BURGON, CHARLES

Charles Burgon

• Died 1894

HISTORY

Charles Burgon, a cutlery manufacturer, and James Ball, described as a scythe maker who had invented a process of making a sheep shearing machine, formed a partnership in 1866. They were then both at the Globe Works in Philadelphia Sheffield which was occupied at the time by a number of “little mesters”. In 1873 they bought a site at Malin Bridge, Sheffield and by 1877 they were established in La Plata Works which is still there to this day. In the latter part of the 19th century the company patented a design for hand sheep shears and in one year sold over 300,000 pairs exporting to South America, North America, Australia, The West Indies and New Zealand.

By 1920 the firm was producing more garden shears than sheep shears and it has continued to diversify into garden tools over the years however they are still the sole British manufacturer of sheep shears as well as being the largest manufacturer in the world.

Charles Burgon’s son Charles Junior tragically died in a drowning accident on Wisewood Dam in 1879. There was a large funeral cortege which reportedly attracted approximately 2000 spectators.

Commemoration

Charles Senior died in 1894.

Both Charles Burgon and James Ball are buried at Wardsend. Much of the maintenance work in the cemetery has been carried out using tools donated by the present day Burgon and Ball company.