A scissor smith at Cheney Square, George Smith was first listed in a directory in 1816.  His later address until the 1820s was New Church Street, close to the present Cathedral.  George Smith brought his son, Joseph, into the business.  But they dissolved the partnership in 1825.  The Sheffield Independent, 17 September 1825, had a notice regarding a furniture sale at the residence of Mr Smith, New Church Street, because the latter was leaving Sheffield.  Unfortunately, Mr Smith was not identified and subsequent directory entries are confusing.  

In 1828, George Smith, scissors manufacturer, was listed at New Church Street; Joseph Smith, a scissor manufacturer, was at Arundel Street.  During the 1830s and until 1841, a scissors manufacturer (and furniture broker), George Smith, was active at Westbar Green and then Silver Street.  In 1833, Joseph Smith was a scissor and razor, pen, and table knife manufacturer at Workhouse Lane.  In 1834, newspaper reported the unexplained death in London of Joseph Smith, a Sheffield manufacturer, who had been found dead with several pairs of scissors in his pocket.  The inquest verdict was poisoning, though it was inconclusive whether this had been self-administered.  It is also uncertain whether this was the Joseph Smith discussed above (The Bucks Herald, 1 November 1834).