1. The History
White Rose Silverware was founded in 1961 when the company took over part of the former Gee & Holme’s factory in Eyre Lane/Arundel Street, renaming the building White Rose Works. The former occupier, James Gee, of St.Helens, had previously acquired the nearby Thomas Raynes, a scissors manufacturer, and partnering-up with Thomas Raynes, then moved into a new factory at No. 61 Eyre Lane in early 1947, producing cutlery, spoons and forks, and cased goods before going into receivership in 1994.
Old advert for Gee and Holmes Ltd:
Meanwhile WRS, named after the White Rose of Yorkshire, prospered as a wholesale company that bought and sold silverware products made in Sheffield, selling them on to many of Britain’s best-known stores. Off the back of this, it became a successful small Company. In the early 1980’s the owner, Chris Hudson, returned from Canada to help sell the business.
This never happened, however, and in 1989 with the purchase of the assets of silver manufacturer Walter Trickett & Co Ltd, WRS changed from being a wholesaler into becoming a fully-fledged manufacturer. This reorganisation also included the purchase of another Sheffield silver manufacturer, William Yates, one of Sheffield’s oldest Cutlery manufacturers founded in 1750.
The resulting Chimo Holdings took its name from an Innuit word of greeting meaning, “friendship, brotherhood and trust”, which appealed to Chris from his time living in Canada. The aim of the new company was to re-establish the manufacturing of superior quality products, using traditional Sheffield skills. Based on its three brands, William Yates, White Rose Silverware, and Tricketts, it quickly established an international profile many times bigger than its 15-strong workforce.
In August 2011, it was described by Sheffield Star’s Rachael Clegg as “a meandering web of small “shops” where each specialist works away at his craft, whether it’s grinding, buffing, engraving, cutting or gilding”. By June 2012, it had a team of 16 people, who were busy supplying limited edition Olympic Games spoons and salad servers.
Back when things were in full swing:
Chimo Corporate is now one of the UK’s leading manufacturers of corporate gifts and in 2019, just before lockdown, needing to expand, it purchased a new factory on Sheffield’s Carlisle St. As a consequence, in March 2020, it closed its Eyre Lane site, stripped the factory out and then selling the site for £650,000. The former factory now sits empty and awaiting development, as new student flats spring up around it in this former industrial quarter of Sheffield City Centre.
2. The Explore
The amount of times I’ve walked past this building on my way to work. However, it was always operational. It only became empty during COVID, so never noticed. Earlier in the year got a tip off from @tarkovsky that it was empty and open so popped in smartish for a shufty. Just as well I did as it remained open for a few days before getting sealed tight shut again.
So, nothing spectacular as the company moved all of the machines and interesting stuff over to their new location. All the same, nice to see a former little factory without any graffiti or trashing.
3. The Pictures
A few externals:
E
Just about to disobey this one…
More doors:
Clock in, clock out:
Oo-er missus:
Stop the clock:
Do it clean:
Shelved for now:
Why do people doe this? Some of just few damaged done:
Upstairs we go:
White Rose Silverware was founded in 1961 when the company took over part of the former Gee & Holme’s factory in Eyre Lane/Arundel Street, renaming the building White Rose Works. The former occupier, James Gee, of St.Helens, had previously acquired the nearby Thomas Raynes, a scissors manufacturer, and partnering-up with Thomas Raynes, then moved into a new factory at No. 61 Eyre Lane in early 1947, producing cutlery, spoons and forks, and cased goods before going into receivership in 1994.
Old advert for Gee and Holmes Ltd:
Meanwhile WRS, named after the White Rose of Yorkshire, prospered as a wholesale company that bought and sold silverware products made in Sheffield, selling them on to many of Britain’s best-known stores. Off the back of this, it became a successful small Company. In the early 1980’s the owner, Chris Hudson, returned from Canada to help sell the business.
This never happened, however, and in 1989 with the purchase of the assets of silver manufacturer Walter Trickett & Co Ltd, WRS changed from being a wholesaler into becoming a fully-fledged manufacturer. This reorganisation also included the purchase of another Sheffield silver manufacturer, William Yates, one of Sheffield’s oldest Cutlery manufacturers founded in 1750.
The resulting Chimo Holdings took its name from an Innuit word of greeting meaning, “friendship, brotherhood and trust”, which appealed to Chris from his time living in Canada. The aim of the new company was to re-establish the manufacturing of superior quality products, using traditional Sheffield skills. Based on its three brands, William Yates, White Rose Silverware, and Tricketts, it quickly established an international profile many times bigger than its 15-strong workforce.
In August 2011, it was described by Sheffield Star’s Rachael Clegg as “a meandering web of small “shops” where each specialist works away at his craft, whether it’s grinding, buffing, engraving, cutting or gilding”. By June 2012, it had a team of 16 people, who were busy supplying limited edition Olympic Games spoons and salad servers.
Back when things were in full swing:
Chimo Corporate is now one of the UK’s leading manufacturers of corporate gifts and in 2019, just before lockdown, needing to expand, it purchased a new factory on Sheffield’s Carlisle St. As a consequence, in March 2020, it closed its Eyre Lane site, stripped the factory out and then selling the site for £650,000. The former factory now sits empty and awaiting development, as new student flats spring up around it in this former industrial quarter of Sheffield City Centre.
2. The Explore
The amount of times I’ve walked past this building on my way to work. However, it was always operational. It only became empty during COVID, so never noticed. Earlier in the year got a tip off from @tarkovsky that it was empty and open so popped in smartish for a shufty. Just as well I did as it remained open for a few days before getting sealed tight shut again.
So, nothing spectacular as the company moved all of the machines and interesting stuff over to their new location. All the same, nice to see a former little factory without any graffiti or trashing.
3. The Pictures
A few externals:
Just about to disobey this one…
More doors:
Clock in, clock out:
Oo-er missus:
Stop the clock:
Do it clean:
Shelved for now:
Why do people doe this? Some of just few damaged done:
Upstairs we go:
