William Savage Crownshaw was born in Wadsley in 1867, the son of George Crownshaw, a cutler, and his wife, Ann (nee Savage). William was descended from several generations of Crownshaw cutlers going back to great-, great-grandfather Elias Crownshaw, who was granted his freedom in 1780 after being apprenticed to Richard Creswick, a knife maker in Wadsley.

William was one of 5 brothers and 4 of them worked as cutlers with their father in the family workshop behind their house in Laird Road, Wadsley. By the time of the 1921 census, William was working from Holly Lane in Sheffield, which is presumably where the knife shown in the photograph was made.

The family photograph shows William (centre back) leaning on the his father, George’s shoulder.

William died on 14th February 1933 and is buried in Loxley cemetery.

With thanks to Ally Myers for the photographs and information about her great-grandfather, William Savage Crownshaw.