Percy Osborne began in the 1920s as a manufacturer of electro-plate cutlery, fish eaters, tea knives, children’s sets, jam spoons, butter and cake knives.  The address was Ball Lane, Carver Street.  Osborne was an exhibitor at the British Industries Fair (1929), where he offered the ‘cheapest price’.  The firm became a private limited company in 1942 (capital £1,000), which specialised in silver fish eaters and carvers.  In the late 1940s and early 1950s, the address remained Ball Lane.  By the 1970s, the company was based at Westwick Works, Solly Street.  Osborne Silversmiths Ltd, Solly Street, was the successor.  Percy Osborne was probably the individual of that name, who was born in 1883 and later lived at Bingham Park Road.  He died at Nether Edge Hospital on 30 August 1964, leaving £4,225. 

His son, Jack, took over the running of the business and later passed it to his adopted son, John.  However, ‘every morning around 6 am Jack visited the factory to clean the machinery and do any necessary maintenance’ (Herbert Housley, personal communication).  In the summer, he would mow his lawn at 4.00am. Osborne’s supplied cheap table cutlery to mail order companies (information from Vin Malone).  Osborne’s was eventually acquired by Nickel Blanks.  Percy Osborne’s records were deposited with Sheffield Archives, alongside those of Frederick Beatson & Sons, with which it shared premises at 68 Headford Street.