Isaac Samuel Dearden (1901-1979) was born in Sheffield, the son of Isaac Dearden, a salesman, and his wife, Annie Jane Beatrice.  After 1945, he partnered William A. C. Goff in Goff & Dearden, which was a cutlery manufacturer in Monmouth Lane.  In 1951, it was dissolved.  Dearden then launched his own company, which by 1957 was at Dacre Works, Dacre Street.  It formed the nucleus of the ‘Monogram’ Cutlery Group at Dacre Works, Liverpool Street (off Newhall Road). 

Dearden’s policy of ‘Steel Ingot to Finished Product’ led to the acquisition of Stamforge (Sheffield) Ltd, F. A. Kirk, and James Deakin & Sons.  The group sold stainless knives, spoons, scissors, and shears.  Trade marks included Dearden’s initials on a shield and the word ‘MONOGRAM’; the mark of Shaw & Fisher; and ‘LUSTARE’ of E. Bingham, which was re-registered in 1956. 

The firm was bankrupt by 1969, when the founder’s son, Denis Samuel Dearden (1928-2005), was director.  He lived at Brimington, Derbyshire, and died, aged 77, at Ashgate Hospice.  He was cremated at Chesterfield (Derbyshire Times, 17 January 2006).  Amefa (Richardson Sheffield) acquired the brand.