This enterprise was a horn, ivory, buck, and stag merchant, which specialised in horn pressing for cutlery handles (and umbrellas and whips).  It can be traced to George Mettam, who was active as a horn presser in Hollis Croft by 1818 (when George Mettam & Son was listed).  The son was apparently Samuel Mettam (c.1787-1870), who was born in Scholes, Rotherham.  By 1822, Mettam, Roberts, & Mettam had been formed.  George Mettam, Springfield, died on 13 December 1826 (aged 69) and was buried in St Peter’s churchyard.  The firm became Roberts & Mettam (‘bottom of Howard Street’).  By 1833, it had relocated to Barker Pool, Fargate.  The other partner was James Roberts (c.1801-1853).

The firm was a leader in horn pressing and by 1837 had a New York agent in Platt Street.  In 1841, Roberts advertised a patent table knife, with a novel dovetail handle (see Standfield, Newbould & Baildon)  In the Census (1851), Roberts and Mettam provided separate employment figures, perhaps indicating that there were two sides to the business.  Roberts had a work roll of 40 men and 17 women; Mettam had 15 men, two boys, and three girls.  James Roberts, Tapton Ville, Broomhill, died from ‘bronchitis’ on 3 April 1853, aged 52.  He was buried in the General Cemetery.  His sons later launched Roberts & Co, Britannia metal and electro-platers.

In 1853, Roberts & Mettam was dissolved and the stock and tools auctioned (Sheffield Independent, 21 May 1853).  Samuel continued to be listed as a horn presser in Howard Street.  He had two sons by his wife Hannah – George Henry and James – who had joined the firm as clerks and lived with their father at Clough Cottage.  However, they did not succeed him.  James died on 6 June 1853, aged 30, from head injuries sustained after a drunken fall at night from the side of Clough goit (Sheffield Independent, 11 June 1853).  George Henry, who had been declared insolvent in 1845, died on 29 November 1856, aged 36.  They were buried in the General Cemetery.  Samuel died in Pond Street on 25 July 1870, aged 83.  He was given an unconsecrated burial in the General Cemetery, leaving under £1,000.  Thomas Hodgkinson (Samuel’s son-in-law) became his ‘successor’.  However, the Mettam family continued to be involved in the horn trade.  According to Wilmot Taylor (1927)¹, descendant Thomas Mettam was still pressing horn, aged 77.

^1. Taylor, Wilmot, The Sheffield Horn Industry (Sheffield, 1927)