The records of the Company of Cutlers contain an early mention of Vincent Bradbury (c.1764-1823): he was the son of John (deceased), who was apprenticed to Maurice Rodgers – presumably of Joseph Rodgers & Sons – and granted his Freedom in 1791.   In that year, Vincent married Elizabeth (1772-1844), the daughter of cutler John Staniland.  However, his name did not appear in a Sheffield directory until 1822, when he was listed as a manufacturer of pen, pocket, and sportsmen’s knives at 7 Arundel Street.  It was his last appearance.  He died on 19 November 1823, aged 59, and was buried at St Peter & St Paul churchyard.  ‘He enjoyed an uninterrupted state of good health until the last four days before his death’ (Sheffield Independent, 6 December 1823).   

His widow, Elizabeth, was listed in 1825 at 8 Arundel Street as a pen, pocket, and sportsmen’s knife manufacturer.  By 1828, the business was styled ‘Elizabeth Bradbury & Son’.  She and Vincent had two sons: Vincent Jun. (1794-1877) and Samuel Vincent (1799-?).   It is unclear who was the partner in the business, but in 1833 Elizabeth’s name had disappeared and was replaced by Samuel’s as a pen knife manufacturer at 8 Arundel Street.  He lived at Nether Slack, near Owlerton, where he operated a forge and tilt with Joseph Burkinshaw.  This brief partnership was dissolved in 1834.  Samuel continued to work as a cutler in Sheffield and by 1845 was listed at Brown Street.  But his name disappeared from directories and his death date has not been traced.

Vincent Jun. continued to live at Arundel Street and work as a spring knife cutler.  His mother, Elizabeth, died suddenly on 7 May 1844, aged 71.   Her death prompted an inquest at the Theatre Tavern, Arundel Street, which returned a verdict of ‘natural death from breaking a blood vessel in a fit of coughing’ (Sheffield Independent, 11 May 1844).  She was buried at St Peter & St Paul churchyard.  Vincent continued to be listed in directories as a cutler until the early 1860s.  He died, aged 82, on 23 January 1877 at Arundel Street.  His obituary noted that he had been employed by Joseph Rodgers & Sons for over sixty years and had been a bell ringer at the parish church for 47 years (Sheffield Daily Telegraph, 27 January 1877).  His burial was at the General Cemetery.