According to Leader (1905-06)¹, the Brightmores were an ‘old and respectable Sheffield family’.  The trade directory (1787) has a cluster of Brightmores in Townhead Cross in the town centre.  These included: Loftus, Brightmore & Co, steel converters; John Brightmore, table knives, razors, and phlemes; Brightmore, Bishop & Co, factors; and William Brightmore, pen and pocket knives.  Little is known about these enterprises.  An entity named Loftus, Brightmore & Bishop, merchants – involving Rebecca Loftus, William Brightmore, and John Bishop – was dissolved in 1788.  Only William Brightmore was listed by 1791.  The latter operated as a merchant, steel converter and refiner, and manufacturer of lancets, phlemes, razors, table knives, and saw.  His trade was mostly ‘country’ and his trade mark was ‘LONDON CITY’. 

His son, Robert, succeeded to the business.  He became Master Cutler in 1809, when the Feast had to be suspended due to the Company of Cutlers’ finances (a 15 shillings all-ticket dinner was held instead).  In 1811, Robert Brightmore & Co was a merchant and manufacturer at Townhead Cross.  Two years later, Robert Brightmore and Thomas Elliot dissolved their partnership as merchants and manufacturers.  Brightmore may have retired.  The Townhead factory was later obliterated by the building of Bow Street (though Robert lived in a substantial brick building in Brook Hill).  He died, aged 66, on 2 April 1840, a ‘gentleman’ of Broad Lane.  He was buried in St Peter and St Paul churchyard.  The family was well connected.  William’s daughter, Elizabeth, had married Sheffield merchant Samuel Mitchell (a family that also had linkages with Boulsover).  The street names in Brook Hill – Brightmore, Mitchell, Bolsover, and Sarah Street – are reminders of these associations.  

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