John Shaw (c.1816-1879) was a razor manufacturer, who worked (and lived) in Copper Street by the 1830s.  He was born in Stannington.  He may have been the son of Joseph Shaw, who was also a razor maker living next door in Copper Street.  In 1850, John Shaw was sued in trade mark case by Charles Pitts because Shaw had used a mark resembling Pitts’ cannon mark.  The case was dismissed.

John Shaw died in Copper Street on 24 April 1879, aged 63, and was buried at Wardsend Cemetery.   The firm continued as John Shaw & Sons, with the addition of John’s sons Thomas, Frederick, and John (another son, Joseph, died in 1873, aged 33).  The firm advertised in The Foreign Buyers’ Catalogue (1895) from Secure Works, Copper Street.  By 1901, it had moved to Eldon Street.  It was next based in Wheeldon Street until after the First World War, but apparently became defunct during the 1920s.  Shaw’s had several trademarks, including ‘SECURE’ (with a picture of a chain).   This mark was owned by Thomas Ellin by 1919.  Other marks were ‘AURORA’ and ‘NIL DESPERANDUM’.