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« on: Friday 29 April 05 08:13 BST (UK) »
This is taken directly from the Spear & Jackson website- hope it's of some help!
"THE BEGINNINGS OF SPEAR & JACKSON
Spear & Jackson has a heritage as one of the world's oldest hand and garden tool manufacturers and it all started in 1760 with a draper named John Love who realised that a solid future lay ahead not in cloth but in steel. He set up a new business in the small town of Sheffield in Northern England, a natural choice for steelmaking thanks to three important local resources; iron ore, water from five local streams and easy access to refractory material in the local Pennine Hills.
Love was joined in partnership by Alexander Spear, a rich merchant from another local town called Wakefield. Between them Love & Spear met an essential need and ever-increasing demand.
By 1814 the business was in the capable hands of John Spear, Alexander's nephew but pressure of work required the assistance of an assistant and a young apprentice by the name of Sam Jackson was enrolled in "Ye Art, Trade or Mistery of Sawmaking". His first job was to carry blades from the forge to the grinding wheels but he soon proved his worth and in 1830 a new partnership was formed - Spear & Jackson!"
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