Grinders Collection

Hurdy-Gurdy Man 1867
Victorian hurdy-gurdy man entertaining children

Street Trade / Grinder
A grinderx sharpens a knife in Whitehall, London

A London knife grinder on the street
A London knife grinder at work on the street

Advert for Wm. Corns & Son, combination Coffee Mill 1888
Combination mill for coffee and spices. Date: 1888

Interior of French Cutlery Factory, Thiers - Knife Grinders
Interior of French Cutlery Factory (Coutellerie), Thiers, France - Knife Grinders (Emouleurs). Date: circa 1920s

Grinders at Work in a "Wheel"(engraving)
2800034 Grinders at Work in a " Wheel" (engraving) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Grinders at Work in a " Wheel")

For Faith and Freedom, by Walter Besant (engraving)
1595897 For Faith and Freedom, by Walter Besant (engraving) by Forestier, Amedee (1854-1930) (after); Private Collection; (add.info.: For Faith and Freedom, by Walter Besant)

Advert for W. & T Avery, Duplex Coffee Mill. 1888
Patent Duplex Coffee Mill grind twice as fast. Date: 1888

Organ Grinder (Anon)
An organ-grinder and his monkey. Date: circa 1880

FRENCH KNIFE GRINDER
A knife grinder in a French street, watched by children and a dog Date: circa 1920

KNIFE GRINDER / WHEATLEY
Knives, scissors and razors to grind?; a knife grinder operating in a London street. Date: 1795

FRENCH KNIFE SHARPENER
A knife and scissor sharpener touts his business Date: Early 19th century

Sheffield Steel manufactures 1866
Sheffield : scythe-grinders. Date: 1866

A really very bizarre silhouette postcard depicting a man with a dancing monkey, entertaining a young couple, the gentleman in a suit, the lady in the sheerest of sheer negligees

Picture No. 12020441
Golden Hamster playing in the garden. Date:

Walker and Hall, Sheffield - advertisement
Wholesale stock and showrooms at Sheffield, London, Manchester, Leeds, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Newcastle on Tyne, Cardiff, Belfast, Hull, Melbourne and Sydney, Australia.Image from Walker and Hall

Cutlery Manufacture, razor grinding, 1866
Original caption reads - The Steel Manufactures of Sheffield: the Hull, or workshop, of the razor grinder, with the use of the fan [see page 70 ILN, Jan. 20, 1866]

Agriculture Primitive methods rubbing grinding wheat
Agriculture, Primitive methods of rubbing and grinding wheat. Three types of rubbers or grinders. Including a present-day stone hand mill. 1920, Middle East

Edge Tool Manufacture, grinding hoes, Sheffield, Yorkshire, 1904
From an original at Sheffield Libraries: s10237

Two boys sharpening knives - Medenine, Tunisia, North Africa Date: circa 1910s

Organ Grinder 1886
Schoolboys stop to admire the monkey who solicits a financial contribution to the upkeep of himself and his organ-grinding partner

Knife Grinders of Sheffield, c. 1900
From an original at Sheffield Libraries: t05147

Organ Grinder
An Italian organ-grinder in the streets of London Date: 1905

Organ Grinder (Petherick
London characters: the ORGAN GRINDER and his monkey come from Italy, and the songs he sings in our fog-grey streets are warm with nostalgia for their sunny homeland

Tinker sharpening a knife for a maid 1894
A tinker sharpening a knife for a waiting maid. Date: 1894

Hurdy-gurdy organ player
A hurdy-gurdy (orgue de Barbarie) player and his daughter in a French village Date: 1866

The Mothers Picture Alphabet -- O, showing an organ grinder with a group of children. Date: circa 1860

The Mummy and the Humming Bird by Isaac Henderson
Promotional postcard for The Mummy and the Humming Bird by Isaac Henderson. First produced at Wyndhams Theatre, 10th October 1901

Street organist in silhouette
A street organ grinder, his back bent, trundles his old instrument on wheels - a once familiar sight in London. Date: 1926

