Thomas Griffin - 1791 Directory

I found a few details today which I had not seen before.
The 1791 Universal British Directory lists Thomas Griffin as steel horse and dog collar maker in Digbeth Street, but also listed below him are Mary and William GriffiTH as steel horse and dog collar maker in Digbeth Street. I wonder if Griffith is a typo instead of Griffin and there is another handcuff maker in the family? Thomas would have been about 40 and may have had a son who predeceased him because he was not in the Will of 1816 Just a guess.

The other small snippet was an address for SM Co handcuffs at Barker Street, Oldbury, Worcestershire in 1912 Kelly's Directory.

Paul
Very interesting. You keep finding the most fascinating things.
I could easily believe that this was a misspelling.
Joe

I found a few details today which I had not seen before.
The 1791 Universal British Directory lists Thomas Griffin as steel horse and dog collar maker in Digbeth Street, but also listed below him are Mary and William GriffiTH as steel horse and dog collar maker in Digbeth Street. I wonder if Griffith is a typo instead of Griffin and there is another handcuff maker in the family? Thomas would have been about 40 and may have had a son who predeceased him because he was not in the Will of 1816 Just a guess.

The other small snippet was an address for SM Co handcuffs at Barker Street, Oldbury, Worcestershire in 1912 Kelly's Directory.

Click to expand...

Thomas Griffin is listed in the Pearson & Rollason, Birmingham Directory or Merchant & Tradesman's Useful Companion, dated 1777, at 87 Digbeth Street Birmingham. Occupation: Horse collar maker, saddlery/harness maker. No mention of steel collars or handcuffs. It seems many of the handcuff makers started out in this profession and diversified when required.