William Webster (1804-1866) and his brother Vincent (1802-1833) were the sons of Alexander Webster, a grinder, and his wife, Mary. The brothers were listed in 1828 as William & Vincent Webster, ‘late Oliver & Webster’ (for the history of the latter, see Oliver & Ogle). The Websters were described as manufacturers of Brownell’s [John Brownill] patent table knives, also pen, pocket, and table knives, at 11 Sycamore Street. Vincent died on 12 July 1833, aged 31, and was buried in Portobello. The Webster business remained in Sycamore Street.

Between about 1839 and 1846, William Webster apparently partnered Henry and Christopher Johnson (possibly the later owner of Western Works). Webster & Johnson was dissolved in 1846. William Webster then took sole control of the Sycamore Street premises.  He followed the usual trajectory for the prospering Sheffield merchant: he was Master Cutler in 1851 and by the 1860s had a substantial Victorian villa, Shirley House, which still stands in Psalter Lane.  He died there on 9 April 1866, aged 62, and was buried in Ecclesall churchyard. He left under £18,000.

His son, William (1838-1895), had been groomed to take over the firm, which was restyled William Webster & Son. It continued to expand by selling a wide range of cutlery. Bowie knives were made, including the fine example shown in Adams et al (1990), etched ‘I Am For Use, Try Me’.  Webster registered a silver mark in Sheffield in 1871; and used the trade mark of a stag’s head (picture) with the combination word ‘WILLSTER’. In 1881, the firm employed 67 workers and, besides the Sycamore Works in Sheffield, had offices in London and Glasgow.

William Webster was known as a ‘very energetic businessman, travelling most of the week, and looking after affairs at the works in his odd days at home’ (Sheffield Daily Telegraph, 26 July 1895). Like his father, William lived in Sharrow. A legacy of his residence is the tiny Lantern Theatre (restored in the 1950s), which Webster had built in 1893 next to his house at 40 Priory Road. He was said to have been fond of drama; though a local tradition attributes the building of the theatre to his twenty-two year-old daughter Florence’s desire to go on the stage, which Webster believed might be more safely accomplished in his own private theatre, where he could watch over her. 

In 1894, William Webster retired due to illness and the business was sold to Harrison Bros & Howson. Webster died on 24 July 1895, aged 56, at his home The Sycamores in Priory Road and was buried in Ecclesall. He left £23,874.