Matthew Fenton & Richard Creswick
Fenton, Creswick & Co, a Sheffield partnership involving Matthew Fenton (an apprentice of Thomas Law), Richard Creswick and William Watson. Active as silversmiths and Sheffield platers they were among the first to enter their mark at the Sheffield Assay Office in 1773.
Fenton left the firm in 1789 and was replaced by Edward Oakes. The firm became Fenton, Creswick, Oakes & Co. In 1795 the partnership was dissolved and the business carried on as Watson & Co, a partnership of Thomas Watson, James Fenton and Thomas Bradbury I (a former apprentice of the firm).
Later, Thomas Bradbury II (son of Thomas Bradbury I) and William Watson (nephew of Thomas Watson) became partners.
When William Watson retired in 1831 the business passed to Bradburys (Thomas I and II) as Thomas Bradbury & Son. In 1855 the firm changed its name to Thomas Bradbury & Sons, under the partnership of Joseph and Edward Bradbury (sons of Thomas Bradbury II). In 1877 the partners were Thomas Bradbury III (brother of Joseph Bradbury) and John Sutherland Henderson. The partnership was dissolved in 1888 and the firm was managed by Walton Turner Bradbury, Joseph Bradbury Jr and Frederick Bradbury (sons of Joseph Bradbury Sr). Frederick Bradbury is the author of the fundamental book “A History of Old Sheffield Plate”.
The business was converted into a limited liability company in 1905, under the style Thomas Bradbury & Sons Ltd.