This enterprise was launched in the 1840s as a horn and scale cutter in Bow Street (a road that once led into West Street from Church Street).  The owner was William Horridge, who had been born in Sheffield in 1820.  He was apparently the son of George (a cutler) and Elizabeth.  In the early 1850s, Horridge moved to Fargate, where his address was Pool Works.  He provided the cutlery trade with handles in stag, buck, horn, wood, buffalo, and bone.  The trade expanded swiftly and by 1861 Horridge employed ten men, three boys, and a woman.  He was living in Northumberland Road in one of the better-class districts.   Industries of Sheffield (1888)¹ stated that Horridge not only supplied the Sheffield trade, but also exported horn to Germany, America, and Sweden.  Stag and buffalo horn for cutlery were the staples, but walking stick handles, combs, and piano keys (in ivory) supplemented this trade.  William Horridge, The Hollies, Newbould Lane, died on 26 June 1899, aged 79, and was buried in Fulwood.  He left £12,629.  

His sons, Joseph and George, had entered the business.   The grandson of the founder, Adrian Horridge (an Australian neurobiologist), related subsequent events:  ‘After World War I, when plastics began to come in, the firm did not want to retool and start in a completely new industry.  Also, because this was an old family company there were too many fingers in the pie – about 10 part-owners were taking out profits all the time – and that was not economic.  So in 1921 the factory was sold (for £15,000, when you could buy a house for £100) to the Provincial Cinematograph Theatre Limited, and became a picture palace’ (Horridge, 2002²).

^1. The Industries of Sheffield:  Business Review (1888)
^2. Horridge, Adrian, ‘Interview with Professor Bob Crompton’ (2002).  Posted at: https://www.science.org.au/learning/general-audience/history/interviews-australian-scientists/professor-adrian-horridge