Matthew Jepson (trade mark ‘GOZO’) was listed in 1774 and 1787 as a table knife cutler at Westbar Green.   He apparently had two sons: Matthew (bapt. 1769-1819) and John (bapt. 1779-1821).   The baptismal entry for John noted that Matthew’s wife was Ruth.  Matthew Jun. was apprenticed to his father and was granted his Freedom in 1791.  Matthew Jun. received a vague and passing mention in Asline Ward’s diaries, where in connection with the local Volunteers he was described as ‘not a very moral man’ (Bell, 1909¹).   In 1797, the enterprise was listed as Matthew Jepson & Son, Brocco Street.   Matthew Sen. apparently died in 1807 and was buried at St Paul’s churchyard.

In 1811, M. Jepson & Son was listed as a table knife maker at Edward Street.  Between 1816 and 1818, it had become Matthew & John Jepson at Brocco.  The business was last styled as John Jepson & Co, but in 1821 it became insolvent and ceased trading.  The reason can be found in the burial registers of St Paul’s churchyard:  Matthew Jepson was interred on 2 April 1819 (aged 50); and John on 16 May 1821 (aged 40).  The assets were liquidated.  First a dwelling house, workshop and yard were offered for sale at Brocco Street / Edward Street (Sheffield Independent, 2 June 1821).   The stock was then auctioned, including 300 gross of table knives and forks, alongside pattern cards of table knives, pocket knives, and scissors (Sheffield Independent, 27 October 1821). 

^1. Bell , Alexander B (ed), Peeps into the Past: Being Passages from the Diary of Thomas Asline Ward (Sheffield, 1910)