This cutlery business can be traced to 1848. The first owner James Ellis (1828-1896?), a scissors manufacturer in Edward Street/Daisy Walk.  He and his wife Elizabeth had two sons: Harry (1861-1922) and Fred (1869-1935).  By 1911, Harry and Fred were scissors and razor manufacturers and cutlery casters at Globe Works, Penistone Road (the former factory of Ibbotson Bros). The brothers’ partnership ended during the First World War and they began separate cutlery firms.

Harry Ellis & Sons was based at Albany Works, Radford Street.  The firm advertised in a trademark directory (Whitham & Vickers, 1919). Harry Ellis’s offered the usual range of Sheffield cutlery, including stainless table knives. Harry Ellis died on 27 February 1922, leaving £7,649.  The firm ceased trading.  

In 1916, Fred Ellis and his sons – William Frederick and John – launched Fred Ellis & Sons at Globe Works. It advertised cutlery trademarked ‘PEERLESS’ in 1921.  However, it was bankrupt in 1924. The partners blamed a business slump for liabilities of £4,617, against assets of £1,332 (Sheffield Daily Telegraph, 21 March 1924).  Fred Ellis’s ‘successor’ was A. E. Ellis & Co.