Bradbury (1912)¹ once remarked on the ‘perplexing complications encountered by any one seeking to unravel the intricacies of the old plating partnerships’; adding that ‘frequently changing combinations … included not only members of the same family or non-related bearers of the same surname, but also individuals who in some cases were principals in two or three distinct concerns’.   The Settle family typify these problems.   The name occurs frequently in the Sheffield Assay Office Register and the pages of The London Gazette.   But divining the family and business linkages is a frustrating exercise.

In 1773, Thomas Sattle [sic] was one of the first to register a silver mark (with partners Richard Morton, Thomas Warris, John Winter, Samuel Roberts, John Elam, John Eyre, and Nathaniel Smith).  The address was Brinsworth Orchard, near Fargate.   Judging by the marks (‘R M & Co’ and ‘R.M’) this combination was led by Richard Morton.  On the same day in 1773, Samuel Roberts & Co registered a mark (S R & Co’) at Brinsworth Orchard (the partners were Roberts himself, John Elam, John Winter, Thomas Sattle [sic], John Eyre, and Samuel Smith.  Thus, as Bradbury highlights, these two contiguous firms had roughly the same partners, but were led by different individuals.  In 1780, Thomas Settle and Thomas Warris registered a mark (‘T S & Co’) at Brinsworth Orchard (though to add to the complications in 1778 the unidentified partners of Naylor & Settle registered a silver mark at Coalpit Lane; and in 1781 Thomas Settle registered a silver mark from Union Street).

Apparently, the Thomas Settle in most (perhaps all) of these combination was listed in the Sheffield directory (1787) as Thomas Settle & Co, a silver cutler at Brinsworth’s Orchard.   His mark was a Maltese cross and ‘SET’.  He was Master Cutler in 1785.   The family may have come from Thornhill, Brighouse, near Huddersfield.  One candidate, Thomas Settle (son of Thomas), was baptised on 27 May 1730 at Rastrick.  In Sheffield, Thomas Settle had two daughters, Mary (bapt.1764-1828) and Jenny (bapt.  1769-1848), and a son, Thomas (bapt.1775-1850).   Thomas Settle (either the father or son) was a partner with several silver platers around Fargate after the 1780s.   Those involved included Joseph Wilson, Richard Morton, John Morton, William Newbould, Thomas Holy,  Thomas Warris, Anthony Handley, and Thomas Sykes.   These partnerships began to break up in about 1805.

Thomas Settle died 10 March 1812 and was buried at St Paul’s churchyard.  In his will, he mentions his wife, Elizabeth, and his daughters, Mary and Jenny, and son, Thomas.  He was relatively prosperous and amongst his bequests was £500 to Jenny (perhaps because she was a spinster).  His other daughter, Mary, had married John Roberts, a silver plater associated with Green, Roberts & Mosley in Market Place.  A report of the marriage described the bride as an ’agreeable young lady, with a genteel fortune’ (Sheffield Public Advertiser, 31 August 1787).  Mary and John had a son, John Winter, and two daughters, Eliza and Mary.  The latter married Thomas Sutton, who was Vicar of Sheffield.  (On the basis of a surviving silhouette, R. E. Leader described Thomas Settle, Master Cutler, as ‘a precise gentleman, with fine Roman nose, endowed with all the dignity befitting a vicar’s brother-in-law’.  Unfortunately, Thomas was not the brother-in-law of the Vicar.)

One of Thomas’ executors was John Settle.  He is not identified as a son and may have been a relative (possibly a nephew).   Combing the parish register in Sheffield finds John Settle, son of John (a cutler), who was baptised on 30 May 1766.  John Settle’s name occurs several times in the printed sources.  For example, he was involved with Daniel Barnard, William Hatfield, and Joseph Hunter in the 1790s and early 1800s.  By 1805 (when a silver mark was registered), he had joined Samuel Mosley and John Roberts as a silver plater in Market Place (this was the successor to Green, Roberts & Mosley).   John Roberts died in 1807.  His widow and executor, Mary, continued briefly as a partner, but she withdrew in 1809.  Roberts, Mosley & Settle was left in the hands of Samuel Mosley, John Settle, and Mary’s young son, John Winter Roberts.   The latter, however, died on 16 June 1811, aged 22.   Three years later, Samuel Mosley died.  The firm now passed to John Settle and Thomas Settle (who was Mosley’s executor).  In 1815, they registered their own silver marks simultaneously, but as partners. 

John & Thomas Settle was based in Norfolk Street.  By 1825, when another silver mark was registered, the firm was styled John & Thomas Settle, Gunn & Co, silver and plate manufacturers in Norfolk Street.  The new partner was Joshua Thomas Gunn (1774-1853), who had been born at Southwark, London.  He had been a goldsmith at Hatton Garden and was presumably recruited to provide a link with the metropolis.  In the Sheffield directory (1825), the firm has a London agent, John Kidder Jun, at Hatton Garden.  By 1828, the London office was at Falcon Court, Fleet Street, and staffed by R. I. Martin.

In 1829, Settle, Gunn & Co was dissolved.  By then, it had another partner, Henry Wilkinson (see Henry Wilkinson & Co).  Gunn, who had moved to Sheffield, opened his Trinacria Wine Stores, on Norfolk Street.  John Settle died at his residence in Wilkinson Street on 8 August 1831, aged 65.  Thomas Settle retired to Brookhill and Wilkinson took over the firm.  Thomas died on 28 June 1850, aged 74, at Leavy Greave, ‘in the humble expectation of a better life’ (Sheffield Independent, 29 June 1850).   He was buried in St Paul’s churchyard.  Local sculptor Edwin Smith was commissioned to erect a memorial tablet to the Settles.  The inscription was detailed in The Sheffield Independent, 30 August 1851.  This is useful, because St James’ Church has been demolished.

^1. Bradbury, F, History of Old Sheffield Plate (London, 1912)