Thread: Help for datation - Fox razor inside

Thank you sharptonn

I have done similar searches for Rodgers razors and, man ! this was way easier... Big company, long history, well documented...

Here, it seems like when I think I have found something, two hours later it appears to be false... Or maybe finally true the next day...

It makes me look in every direction and that is really much more interesting.

Currently, I try to find out how the company of cutlers was organized (apprentices, freemen, masters, etc)... and things are not that easy...

For example: William Fox, son of Stephen, was apprentice to Thomas Rose, his master, and freed in 1740. And Thomas rose was made Master cutler in 1742 (source: http://www.cutlers-hallamshire.org.u...rs,%202011.pdf)... There is a confusion between master (of an apprentice) and the Master cutler, elected (by whom ?) every year:

There has been an annually elected Master Cutler since August, 1624, except during the two World Wars. There are a number of men who served more than one year, but in the early years, it is not possible to say whether the same name refers to the same person.

Was it possible to have apprentices as soon as you were freed ? Did you need to wait, to take some kind of tests, to be allowed by the company ? No idea... Could you stamp your name when freed ? No idea...

So many questions...