The Blake family came from Wath, near Rotherham, and moved to Sheffield in the late eighteenth century.  By 1787, Thomas Blake Sen. had founded a file making business, but his sons – John and Thomas – later became merchants.  John Blake (1783-1832) was Master Cutler in 1831.  He laid the cornerstone of the new Cutlers’ Hall in June 1832, but within ten weeks succumbed to the cholera epidemic that swept Sheffield.  He died after only a few hours’ illness at Port Mahon on 30 August 1832.  The epidemic killed over 400.  Blake was buried on the same day as his death in the cholera burial ground, Norfolk Park, where his status afforded him an individual tomb and gravestone (separate from the mass grave), which was laid by his surviving brothers. 

His half-brother, Thomas (1792-1868) became Master Cutler in 1836.  He was a merchant, file, and table knife manufacturer in Portobello.  In 1816, Thomas married Elizabeth Greaves (1794-1865), the daughter of William Greaves of Sheaf Works.  Thomas later became a partner in Messrs Greaves.  The Blakes were also involved in a type-founding as Stephenson Blake (Blake, 1999).  In 1848, Thomas Blake built Norbury, an Italianate villa in Pitsmoor.  He died there on 5 August 1868, aged 76, and was buried in Ecclesall.  He left under £35,000.