World’s largest collection of table knives in Sheffield becomes online sensation

Journalist Andy Kershaw met the man behind the unique collection Nick Duggan ahead of a lecture on the project later this month at the historic Portland Works.

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When Kelham Island Museum was looking for new volunteers, it seemed tailor made for retired teacher and senior education officer Nick Duggan.

“When I retired nine years ago, the Hawley Collection were looking for volunteers and it seemed like a way to get involved with Sheffield Heritage”, says Nick.

“I quickly started sorting out part of the table knife collection and that led to the ‘Name on a Knife Blade’ Project which has been going now for two years”, adds Nick, who will be presenting a lecture all about the project at Portland Works in Sheffield on Wednesday 20th July at 7.00pm.

“My admiration for the people that worked in the industry and produced such marvellous cutlery, flatware and hollowware has only grown, '' he says. This is a great Steel City story that we need to keep telling and I do my best to tell it as often as I can '' he says proudly.

Nick who is originally from Middlesbrough, which he’s quick to point out is in Yorkshire and his home address was Ayresome Park Rd, opposite the football ground.

His son works for The National Youth Theatre and his daughter is a senior manager at the Seashell Trust working with Young Adults.“I trained as a teacher of history, geography and politics, says Nick and my last job was as senior adviser for Vocational Education at Sheffield City Council”.“Sheffielder’s all remember table knives from their childhood, says Nick, but often do not appreciate the scale of the industry and the wide range of products made in this City,” he adds with the air of a teacher.

“Some companies had 5000 items in their product range”, he proclaims.“We need to shout more loudly about this City’s traditions and history and organisations involved in heritage and collections including Sheffield Museum, The Hawley Collection, Portland Works and The Cutlers Company all need to work together,” he suggests.

“This could extend to the display and access to all of our collections and help celebrate the places and people who made them”, he points out.

“This Knife Blade Project at Kelham Island Museum has highlighted the importance of using digital technology and allowed us to share Sheffield’s Cutlery Heritage with local and worldwide audiences”, says Nick.

“The project has run for two years, collecting over 600 new objects. We’ve had 90,000 digital user who have visited 120,000 times”, he announces proudly.

“The original idea was to excite young people about a museum full of old stuff. We can now demonstrate 1600 different Sheffield names on a knife blade to people of all ages in person, at the Museum or through their smart phones and it’s been phenomenally successful”, adds Nick.The world of heritage and cutlery is not Nick’ sole passion though.

“I help out at the wonderful S6 Foodbank that now provides over 100,000 meals to people in need every year, and I am also a keen runner and walker with over 50,000 miles on the feet”, he adds.“I’ve met some remarkable people through the name on a knife blade project”, he recalls.

“We had a knife donated which has 103 blades. I looked through every one for a Sheffield stamp to no avail, so took it to show the late ‘Little Mester’ Stan Shaw, who at the age of 92 looked at it and said ``I think that’s a makers mark lad,” he recounts.

“I took it back to the office and sure enough it was the mark of a golfer which is the trademark of John Blyde Ltd a Sheffield Company” adds Nick.

Nick suggests that Sheffield should have an actual or digital heritage trail so that people could follow great Sheffield Companies across the city along with a new exhibition which would also demonstrate the wide range of products which were made in Sheffield including bizarre items such as asparagus tongs and strawberry forks.

“We need to remember those companies with 5000 products in their range such as Dixons, Deakin, Walker & Hall , Rodgers, Atkin Brothers and many more”, says Nick.

Nick Duggan’s lecture about the Name on a Knife Blade Project is on Wednesday, July 20, at Portland Works on Randall Street at 7.00pm. Tickets are £5.00 and can be booked via Eventbrite https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/368199744347