The Oakes family was involved in fine scissors manufacture at Pond Lane. Widow Oakes was listed in 1787, using a trade mark with symbols resembling ‘u . 3’. Her deceased husband may have been Enoch Oakes, a scissors maker, who was granted his Freedom in 1749. The parish register listed the burial of Enock [sic] Oakes on 1 September 1786, who was designated ‘poor’. The identification, as usual, is not entirely certain.
Enoch apparently had at least one son: this was Enoch, who was granted his Freedom as a scissors maker in 1792. By the early 1790s, William & John Oakes were active as scissors makers at Pond Lane. They were the sons of Enoch and became Freemen in 1791 and 1792, respectively. They parted in 1793, though John continued to trade at Pond Street, using the family trade mark. He was listed in the directory of 1797, but not thereafter. The parish register recorded the burials of John Oakes on 28 May 1801; and William on 27 April 1806.