Peter Brooke was born in Sheffield in about 1822.  By 1841, he was living in South Street with his parents: John, a builder, and Hannah.  Peter was working as a cutler.  He specialised in spring knives and by 1845 was listed in Court No. 6, Lord Street.  He told the Census (1851) that he was a spring knife cutler master’ employed nineteen men.  In the 1850s, he was listed in South Street as a pen, pocket, and table knife manufacturer and wholesale cutler dealer.  However, he was insolvent by 1859.  His business recovered and he remained in Lord Street during the 1860s.  In 1871, he employed two men, two boys, and two girls.  He was widowed by then.  He continued to work as a spring knife cutler but died in obscurity at the General Infirmary in 1883. He was buried in City Road Cemetery on 20 October.