City knife-making heritage thrives in new workshops at Kelham Island Museum

The story of excellence in Sheffield making has been brought right up-to-date at Kelham Island Museum this month with the opening of new workshops welcoming the latest generation of master craftspeople. The workshops have become home to makers from the Rodgers Wostenholm Group, the oldest knife making companies in Sheffield, whose Cutlers' Marks date back over 300 years.

The “Star and Cross” Mark used by Joseph Rodgers and Sons was granted by the Company of Cutlers in Hallamshire in 1682 and the I*XL mark of George Wostenholm and Son was granted in 1787. Their award-winning products helped build the global reputation of the Sheffield cutlery industry.

Today, the craftspeople now calling Kelham Island Museum home continue to combine form and function to produce heritage pocket-knives like the Little Mesters that went before them. The knives they make are sold globally and are truly “Made in Sheffield”. Rodgers Wostenholm Group is owned by past Master Cutler, Charles Turner, and this new base in Kelham Island Museum continues the tradition of making knives in the heart of Sheffield.

Bringing the Rodgers Wostenholm Group to Kelham Island Museum is all about making the general public aware of the ongoing legacy of the Little Mesters like Stan. The modern Mesters making the handmade pocketknives, Bowie knives and Commando daggers today that carry the Jospeh Rodgers and George Wostenholm legacy forward are all young and highly skilled. We are grateful to Kim Street MBE DL and Sheffield Museums Trust for letting us move into the workshops as the location will make manufacturing accessible to the public and tourists that visit the museum, plus we hope it will encourage more people to buy a bit of Sheffield's heritage once they have seen it being made.

Charles Turner MBE DL, Group Managing Director

The makers now on site continue the legacy of one of Sheffield’s best known Little Mesters, Stan Shaw (1926 – 2021). Stan held the previous lease on the workshop, which can be found in the museum’s ‘Little Mesters Street, an immersive recreation of Victorian Sheffield, when Little Mesters were at their peak.

Stan knew he wanted to make knives from the age of 14 and worked for some of the biggest names in Sheffield cutlery, including George Wostenholm, before setting up using his own Cutler’s Mark. Stan’s workshop bench remains as he left it and his knives remain collectors’ items, with many in the city’s collection.

Stan Shaw’s legacy has been further celebrated Kelham Island Museum this month with the installation of a new commemorative bust, supported by the Stan Shaw Memorial Appeal. Created by Sheffield artist Chris Denham, the bust was produced by Performance Engineered Solutions Ltd), Castings Technology International and Cobra Manufacturing.

Kelham Island Museum celebrates over 300 years of making excellence in Sheffield – our ambition is that the museum thrives as a place of energy, ideas and skills past, present and future inspiring the next generation of wondersmiths, engineers and entrepreneurs. We’re delighted to welcome Rodgers Wostenholm to the museum; one of the oldest knife-making companies in Sheffield yet at the forefront of contemporary practice/innovation and in demand at home and internationally – it’s a real pleasure to see them in action right here at Kelham Island Museum.

Kim Streets, Chief Executive at Sheffield Museums

Makers can often be seen at work in the Rodgers Wostenholm Group Workshop during museum opening hours Tue-Fri at Kelham Island Museum. Entry to the museum is free, but donations when visiting help ensure it is open and available for everyone to enjoy.

Header image: Colleagues from Rodgers Wostenholm Group and Sheffield Museums. Photo © Andy Brown