The partners were Joseph Oakes, Samuel Tompkin, and Thomas Ward – merchants, manufacturers, dealers, and chapmen in cutlery.  Oakes, Tompkin & Ward was apparently based in Wellington Street, Wellington Place – later the site of Washington Works of Geo. Wostenholm – and was active in the early 1830s.  It was dissolved at the end of 1835.  The partners are difficult to trace, but one may have been Joseph Oakes, gentleman, Nelson Place, Glossop Road, who died on 22 January 1857 (aged 60).  He was buried in the General Cemetery (unconsecrated section).   Samuel Tompkin (c.1768-1835) may have been the merchant, who was born in Clowne, Derbyshire, and died there on 6 January 1835, aged 67.   Apparently, his son – Samuel Jun. – was a partner in Brown & Tompkin, which was a cutlery merchant in Union Street.  John Brown was the other principal.  This enterprise shipped table knives, scissors, and razors to the USA;  but it, too, ended in 1835.   Samuel Jun. died in 1837 (aged 37) at his residence in Charlotte Street and on 19 October was buried at Ecclesall (like his father).