Catalogue c1940-1959; Picture Sheffield (arc00084) © SCC
Frank Barlow was born on 23 August 1912. By 1939, he was working in a cutlery warehouse. Slack & Barlow (incorporated in 1947) was based at Sycamore Street and Eyre Lane, where directors Frank Barlow and M. Barlow (probably Frank’s wife, Mary) produced flatware, table and pocket knives, and cases of cutlery for the mass market (marked ‘BARSLAC’). In 1958, they moved to the new Silverpride Works in Matilda Street, which traded into the 1980s. Herbert Housley recalled: ‘we traded between each other buying each other’s specialities. During the many years that I knew the owner, Frank Barlow … I never met a Slack, nor did he ever mention the name. I understand that Frank had been a manager in the spoon and fork department of Mappin & Webb before going into business on his own. It was always a thriving and prosperous company with a terrific trade in Australia where their inexpensive Silverpride EPNS, in attractive gift boxes, became best sellers. After leaving high school his son, John, joined the company’ (communication to author). The firm was dissolved in 1994.