Workers outside the Wardonia Works. ©Picture Sheffield
Thomas Watkins Ward originally founded his cutlery company in Warrington, Lancashire, however, by 1927 it was listed as being a cutlery and razor blade manufacturer in Countess Road, Sheffield. It was for their safety razor blades and kits under the trademark WARDONIA that they were most famous. Thomas Ward did not actually manufacture most of the components that went into its shaving kits, and items such as the handles, guards, boxes and even razor blade packets, were all brought in from outside companies. The company fell into difficulties in the 1970s with the introduction of cartridge system of replaceable safety razor blades, which soon overtook the old single and double edged safety razor blades. Thomas Ward & Sons eventually sold the Wardonia Works in 1984, however, the company Wardonia Ltd continued to trade until 2000 from Harthill, near Sheffield.
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