Benjamin Beet (bapt. 1778-1843) was the son of Edward (a cutler) and his wife, Hannah.  Benjamin was apprenticed to his father and became a Freeman in 1803.  His father was probably the landlord at the Seven Stars in Trippet Lane.  Certainly, Benjamin followed the same career path.  In 1818, he was a pen and pocket knife maker at Bridgehouses.  At the start of the 1820s, although he was still making knives, Benjamin began running The Shakespeare.  This was a newly-opened public house in Gibraltar Street, which was built as a coaching inn, with cobbled passage leading to a courtyard.   By the 1830s, he had apparently retired as a victualler and moved to Shepherd Street, Shalesmoor.  In the Census (1841), he was enumerated at that address, living on his own means with his wife, Mary née Champion.  Benjamin Beet died on 9 February 1843, aged 64, and was buried at St Paul’s.  Mary died in 1859, aged 76.  The Shakespeare remained at 146/148 Gibraltar Street (Liversidge, 1999¹).

¹. Liversidge, Michael, Sheffield Public Houses (Sheffield, 1999)