George Barnsley & Sons Ltd specialised in tools for shoe makers and leather workers. The building closed around 2004.
George Barnsley & Sons, Sheffield
– October 21, 2008Posted in: Industrial
Hi I worked for Geo Barnsley & Sons for about six years leaving in the early 1990,s.I was a scale tang cutler but I also did taper grinding and inspection.I remember many happy times there.I remember my colleagues mentioned above I also had some very interesting chats with Mr Henry Barnsley.I took early retirement in 2006 after spending 16 years at Richardsons (laser) Ltd.I often wondered happened at Barnsleys I always assumed that after the Globe works was modernised the company would move to new premises.
hi, i worked at george barnsley & sons from 1978 -2003 & was the last employe to work for them. i was a handtool maker & also did hardening on a lead furnace,over the years & redundancy to fellow work colleagues i ended up doing all jobs they did . i.e forge work.stamping out blades,grinding, setting machines,temp blades ,& many other jobs the list goes on.i had a very bad accident at work in jan 2003 & av not worked since , i have some very good memories of my time there
hi
i worked for george barnsley from 1985 to 2001 and i knew henry barnsley very well along with his son andrew who took over the running of the buisness,both were very good to work for and i enjoyed all the time i worked there. they made a vast range of tools that were used all over the world. i wouod be interested to know of anyone from the time i worked there. very sad to here of its demise some years ago. i still visit the area from time to time for nostalgia.
david
We use this tool to stretch out areas of the bunion when adapting orthopedic footwear as Mr Barnsley described.
Our tools are over 30 Years old and still going strong
In fact I found and old shoe box full of Barnsley tools last year hidden in a shoe polish machine they are now out of retirement and working again.
I am now running Geo. Barnsley & Sons Ltd at the same address as Woodware Repetitions Ltd, 47 Mowbray Street Sheffield S3 8EN 0114 2726060 e-mail
cjbarnsley@hotmail.com
I will be happy to try and help any query, PS the tool with the ring etc is used when the shoe maker or repairer wants to press out the leather because of a bunnion for example.
Kind Regards C R Barnsley
Sean, See you have a Geo. Barnsley tool catalogue. I have an unidentified Barnsley tool, perhaps you can help identifying it.
Total length 13 cm, wooden handle 9cm long, metal shaft squarish with 6mm conical point on end at right angles to shaft. Conical end has 2mm hole through both itself and shaft. Maybe used for threading in some way. Thanks for helping if you can.
regards MAC
Rob,
I have a Barnsley’s catalogue from the late 90s or early 00s when I visited the premises to buy a bridle cutter’s knife… I can dig it out when I get a moment if you like. The tool you describe sounds like something I’ve seen for stretching leather though, but not sure what the correct name is.
Yours Aye,
Sean
Its nice to be the first.
Where can I find a list ( and pref pics) of the tools made by Barnsley & Sons?
I am a leather worker in Australia , and I have been given a leather/shoe making tool that I can’t seem to identify.Even some of the experienced shoe makers / repairers can’t seem to identify it.
Its a scissor/spring action type tool,approx 15″ long, one ‘arm ‘ has a ring approx 1-1/4 ” at the end, and the other ‘arm’ has a round ball approx 3/4″ that goes inside the ring.
There is a marking on one of the arms, the letter ‘A’ with a pic of a shoe right next to it, and the number 17 on the back ( batch # perhaps?)
Some suggestions that I’ve had, ” for making buttons for button up boots”
Or, ” for pressing eyelets” ( its a bit big for that)
I have tried moulding ( moistened) thin leather with it, the end result is a piece of leather in the shape of a round ball.
I can only guess that its for moulding/shaping a particular part of a boot or shoe (?)
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks and all the best,
Rob
PS ( nice …., but sad pics)