The Brammall name was common in the localities of Bradfield, Storrs, and Stannington.  By the eighteenth century, several Brammalls were active as cutlers in these districts.  Nicholas Brammall was possibly the son of John (a cutler) and became his apprentice.  In 1784, Nicholas was granted his Freedom (Leader, 1905-06)¹.  In the Sheffield directory (1787), Nicholas was a razor manufacturer at Whitecroft in Sheffield (trade mark ‘CALVIN’); his father was a razor maker at Storrs (trade mark ‘JOPPA’).   According to local worthy John Holland, Nicholas was a zealous Presbyterian – hence the mark – though Holland offered no further information (Sheffield Independent, 6 July 1870).   Nicholas was insolvent in 1790 (Sheffield Register, 9 July 1790; 4 March 1791).  His father continued to trade at Storrs during that decade, but Nicholas then disappeared from view.   A study of the Stannington community provides further details of Brammall cutlers in the area (Hatfield, 2002²).

^1. Leader, R E, History of the Company of Cutlers in Hallamshire in the County of York (Sheffield, 1905-6)

^2. Hatfield, Julia Elizabeth, ‘Continuity and Change in a Pennine Community: The Township of Stannington c1660-c1900’ (Sheffield University PhD, 2002)