This tool manufacturer traces its roots back to 1730, when a business was founded in Sheffield’s industrial heartland making sheep shears, scissors and knives. The turning point was 1865 when James Ball patented a manufacturing process to produce solid steel sheep shears; the same design is still in production today and the shears are used for topiary around the world.
Burgon & Ball opened a new factory in Sheffield in 1873, with water from the river Don providing the steam power for production – and business boomed. At its peak in the 1880s, the production of Burgon & Ball’s solid steel shears topped 300,000 pairs annually, and the design has been recognised in Phaidon Design Classics as one of the 999 most successful of all time.
Mr. Burgon, who was in charge of the company at the turn of the century, was a keen pioneer motorist and built 16 La Plata motor cars at the Sheffield factory between 1903 and 1906 (burgonandball.com; 0114 233 8262).
Haws watering cans
John Haws, better known for his gardening misadventures, invented the Haws watering can in 1886 while attempting to grow vanilla in Mauritius.
Hampered by the primitive Mauritian watering pots (and the lack of the correct indigenous species of pollinating bee), he failed. But his innovative improvements to the watering can founded a new business. In effect, he had invented the iconic Haws shape of can with a long spout and connecting cross-stay for carrying. This created a near-perfect balance and allowed the user to empty the can effortlessly and without spillage.
The design has been virtually unchanged ever since. It was Arthur Haws, in 1909, who marketed the design and was particular about the roses; each can was sold with an oval and a round rose for different uses.
“Every rose was hand-punched at the correct angle and taper to cope efficiently with any debris and even the hole size varied depending on the volume of the can for even greater efficiency,” explains Richard Pennock, sales and marketing manager.
In 1982, father and son team John and David Pennock bought the company and began to re-establish the high quality that Haws was renowned for. Haws is now run by David’s sons Rich and Andy. A new range of 16 brass and plastic roses is launching in 2021 (haws.co.uk; 0121 420 2494).
