-
-
Cutlers' Hall -
Main hall -
Banqueting hall -
Chandelier from the RMS Olympic -
-
Master Cutler -
1805 Britannia metal tobacco jar in Kelham Island Museum -
Gigantic snuff grinder from Wilson's of Sharrow in Kelham Island Museum -
A pair of snuff grinders -
Interpretation board for the snuff grinders -
2025-26 Unsquared Masters visit the Cutlers of Hallamshire
12th July 2026Sheffield
Not the Cutlers' Feast ...
...but 24 hours in Sheffield with 50 Masters and Consorts for our first 2025–26 Unsquared get-together.
All I know about Sheffield isn't very much. I know that Sheffield was an industrial powerhouse, that it was badly damaged in the Blitz, that it is the heart of the British cutlery industry, that Sheffield plate is world famous and that it has its own Assay Office. I know it has two universities and two football clubs.
I do know Yorkshire CCC used to play at Bramall Lane. My father scored 98 in a Roses match against Lancashire there in 1947, aged 20, with Len Hutton at the other end: an innings that set him on his way to becoming a Test cricketer.
That's about it. So this weekend was a wonderful opportunity to discover what I didn't know I'd been missing.
Setting off from Bath at 0900, we detoured via Chesterfield to visit the famous crooked spire of St Mary and All Saints', the largest church in Derbyshire. Whether the spire really twisted when the Devil landed on it, or simply because of the weight of the lead and medieval engineering is still open to debate, but it makes an unforgettable first impression as you drive up the hill into the town centre.
Continuing to the Radisson hotel in Sheffield's historic city centre, there was just enough time to enjoy cool drinks on the rooftop terrace as Masters gathered, while watching a colourful dance festival in the Peace Gardens below and children played in the fountains, all set against the backdrop of the magnificent Victorian Town Hall.
Just before 1730 we all made our way to the famous Cutlers' Hall, entering through the striking stainless steel double doors to be welcomed by the 386th Master Cutler, Professor Keith Jackson, and his Consort Dr Gina Jackson. He and I last met when we processed together at our Company's banquet in Mercers' Hall in October 2025.
We set off on a guided tour led by the Chief Executive of the Company of Cutlers in Hallamshire, Martin van Kan, taking us through room after room, each larger and grander than the last, as Martin explained the Company's remarkable history. The Hall is crammed with treasures, including doors, panelling and light fittings salvaged from the White Star Line's RMS Olympic, a remarkable collection of beautiful silver pieces and many examples of the cutler's skill. We marvelled at the giant Norfolk Knife, with its 74 separate blades and implements, made for the Great Exhibition of 1851, and many other remarkable things.
A champagne reception was followed by generous quantities of food and wine, with each table in turn offering a vote of thanks to the Master Cutler and the Master Chartered Architect, Chris Bicknell, for organising such an enjoyable occasion.
The Hall staff had installed a giant screen so that we could watch the first half of England's World Cup quarter-final against Norway. When the Hall closed at 2300, we migrated back to the bar in the Radisson, joining other guests to continue watching the match to the end. With England victorious, spirits were high and bedtime became an increasingly flexible concept. Unsurprisingly, there were a few guests at breakfast the following morning who could have benefited from an extra hour or two between the sheets.
On Sunday we walked down through Georgian streets and squares to the Kelham Island Museum on the River Don, where Sheffield's extraordinary industrial heritage is brought vividly to life. I was delighted to discover two enormous snuff grinding machines with an interpretation board amongst the exhibits. These had been removed from Wilson's of Sharrow during the factory's modernisation in the 1990s — a delightful and unexpected connection with our own Company's heritage. I suspect I was more excited by this discovery than anyone else in our party!
After a final browse around the gift shop and the purchase of a few bottles of Henderson's Relish —no museum visit is complete without acquiring something you didn't know you needed—we returned to the hotel, loaded the car and headed home to Bath in time to catch the Wimbledon Men's Singles Final.
It was a wonderful 24 hours. We are extremely fortunate to have been guests of the Cutlers for such a memorable Unsquared first gathering. We came away with a real appreciation of Sheffield's rich industrial history, a knowledge of cutlery (anything that cuts, but not forks or spoons) — and a promise to return with more time to enjoy the many museums and sights!