George Deakin & Co can be identified in the 1849 directory as a merchant and cutlery manufacturer in Eyre Street.  A trade advertisement gave a foundation date of 1848.  The owner, George Deakin (c.1819-1882), exhibited at the Great Exhibition (1851).  A fish carver and fork were illustrated in the Catalogue.  Deakin won an Honourable Mention for his:

Ivory carvers, plated fish carvers.  Silver and silver-plated dessert knives, various; round-of-beef slicers, ivory handle, silver ferrule, with a crank in the trowel part, gilt and etched blade.  Ivory, silver, and plated table-knives.  Silver knife, fork, and spoon, Albert pattern.  Ivory game carvers.  Silver cake knife.  Ivory and pearl table knives, silver ferrules, gilt blades.  (Great Exhibition … Official Descriptive & Illustrated Catalogue, vol.  ii).

Paul Reaney is known to have been a partner with Deakin until 1855.  The firm continued to make/sell table cutlery in Eyre Street until George Deakin’s death.  He died, aged 63, at his residence in Alderson Place on 1 August 1882, and was buried in Ecclesall churchyard.  He left £3,400.  The mark ‘1929 SHARP’ was used by Deakin.  The name was acquired by Thomas Makin & Son.