manah

Originally Posted by manah

There are/were many Rodgers families on the Sheffield land.
1. George Rodgers, 150 Broad Lane. In 1849, G. Rodgers was listed as a spring knife and razor manufacturer in Edward Street, with a house in Broad Lane.
2. George Rodgers & Company. This cutler advertised in the Sheffield directory of 1839.
3. John Rodgers & Sons. The name first appears in a Sheffield directory, 1849, as a table and spring knife manufacturer in Bridge Street.
An interesting sidelight is thrown on John Rodgers's history by a legal case, which was launched in about 1840 by Joseph Rodgers & Sons. The latter took Nowill to court for infringing its name by selling knives stamped "J.Rodgers & Sons", with V(crown)R. According to Joseph Rodgers & Sons, the firm of "John Rodgers & Sons" never existed.
4. Joseph Rodgers & Company. According to trade advertisement, this company was founded in 1800 (through that may refer to the granting of its "3436" trademark). The name doesn't appear in Sheffield directories until 1871, when the firm of Joseph Rodgers was listed as a spring knife manufacturer at No.29 Norfolk Street. In that directory it was described as "successor to John Rodgers & Sons".
5. R.Rodgers & Sons. This business, which was formed after the death of C.W.Rodgers in 1860, should not be confused with Richard Rodgers & Son. The "R" denotes Rhoda, who inherited the enterprise after the death of her husband.
6. Richard Rodgers & Sons. In 1841, Richard Henry Rodgers (aged 58) and his son of the same name (aged 20) were spring knife cutlers working in Porter Brook Yard.
7. William Rodgers.
8. James Rodgers - the Unwin & Rodgers trademark.
9. And Joseph Rodgers & Sons.
According to the form of your blade. I think, the Joseph Rodgers & Sons company is closer.
From Henry T.Lummus article:
"In 1821, Joseph Rodgers and Sons secured an appointment as cutlers to His Majesty King George IV, an honor which encouraged them to greater efforts and stimulated their competitors. About that time arose the practices of scoring the top and bottom of the tang with file-cuts or flutings to keep the fingers from slipping, and of stamping the initial of the sovereign (G R, which became WR on the accession of William IV in 1830, and VR when the reign of Queen Victoria began in 1837)".
So. Jimmy, I'm sure, your razor was made before 1821.