Kenneth Bright (1911-1962) was born in Sheffield, the son of Thomas (a machine file grinder) and his wife, Martha Elizabeth Newell née Shephard.  In the Register of England & Wales (1939), Kenneth was enumerated as a departmental manager at a cutlery and silverware manufacturer.  He resided at Bakewell, with his wife, Agnes Mary Bright née Thompson (1920-2006).  They had married at Bakewell in 1941. In 1949, K. Bright Ltd was incorporated with £1,000 capital at Carver Street. The directors were Kenneth Bright and his wife, Agnes.  The firm dealt in tableware, including canteens of silver-plated and stainless cutlery (the latter sometimes marked ‘Staybrite’).  Kenneth Bright, of Sunny Side, Granby Croft, Bakewell, died at the Royal Hospital, Sheffield, on 26 April 1962 (aged 51). He left £10,180.

The founder’s sons, John and Ian Bright, became directors. In the 1970s, Bright’s was a member of the UK Cutlery & Silverware Manufacturers’ Association. Bright’s was later listed at River Lane (1974), Harwood Street (1981), and Boston Street (1991).  The Boston Street premises (which employed about 36 people) had belonged to H. Brooksbank, which Bright’s acquired, along with Gee & Holmes and Fry & Wigfull. The firm received an official loan of £20,000 in 1987, but was liquidated in 1995. Booth (1988)¹ contains a photograph of workers retiring at the firm. K. Bright (Silversmiths) Ltd, Progress Works, Malinda Street, was active between 1995 and 1997, but its relationship to the earlier ‘K. Bright’ is unknown.

^1. Booth, G, Diamonds in Brown Paper (Sheffield, 1988)