John Pryor was apparently born in Sheffield on 2 March 1802, the son of Ebenezer (a grinder) and his wife, Amiable.  John was first listed in a directory in 1825 at Garden Street as a razor manufacturer.   Three years later, however, he was insolvent and assigned his estate and effects to Abraham Howe, a cooper.  Pryor’s name disappeared from directories.  In the Census (1851), he was living at Clarence Street and working as a warehouseman.  He died on 15 March 1852, aged 50, ‘much respected’ (Sheffield Independent, 20 March 1852).  His widow, Elizabeth née Smith (whom he had married in 1823), died on 10 January 1856, ‘after a long and severe affliction’, at the residence of her son in Eldon Street (Sheffield Independent, 12 January 1856).  She was aged 59 and was buried at the General Cemetery (the grave of her husband has not been traced).