An advertisement had an establishment date of 1875, but the firm was not registered until 1920 (capital £15,000) by William Henry Mottershaw (1875-1938), George Francis Rowe (1880-1955), J. and H. N. Shreeves, and E. Barnes. 

Rowe was Lincolnshire-born and had been a partner at Bird’s.  Mottershaw was an edge-tool warehouseman, before operating Mottershaw & Co, a cutlery manufacturer in 9 Westfield Terrace.  He died at Clarion Club, Hathersage Road, on 18 September 1938, leaving £2,053. 

Mottershaw & Rowe was based at Pompton Works, 82 Tenter Street, until the early 1950s. G. F. Rowe died at Bannerdale Road on 17 May 1955, leaving £5,021.  Pompton Works moved to 48 Garden Street.  The firm sold stainless table cutlery and boxed sets, using various trade marks, such as ‘PERMANENT’ (once owned by Thomas Raynes) and ‘DUCHESS’.  It also acquired the ‘909’ mark of Robinson & Oates.  It ceased operating in the 1980s.