Joseph Cantrell (sometimes spelled Cantrill) was born in Ecclesfield in about 1800.  In 1841, he was listed as fruiterer and table knife hafter in Infirmary Road, where he lived with his wife, Frances.  He was later joined by his sons – Joseph, Richard, Alfred, Arthur, and Edward Arthur.  Joseph Jun. died in 1851 from consumption.  His father was now a table knife manufacturer, based at Bath Yard, Green Lane.  Other Cantrells operated from Bath Yard: namely, Henry Cantrell (c.1793-1859), a table knife cutler, and his family (coincidentally, the name of Henry’s wife was Frances).  In 1854 – when the business was listed as ‘& Sons’ – Joseph moved from Bath Yard to Portobello Works.  The next move was to Eldon Street (1856).  By 1860, when it advertised in the directory, the firm was based in Trippet Lane/Rockingham Lane and manufactured table knives, cooks’, palette, and glaziers’ knives.  In 1864, the partnership included Joseph, Alfred, and Richard – though in that year, Richard withdrew.  Joseph died on 13 March 1867, aged 66, leaving under £1,500.

In 1871, the firm was at Italian Works, Eyre Street, and Duke Street, with Alfred and Edward Arthur Cantrell as partners.  According to the Census (1871), Alfred, a 34 year-old ‘table knife manufacturer’, employed 40 men.  In 1872, their partnership was dissolved.  Alfred continued J. Cantrell & Sons in Napier Street, but by 1881 he and his family had moved to Morecambe, where he became an ironmonger.  He apparently died in 1919, aged 82.  Edward Arthur Cantrell (1846-1931) launched his own table knife business – E.A. Cantrell & Sons – at Matilda Works, Matilda Street.  It apparently operated until about 1918.