Founded by George Barnsley in 1836, George Barnsley and Sons Ltd., started life buying pre-cut blanks from the local steel mills and crafting them into files to sell on Wheeldon Street in the Brook Hill area of the city. The business grew and by around 1850 they had moved to a factory at Cornish Place on the Don. Here they specialized in forged filing and cutting tools for the leather workers and shoemakers. In 1883 George Barnsley was Master Cutler.
Records show that in 1849 they had moved to Cornhill and then in 1852 onto the Cornish works, Cornish Street. The tools on offer had increased their product range to include steel files, butchers, and shoe knives.
Sadly, the end of World War II was the beginning of the decline for Sheffield’s Tool and Cutlery industry in general and George Barnsley’s was no exception. In an attempt to slow this decline the firm started to modernise the machinery, adding a plate machine and a precision lathe. Loyal customers and an injection of cash from the War Damages Commission helped see the company through a trying period.
George Barnsley passed away at home, aged 83, No 30 Collegiate Crescent in 1958. He lived there with his wife Mabel and mother-in-law Elizabeth. The business became a limited company roughly 10 years before his death. George also had a long army career, first joining up in 1896 and going on to serve in the Boer war and both world wars. As Colonel Barnsley, he played a leading part in the development of the Army Cadet Force in Sheffield.
Production of files finally ceased in the 1970’s and the factory eventually closed around 2003, when the final 3 workers were laid off.
