Mark Willis & Son Ltd
Mark Willis (1842-1915) was born at Melton Mowbray, the son William Willis, a tailor, and his wife Ann. Aged thirteen, he came to Sheffield to learn silversmithing at W. W. Harrison, which was then in Pepper Alley. He became manager. After a brief spell at Birmingham, he applied for a job at Hutton’s, but he considered the pay so poor that he decided to go-it-alone. Apparently, his brother (a steel maker) advised against doing so, but with the help of Joshua Maxfield he started a workshop at Exc....
