John Staniland was a table knife manufacturer, who was active in the late eighteenth century.  Reconstructing his family tree at this distance is speculative.  But apparently he was the brother of Richard Staniland.  They were granted their Freedoms in 1757.  The listing in 1774 of Wainwright & Staniland (a table knife manufacturer, Hawley Croft) probably marked John Staniland’s first appearance in a directory.  His trade mark was ‘GRACE’.  In 1774, this mark was combined with ‘GW’ (George Wainwright?).  This partnership had been dissolved by 1787, when Staniland was listed alone in Broad Lane.  His sons were John Jun. and Richard Staniland (see Gregory & Staniland).  His daughter, Elizabeth, married Vincent Bradbury.  John Staniland Sen. was buried in St Paul’s churchyard on 6 February 1809.  He left an estate of £800 – a considerable sum in those days – to his widow, Mary, who was buried in the same graveyard on 26 March 1811.