Joseph Hinchliffe (the name was later spelled as Hinchsliffe) was descended from the well-known scissor-making family.  Joseph (bapt.1761-1807) was the son of John, a scissorsmith, who had died by the time his son was apprenticed to Robert Hinchliffe (presumably his uncle) in 1775.  He became a Freeman in 1792.  Apparently, he joined Broomhead, Hinchsliffe & Co, but withdrew in 1786.  In the following year, Joseph was listed as a fine scissors maker at Pond Lane.  His mark was a circle enclosing what appears to be a silhouette of a bird.  Joseph soon formed a partnership with Thomas Oates, but this was dissolved in 1788.  Another partnership – Hinchsliffe & Oates – ended in 1794.  The partners were Joseph and Thomas and Francis Oates.  

Joseph then left Sheffield for Dumfries in Scotland, where he worked as a jeweller.  He had married Sarah Walker, the daughter of John and Hannah Walker.  Joseph died at Dumfries on 12 August 1807, aged 47.  Sarah died in 1805, aged 36.  Their eldest son, Joseph Walker Hinchsliffe (1786-1865), operated a shop in Dumfries as a jeweller and silversmith.  He died at Alderman Hall, Dumfries, on 18 October 1865 (Dumfries & Galloway Standard, 25 October 1865).  The remains of the Hinchsliffe family (and of the Walkers) lie in the old graveyard at St Michael’s Church, Dumfries.  A large monument, built in red stone in the shape of a curved wall, surrounds the vault and dominates the north-east corner of the graveyard.