Thomas Short Jun. (1822-1882) was a merchant, who was born in Birmingham.  His father was a corn agent, married to Harriet.  In 1841, they were living in Lionel Street, Birmingham.  Thomas was working as an office clerk, perhaps in his father’s business.  By the end of that decade, he was listed as an East India merchant in Graham Street, Birmingham.  He traded in Sheffield and Birmingham goods.  Several surviving Bowie knives carry the name ‘Thomas Short Jun., Sheffield’.  and are depicted in Adams et al (1990)¹, Palmer et al (2002)², and Burton (1988)³.   Some must have been shipped directly to Australia, according to the acid-etching (one example in Burton has the slogan: ‘FOR AUSTRALIA’).   Short lived at Harborne, Birmingham; Great Malvern; and Surbiton.  He died at Great Malvern on 15 November 1882, aged 60.  He left a sizeable fortune, which was resworn at £44,745 (£3.6m at current prices).

^1. Adams, W, Voyles, J B, and Moss, T, The Antique Bowie Knife Book (Conyers, Georgia, 1990)
^2. Palmer, Ben et al, Bowie Knives and Bayonets of the Ben Palmer Collection (2nd edition, 2002).
^3. Burton, Kenneth J, A Sure Defence: The Bowie Knife Book (Balmain, NSW, 1988)