Member Article

‘Silver anniversary’ of sterling work in Sheffield

The Sheffield Assay Office has celebrated its 240thanniversary as it continues to play an integral role in the city’s technologically sophisticated metallurgy sector.

Established in September 1773 after an Act of Parliament granted the city the right to assess and hallmark silver, the Sheffield Assay Office is now one of only four remaining assaying organisations in the UK and continues to assess thousands of items of precious metals each year.

Currently based in Hillsborough, it continues to work closely at the heart of Sheffield’s metalwork production industry with ongoing investment in research R&D fuelling the organisation’s recent move into advanced analytical services - supporting clients that range from high street fashion jewellery retailers to international healthcare companies.

Assay Master Ashley Carson, believes that the continued success and longevity of the office has been down to its determination to keep Sheffield at the forefront of the hallmarking industry and to preserve the steel city’s unrivalled reputation for metal work. Another vital factor has been its constant capacity for staying at the forefront of its field

He said: “Any organisation that makes it to the ripe old age of 240 has done so by moving with the times and developing its expertise along the way. The Sheffield Assay Office has come a long since its first Master was assessing those initial few items of silver from his office in a rented house on Norfolk Street.

“As a result, Sheffield is now internationally renowned for its metallurgy and steel-making quality, with past and contemporary pioneers putting and keeping the city on the map with their global reputation for ingenuity, advancements in technology, integrity and quality.“

The Sheffield Assay Office now applies the Sheffield hallmark to items from all over the world.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by David Gatehouse .