Bradshaw was a common name in the cutlery trades.  Some of the Bradshaws specialised in the manufacture of table cutlery and trade knives, especially palette knives.  Several were named William and cutlers of that name were ubiquitous in Sheffield in the early nineteenth century. 

The photograph by the author shows a stone plaque preserved from one of the earliest businesses in Sheffield: ‘W. Bradshaw.  Cutler.  1750’. It was set into the brickwork of the factory of Footprint Tools at Hollis Croft. We know little about this man, though a William Bradshaw was listed in the 1787 directory as a pocket knife manufacturer in Holles (sic) Croft.  His trade mark was ‘BRADSHAW’.  If nothing else, the plaque is a reminder of the ancient roots of the cutlery trade in the backstreets of Sheffield.  The Footprint Tools factory has now been demolished to make way for student accommodation and the current location of the plaque is unknown.