Edward Bluton (1819 -1911) was a High Street jeweller in Stourbridge. He was the son of John Blurton (1787-1856, who was a watch and clock maker in the town. John died on 20 May 1856, aged 68, and Edward inherited the business. It had specialised in long grandfather clocks, but Edward transformed it into a more typical high street jeweller. It sold presentation plate and clocks and had an optician’s department. Another outlet was opened at Dudley. At the start of the 1890s, Edward handed over to his son, Richard Albert Blurton (1869-1931). Edward died on 26 January 1911, aged 91, at 33 Market Street. His obituary said little about his business career, but emphasised his worthiness as a Presbyterian, who ‘was never seen in the hurly burly of public life’ (The County Express, 28 January 1911). His burial was at Stourbridge Cemetery. His estate was resworn at £6,954.

Richard Albert Blurton continued the business. However, he died on 18 January 1931, aged 61, after a car crash. He had collided with a Midland Red bus, which was on the wrong side of the road (Dundee Evening Telegraph, 29 January 1931).  Richard left £29,808. His funeral was at Stourbridge Cemetery & Crematorium. It seems that Blurton’s ceased trading after his death.  However, the Blurton name was resurrected by Richard Henry Eames (1883-1963).  He was a qualified optician, who had worked for jewellers W. H. Douglas (which was also on High Street, Stourbridge). Eames acquired W. H. Douglas and began to opening other shops, such as one at Dudley. In 1939, Richard and his son, Geoffrey Harold (1915-1976), registered E. Blurton Ltd as a private company. Capital was £1,550 and the address was High Street, Stourbridge. In the same year, the Eames also registered W. H. Douglas (Stourbridge) Ltd with £2,800 capital. By the 1960s, the Eames group of companies had branches in Stourbridge, Birmingham, Dudley, and Sutton Coldfield. Blurton’s jewellery shop in Stourbridge was demolished in the early 1970s to make way for the development of new buildings. However, the Eames family continued to operate as the Geoffrey Richard group of jewellers, which included The House of Douglas.

If you have any information about the knife or the maker, please share it with us via enquiries@hawleytoolcollection.com