The Company of Cutlers in

Hallamshire Hallamshire (or Hallam) is the historical name for an area of South Yorkshire, England, approximating to the current City of Sheffield local government area. The origin of the name is uncertain. The English Place-Name Society describe "Hall ...

is a trade

guild A guild ( ) is an association of artisans and merchants who oversee the practice of their craft/trade in a particular area. The earliest types of guild formed as organizations of tradesmen belonging to a professional association. They sometim ...

metalworker Metalworking is the process of shaping and reshaping metals to create useful objects, parts, assemblies, and large scale structures. As a term it covers a wide and diverse range of processes, skills, and tools for producing objects on every scale ...

s based in

Sheffield Sheffield is a city in South Yorkshire, England, whose name derives from the River Sheaf which runs through it. The city serves as the administrative centre of the City of Sheffield. It is historically part of the West Riding of Yorkshire ...

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe ...

. It was incorporated in 1624 by an

Act of Parliament Acts of Parliament, sometimes referred to as primary legislation, are texts of law passed by the legislative body of a jurisdiction (often a parliament or council). In most countries with a parliamentary system of government, acts of parliame ...

. The head is called the

Master Cutler The Master Cutler is the head of the Company of Cutlers in Hallamshire established in 1624. Their role is to act as an ambassador of industry in Sheffield, England. The Master Cutler is elected by the freemen of the company on the first Monday o ...

. Its motto is french: 1=Pour Y Parvenir a Bonne Foi, links=yes, lit=To Succeed through Honest Endeavour. In the original act of Parliament, the company was given jurisdiction over: :"all persons using to make Knives, Blades, Scissers, Sheeres, Sickles, Cutlery wares and all other wares and manufacture made or wrought of yron and steele, dwelling or inhabiting within the said Lordship and Liberty of Hallamshire, or within six miles compasse of the same".Sheffield Records Online
Sheffield Master Cutlers and Apprentices Cutlers Hall 908

This was expanded to include other trades by later acts, most notably steelmakers in 1860. In the same year the Company was given the right to veto any proposed name of a

limited company In a limited company, the liability of members or subscribers of the company is limited to what they have invested or guaranteed to the company. Limited companies may be limited by shares or by guarantee. In a company limited by shares, the li ...

anywhere in the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and ...

which contains the word "Sheffield". It also supplies marks to approved cutlers and promotes Sheffield steelware. The company has been based at

Cutlers' Hall Cutlers' Hall is a Grade II* listed building in Sheffield, England, that is the headquarters of the Company of Cutlers in Hallamshire. It is located on Church Street, opposite Sheffield Cathedral, in Sheffield City Centre. History and arch ...

(opposite the

cathedral A cathedral is a church that contains the ''cathedra'' () of a bishop, thus serving as the central church of a diocese, conference, or episcopate. Churches with the function of "cathedral" are usually specific to those Christian denominations ...

on Church Street) since 1638. The current hall is the third to have been built on the site. The second was built in 1725 and the third in 1832. It was extended in 1867 and 1888. It was listed a Grade II*

listed building In the United Kingdom, a listed building or listed structure is one that has been placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Historic Environment Scotland in Scotland, in Wales, and the Northern I ...

in 1973. It is used for formal functions and award ceremonies for local businesses. Members of the company are called freemen and currently number 447. The Master Cutler is elected each year from the freemen within the company. He or she also has 2 Wardens, 6 Searchers and 24 Assistants. The Company also employs a Clerk for administration and a

Beadle A beadle, sometimes spelled bedel, is an official of a church or synagogue who may usher, keep order, make reports, and assist in religious functions; or a minor official who carries out various civil, educational, or ceremonial duties on the ...

to perform ceremonial duties. Since 1625, the Company has held an annual

feast A banquet (; ) is a formal large meal where a number of people consume food together. Banquets are traditionally held to enhance the prestige of a host, or reinforce social bonds among joint contributors. Modern examples of these purposes i ...

, inviting prominent people in order to showcase Sheffield's industry. The Master Cutler for 2011–12 was

Pamela Liversidge Pamela Edwards Liversidge (born 1949) was the first female president of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers. Life She was born 23 December 1949 (née Humphries) and graduated with a BSc in Mechanical Engineering from Aston University.

, the first woman to hold this position. The Master Cutler for October 2017–2018 (the 379th) was Ken Cooke.

References

External links

*
Cutlers Co (of "Hallamshire")
at ''Grace's Guide to British Industrial History'' {{Sheffield companies Economy of Sheffield 1624 establishments in England Guilds in England Livery companies Companies established in 1624 Cutlers Organisations based in Sheffield

References

Further reading

External links