Advertisement from 1841. Image courtesy of Geoff Tweedale
In 1825, Law & Oxley was listed as a manufacturers of silver and plated dessert and fruit knives, pearl buttons, 100 Eyre Street. It was styled ‘late John Law & Sons. The partners were Joseph Law and Henry Atkin (1804-1853). The latter was the son of George (a cutler) and Elizabeth. In March 1824, Joseph Law had registered a silver mark; in October, this was followed by a silver mark for Joseph Law, John Oxley, and Henry Atkin at Eyre Street. In 1829, Joseph Law withdrew. He may have been the silversmith, who died on 31 December 1837, aged 54, and was buried at St Paul’s. Atkin, Oxley & Co continued until 1841, when Henry Atkin registered a silver mark from Howard Street. He died on 13 February 1853, aged 48, and was remembered as ‘a man of superior intelligence and sound judgment’, whose personal friends included ‘some of the most notable individuals of his day’ (Sheffield Independent, 19 February 1853). His gravestone is at Underbank Unitarian Chapel. In 1828, Henry had married Mary née Wright. Their sons formed Atkin Bros.