John Henry Longden was born in Sheffield in 1855, the son of Robert and Martha Longden.  His father was a table knife cutler and beer house keeper in Hollis Croft, who by 1871 had moved to 219 Penistone Road.  Robert Longden eventually became a full-time shop keeper.  John Henry Longden also trained as a table knife cutler and later combined this with running the family shop.  By 1893, he had formed J.H. Longden & Sons, manufacturer of table, pen, and pocket knives, Philadelphia Mill, Penistone Road.  By 1901, the address was Bramwell Street, though John Henry still operated the grocery shop in Penistone Road.  He died on 30 June 1907, aged 61, leaving £1,766.  The local press noted that he had formerly been a member of the Ecclesall Board of Guardians and was a Liberal.  He was buried at Walkley Cemetery.