Death of Abbeydale's Grand Old Man

Interesting Career
We regret to record the death, which occurred yesterday afternoon, of Mr. Ebenezer Hall J.P., of Abbeydale Park, Sheffield. Though not living in the city, Mr. Ebenezer Hall was in every sense a Sheffielder. He was one of the oldest and most highly esteemed citizens. In November last he celebrated his 90th birthday. In spite of his great age he had enjoyed good health until the last few weeks, and was out motoring quite recently. His illness took a serious turn about a week ago, and he gradually sank, passing away peacefully yesterday afternoon.
Mr. Hall married Miss Wilkinson - who survives him - whose family was closely associated with Mr. James Montgomery, Sheffield's poet. There were no children.
The interment is arranged for Saturday. Service will be held in St. John's Church, Abbeydale, at half-past eleven, and the interment will take place at the General Cemetery at one o'clock.

From Apprentice to Proprietor
The late Mr. Hall had a life-long association with the silver plating and cutlery industries in Sheffield. He entered them in the humble capacity of apprentice and worked his way ahead until he became chief of the well-known firm of Martin, Hall and Co. Limited of Shrewsbury Works. He was the son of Mr. Gilbert Hall, of Middleton by Wirksworth, Derbyshire, and was born there in the year 1820. He was educated at the school at Cromford founded by the late Mr. Peter Arkwright, of Willersley Castle.
When his master, a Mr. William Shaw, had done with him he was, unlike so many lads by no means satisfied of the completeness of his mental equipment and there is no doubt that to the private study in which he indulged may be attributed much of his success in later life.
In 1836 he came to Sheffield and was apprenticed to Mr. John Roberts, silversmith. Four years later he became manager and traveller, and in the latter capacity made long journeys under conditions which the 'man on the road' nowadays knows nothing of. Eager for business he had no quicker means of locomotion to many places than the rumbling stage coach. Great success crowned his efforts as a servant and he received his reward when Mr. Roberts took him into partnership. Formerly Mr. Roberts had had his father-in-law, Mr. Henry Wilkinson, a pioneer in the silversmith's art, as his partner, but at the time Mr. Roberts rewarded Mr. Hall with a partnership he had the business in his own hands.
That was in the year 1847, and the business from that time was carried on under the style of Roberts and Hall. In 1852 the partners amalgamated with the firm of Martin and Taylor of Fargate, and also about the year 1859 the late Mr. Joseph Hall, a brother of Mr. Ebenezer Hall, was admitted into the concern, which until the end of the year 1865 was known as Martin, Hall and Company. In January 1866, the business was turned into a limited company, with Mr. Bernard Wake as chairman, and Mr. Hall and Mr. Martin as managing directors.
On the death of Mr. Wake in 1891, Mr. Ebenezer Hall became the chairman of the company. He was thoroughly conversant with the technicalities of the trades carried out at Shrewsbury Works, and in designing patents and improving existing apparatus, rendered valuable service to the concern. His steam stamp, the first article of the kind used by silversmiths for the production of metal bodies, soon proved to be of great advantage. In all respects he was a capable business man and only those who have been long conversant with the way in which operations were carried out at the works in the Park know the extent to which the concern owes its success to the deceased gentleman.

Extensive Commercial Interests
Mr. Hall's business career was long and extensive. He did not retire from the active management of the firm Martin, hall & co. until long after the age at which many other men would have thought themselves entitled to seek relief from business cares, and he was also associated with a number of other concerns. A large shareholder in the Sheffield Gas Company, he occupied a seat on the board for many years, and he was also a director of the Carlton Colliery Company. Of the Sheffield and Rotherham Joint Stock Banking Company he was for a long period chairman, but retired when the company was amalgamated with Williams Deacons Bank. Sheffield steel companies claimed a share of his interest, and he held the chairmanship of Sanderson Bros., Limited, of Samuel Newbould and Company Limited and afterwards of the combined company of Sanderson brothers and Newbould Limited.
He also found time to show a practical interest in religious and social movements. He was a magistrate for Derbyshire, one of the earliest members of the Sheffield Book Club, and for many years a familiar figure at the Sheffield Club. He also supported the work of the Charity School for Poor Girls, and was a member of its committee of management.
Residing at Abbeydale Park, the ivy-mantled mansion so often admired by people passing along the Abbeydale Road, which was formerly owned by the late Mr. John Roberts, his first and only employer, Mr. Hall watched closely all that affected the welfare of that suburb. He was a generous supporter of the Church of England, and the work which he did for it will cause his name to long held in honourable remembrance in the parish of Abbeydale. The Church in that district owed much to Mr. Hall, and to his old master, Mr. Roberts. It was the latter who built the present edifice of St. John's, and at a cost of £3,000. Mr. Hall completed the work by providing church rooms, which were opened in 1893.

Work for the Church
Mr. Hall held the office of churchwarden up to the time of his death, and his interest in the church, and all that pertained to it, was very real. As late as his 89th year, he continued to keep the accounts of the church himself, and his books were a model of neatness. Only recently he has shown his continued concern for the welfare of the church by constructing a retaining wall in the churchyard to resist the scouring effects of the river Sheaf; which had for a long time been gradually washing the land away.
His portrait, painted by Mr. J.H. Bentley hangs in the parish rooms, which he built. It was subscribed for by a number of parishioners as a mark of the appreciation of the unostentatious liberality which he again and again displayed to the district. The presentation took place on November 13, 1896, at a very large gathering of the parishioners. Although a staunch churchman Mr. Hall harboured no narrow feelings towards other religious bodies, and the geniality of his disposition, and the generosity of his heart made him one of the most popular residents of that side of the city. In acknowledging the gift of his portrait Mr. Hall said he had endeavoured to do his duty, and that he had not altogether failed was shown by the proceedings of the evening. He had always taken the deepest interest in St. John's, which he predicted would become and important centre for usefulness and good work.
His support of the church was not confined to his own parish. He gave a hall to Dore Parish Church, and recently subscribed £50 towards a new organ fro the church. He also gave the land on which the Totley Wesleyan Church stands. A side of his generosity that was hardly known consisted of assistance rendered to poor clergy of whose circumstances he had become aware. There were several cases in which he was in the habit of sending £20 or £30 a year to clergy for the augmentation of their small stipends. His many acts of kindness and generosity to those who needed help in the Abbeydale district are known only to those who were the recipients of his liberality.
Mr. Hall was never a public man. Although a strong Conservative, he took no prominent part in politics, and he never sought municipal honours. He was a magistrate for Derbyshire. In his younger days he was a well-known sportsman, regularly following hounds, and enjoying a day's fishing. He was married in 1874 to Miss Wilkinson, who survives him. There is no family.

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Sources:

The Sheffield Telegraph 29th June 1911