A Rural Grinding Mill from a drawing by A. Morrow, 1884
From The English Illustrated Magazine, Cutlery and Cutlers at Sheffield, Aug 1884 (p 668)(Sheffield Local Studies Library: MP 149 M)

The Grinding Room from a drawing by A. Morrow, 1884
From The English Illustrated Magazine, Cutlery and Cutlers at Sheffield, Aug 1884 (p 667)(Sheffield Local Studies Library: MP 149 M)

Scythe Manufacture, Sheffield, Yorkshire, 1904
From an original at Sheffield Libraries: s10238

The tongue sharpeners, Franco Estius, 1592

Worker using Carlton stump grinder to remove tree stump, Whalley, Clitheroe, Lancashire, England, January

Grinding needle points, Redditch, England. Grindstone driven by water or steam. Well paid, but lives of grinders short owing to inhalation of dust from grinding. Woodcut c1830

Isamu Noguchi Working
New York, New York: 1940 Isamu Noguchi working on the Associated Press Building Plaque, which was carved in plaster and cast in stainless steel - at that time the largest-ever stainless steel

Linen manufacturing, France C017 / 7919
Linen manufacturing. Machinery for grinding flax on the scutching line of the Terre de Lin linen factory, Saint Pierre le Viger, France

Saw Grinders at Sheffield Grinding Mills, Yorkshire
Saw grinders place sheets of metal against a rotating cutter at Sheffield Grinding Mills. Date: 1844

Street music: organ grinders quarter, 1875
An Italian colony in London: the organ grinders quarter near Hatton Gardens. Date: 1875

Balinese Flour Grinders
Girls grinding sago flour, Bali, Indonesia. Date: 1930s

Industry / Cutlery
Sheffield : razor-grinders at work in the hull Date: 1866

Knife-Grinder / Belgium
A knife grinder working at Tournai market in Belgium Date: 1950

Salt and pepper mills

Traditional olive millstones, Spain. These conical millstones consist of carved granite, and were used in the traditional Spanish method of crushing harvested olives

Childrens Strike of 1894
Procession of children, heading to Hyde Park in London, to demonstrate against their treatment by organ grinders. These children were part of the Organ Dancers Union

Mobile Grinder 1970S
Henry Jones, mobile grinder with his grindstone on a trolley, Horley, Surrey, England

Victorian Knifegrinder
A Victorian knifegrinder at work

Dance to Organ London
Children dancing to barrel organ in Drury Lane, London

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"Grinders: The Unsung Heroes of the Streets Through Time" From the enchanting melodies of the Hurdy-Gurdy Man in 1867 to the bustling street trade where grinders plied their craft, these skilled artisans have left an indelible mark on history. An advert for Wm. Corns & Son's combination Coffee Mill in 1888 showcased their versatility and ingenuity. In a bygone era, a London knife grinder could be seen diligently sharpening blades on the streets, bringing life back into worn-out tools. Even in the 1970s, mobile grinders continued this tradition, ensuring that sharp edges were always within reach. Venturing inside a French cutlery factory in Thiers reveals a mesmerizing sight – rows of dedicated knife grinders meticulously honing blades with precision and expertise. Walker and Hall's advertisement from Sheffield proudly displayed their commitment to quality craftsmanship. The artistry extended beyond knives; razor grinding was an essential part of cutlery manufacture in 1866. In Yorkshire's Sheffield, hoes received meticulous attention as edge tool manufacturers perfected their craft in 1904. A glimpse into early twentieth-century Sheffield showcases a vibrant community of knife grinders working tirelessly to meet demand while preserving age-old techniques. Meanwhile, across continents, Zanzibar witnessed groups of slaves laboring under harsh conditions as they too became part of this historical narrative. Engravings depicting "grinders at work in a wheel" transport us to another time when these individuals powered massive grinding machines with unwavering determination. Through centuries and continents alike, they have played an integral role not only as craftsmen but also as guardians of functionality and safety. Their dedication has ensured that tools remain sharp and reliable throughout generations. Let us celebrate these unsung heroes who shaped our world one blade at a time – forever etching themselves into history through their skillful hands and unwavering commitment to their craft.