Ltd, Stourbridge, and Isaac Nash (Belbroughton) Ltd.  This created Nash Tyzack Industries Ltd.  In 1951, a further merger created Brades & Nash Tyzack Industries Ltd, with a nominal capital of £600,000. In 1960,  Spear & Jackson acquired control.  Two years later, Sheffield spade-maker Skelton was added to form Brades Skelton & Tyzack Ltd. Meersbrook Works employed about 190 workers.  Tyzack continued as part of Spear & Jackson, until the latter was taken over in 1985 by Neill Tools.  The Valley Road factory had been closed and sold in 1980.  It has been renovated to provide workshops and offices.  The Hawley Collection has a collection of Joseph Tyzack catalogues and other records.

See also Geoffrey Tweedale, Directory of Sheffield Tool Manufacturers 1740-2018 (2019).