A tribute to Jack Adams and family

When I opened a shop in 1983 selling Sheffield-made products, I was 46, so Jack would have been about 56.

He was kind to me and sold me kitchen knives, both stainless and carbon steel, far too cheaply!

His father, George, was still active in the firm then, and when he died I commiserated with Jack, who replied: “What are you sorry about? The old chuff was always in the way, interfering.” Typical of Jack’s dry, direct Sheffield humour.

The knives, produced in the works on Scotland Street, were high quality, mostly trade knives, including scores of fish filleting knives for Hull and Grimsby.

When one of these was used in a murder Jack was horrified and upset.

He was a honourable man, brought up in the years after WW2, when every boy scout had a jackknife in his belt; and Sheffield schoolchildren were given an Ibberson pocket knife on the Queen’s coronation.

Condolences to the family and may the firm prosper.

Thousands of such firms, large and small, brought Sheffield’s amazing growth, employment, fame and fortune; built its hospitals, churches, homes, parks and riverside walks, its university – and planted its tree.

They have been, and are today, of much greater worth to us than politicians... with some honourable exceptions.

Compare today’s Sheffield City Region Local Enterprise Partnership, which has worked wonders to secure a £billion plus deal, only for pathetic, parochial, politicians – Jones of Doncaster, Houghton of Barnsley, Dore of Sheffield and Derbyshire County Council to do all they can to scupper it.

Don Alexander

Knab Road, S7