This razor manufacturer apparently involved three generations of Roberts’ family members: all named Joseph.  The enterprise’s first appearance was in the Sheffield directory of 1787, as Joseph Roberts & Co, razor maker, at Garden Street (trade mark ‘AMSTERDAM’).  The senior partner, Joseph Roberts, was a cutler, who may have been born in 1738 and had married Lydia Sparrow.   Their son, Joseph Roberts (1767-1829), became a cutler (probably after apprenticeship to his father).   It seems likely (from information in Leader, 1905-06¹) that Joseph Jun. became a Freeman in 1789.  

Joseph Sen. and Joseph Jun. began trading as Joseph Roberts & Son at Garden Street.  Another partner, Jonathan (son of Joseph Sen.?), withdrew in 1794.  Roberts & Son was listed in 1797 as a razor manufacturer, still at Garden Street and using the same trade mark.  By 1810, though, the name in directories was simply ‘Joseph Roberts’.  Perhaps the elder Joseph Roberts had died, but whatever his identity Joseph Roberts was bankrupt in 1810.  After 1811, the name disappeared from directories until 1821.  In that year, Joseph Roberts was listed as a razor manufacturer at Spring Street.  This was presumably Joseph Jun. However, the latter in 1791 had married Susannah West.  They had several children, including Joseph (1796-1864), who was apprenticed as a razor maker.  

Joseph Roberts Jun. died at Spring Street on 9 December 1829.  His brief newspaper obituary observed: ‘Three weeks ago we recorded the death of his wife’ (Sheffield Independent, 12 December 1829).   Susannah had died on 18 November 1829, aged 59.  Their remains were interred at St Peter & St Paul churchyard.   Their son, Joseph, was listed in 1833 as a razor manufacturer at Rockingham Terrace.  By 1841, he was at 20 Earl Street, with a residence at Broom Close, Little Sheffield.  In 1824, he had married Mary Ann née West (1801-1846) at Walkeringham, Nottinghamshire.  But after her death on 24 February 1846 (aged 44), Joseph seems to have abandoned work as a razor manufacturer.  He had remarried to Susan (Suky) née West (bapt.  6 January 1803), who was also from Walkeringham and his former wife’s sister.  According to the Census in 1851, Joseph was a button manufacturer.  However, he was not listed as a button maker in directories and in the Census (1861), when he was residing with Suky at Washington Road, he was enumerated as a retired master cutler.   

Joseph Roberts, ‘gentleman’, died at William Street on 12 April 1867, aged 61.  Suky died only a week later on 20 April 1867, aged 61.  The family vault and its monument can be seen in the  unconsecrated section of the General Cemetery.  Joseph left an estate valued at under £1,500, according to the probate (which, again, described him as a button manufacturer).  A sale of the household effects from his home at 101 William Street and Clarkson Street, Broomhall, was advertised in The Sheffield Independent, 6 June 1864.   Joseph’s (and Suky’s) executor was Charles Wardlow, the steel manufacturer.  Joseph owned the freehold cutlery manufactory, where his business had been based, at the corner of Earl Street and Porter Street. The advertisement of the auction listed the usual combination of workshops, steam engine, warehouse, and also a dwelling house and school at William Street.  The property generated about £40 in rental per annum (Sheffield Independent, 5 July 1864).

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