The Shiers family came to England before 1860. Its members were Austrian Jews, who settled in Manchester. One of them was Jacob, who worked first as a jewellery traveller. He and his wife, Annie, had several children, including sons, Saul (1861-1930) and Frederick Alberto (1863-1931).  The brothers were active as jewellers and auctioneers in Manchester (where they had an office at Exchange Street, near the Cathedral) and Blackpool.  Apparently, Frederick operated a short-lived venture, F. Shiers & Co. In 1890, the extensive stock of this business (mostly jewellery and watches) was auctioned (Sunderland Daily Echo, 25 April 1890).   Frederick (and Saul) would have sourced cutlery from Sheffield, when shear steel and xylonite were in vogue for table knives (in other words, the years before 1914).

Frederick later joined Saul in S. Shiers & Co, auctioneers and jewellers, Blackpool, but this was dissolved in 1905.  Saul continued the business with other family members (such as Mark Shiers and George Shiers). In 1922, Saul seems to have retired, when he withdrew from a partnership with George Norcross Wilkinson. Saul Shiers died on 17 June 1930 and was buried at Blackpool Jewish Cemetery. He left £125.

Frederick launched a successful business as a waterproof garment manufacturer, which operated as Shiers, Ferguson & Co, at Strangeways, Manchester. He died on 29 October 1931, leaving £112,654, and net personalty of £2,210 (‘as far as can be ascertained at the present time’). He had been a trustee of Higher Broughton Synagogue (Yorkshire Post & Leeds Intelligencer, 23 May 1932).