Edwin Herbert Needham (1878-1951) was the son of Joseph (a file cutter) and his wife, Susannah. Edwin trained as a table knife grinder and started business in Bellfield Street (his residence) in about 1925. He marketed ‘FIRTH-BREARLEY’ stainless table knives, marked ‘1878’ in a diamond.

In 1931, he registered the firm as a private company, with £1,500 capital, to carry on a business as cutlery manufacturer and merchant at Henry Street Works. The directors were Edwin and his wife, Mrs Annie Elizabeth née Cullingworth, residing at 346 Crookesmoor Road (Sheffield Daily Telegraph, 14 April 1931). 

Needham may have had connections with Fred Mitchell, who stamped Henry St Works on his table knife blades at about this time. By the late 1930s, Needham had relocated to Trinity Works, 103 Eyre Street.  He died on 25 January 1951, aged 72, leaving £1,791, when the firm ceased trading.

Nigel Needham is working on a One Name Study of the Needham name and his website includes more information about the Needhams as cutlers. See https://needham.one-name.net/UK%20Records/Trades/Trades_Cutlers.htm for more details.