Harrison Brothers & Howson

By 1900 Harrison Brothers & Howson was one of the biggest cutlery firms in Sheffield, England. It started with Thomas Sansom, a silver plate worker at Norfolk Street, Sheffield, who registered his mark at the Sheffield assay office in 1808 and went on to form the firm of Thomas Sansom & Sons in partnership with his sons Abraham, John and William Sansom. George Howson, who was likely apprenticed as a cutler in 1803, later became a partner at Thomas Sansom & Sons . George died in 1847 and the business was acquired by the two Harrison brothers – James William and Henry together with George’s son William Howson, forming Harrison Brothers and Howson. They took on different roles in the firm, with Henry Harrison moving to America to represent their interests there. Henry became a Master Cutler in 1862. William Howson became a traveller for the firm, but resigned from the partnership in 1875 and died in 1884. The Harrisons continued to expand the business achieving a Royal Warrant from Queen Victoria and later one from King Edward VIII. but by the end of the century most of the Harrisons had passed out of the business.