Thomas Skinner

Thomas Skinner (16 June 1819 – 6 December 1881) was an etcher, inventor and amateur oil-painter in Sheffield, West Riding of Yorkshire, England. During the 1840s he invented a method by which the mass production of etched designs on steel blades could be facilitated by means of paper transfers. The British and American patents brought him a good income, but he devoted his life to developing the method. After he was widowed he was killed by arsenic poisoning at the hands of his housekeeper Kate Dover.

Background

Thomas Skinner's father was etcher and cutler Thomas Skinner senior, Thomas junior was born in Sheffield on 16 June 1819. By 1841 at the age of 22 he was an ornamenter, living in Carver Street, Sheffield, with his widowed mother Mary who kept a lodging house. He had three sisters: Ann, Matilda (born ca. 1820) and Eliza (born ca. 1830).

Skinner's wife was Melinda or Mellind Mills, also known as Mellond (1821–1876), daughter of grinder Samuel Mills, who was born and died in Ecclesall, Sheffield. They married on 1 October 1839 in the same town. He moved around a lot: in 1851 he was at West Street, and in 1857 he was at Regent Terrace, where he and his wife suffered a burglary. Charles Rushby was remanded and committed to Sessions, with breaking and entering, ransacking drawers and boxes, and stealing "a silver-plated salver, jug, mug, beaker, three egg cups, a spoon, together with a pair of boots". At that point, Skinner was described as a silver plater. By 1861 he was describing himself as an engraver on copper and living at 29 Charlotte Street, St George's, Sheffield, with Melinda and their son Clifford (Ecclesall 1855 – Poplar, London 1924). Mellond was buried on 28 November 1876 at All Saints Church, Ecclesall. At some point around the 1870s, Skinner lived at Upper Gell Street Sheffield. Later, as a widower, Skinner was very familiar with his servants; for example he chaffed Emma Bolsover "about not being so good-looking as her sister". Some witnesses said he was also a drunkard later in life,

Before his trip to America in the 1860s, Skinner attempted to profit from his invention by leaving paid employment and going into partnership. Coulson and Branson paid him £600 for right to his invention, and they went into partnership as Skinner, Coulson and Branson, working out of Sycamore Street. "His habits, however, were so unbusinesslike that the partnership only lasted a few years. Thus on 25 April 1857 Skinner presented himself before the Court for a certificate of bankruptcy. Skinner was working for George Westenholm and Son of Washington Works, and "while engaged there, an event transpired which induced him to leave suddenly for America." This event may have been the bankruptcy. It was while working there for Samuel Mason that Skinner obtained the 1867 US patent for his invention. Thereafter, until his death in 1881, he continued to support himself from home independently by use of his etching process. By 1849 he had perfected the invention so that it could be adopted by the industry, "to the productions of which it [was] unquestionably a boon of magnitude. The leading features [were] its simplicity, clearness, and especially cheapness." Prices quoted for decorating one item ranged from one old penny to threepence. This meant that now most steel blades could be etched upon; not just the expensive ones.

The 1851 patent idea was inspired by the traditional method used for the transference of patterns to pottery, and by a system used by Woodcocks of Howard Street, Sheffield, for transferring etchings of landscapes onto ivory since 1836. However in the case of the ivory transfers, the original design on copper was created as ridges, whereas in the case of Skinner's invention, the design on the copper original was created as grooves. In 1842 makers of steel blades had also used copper originals with ridges. In that case, the inked design was transferred as a blocker to the blade, then the whole blade was immersed in acid which ate away the metal between the design-lines, leaving the blocked design-ridges proud. Therefore the method used by Skinner was different from previous usages.

Skinner's UK patent of August 1851 was announced in Newton's List of patents. The guidebook to the 1851 Great Exhibition said: "Our readers will notice the beautiful designs on some of the steel articles, razors &c, sent from Sheffield. The method of executing this etching and gilding on steel, is the invention of Mr. Thomas Skinner, of Sheffield". The article he contributed was:

Skinner registered a patent no.72553 in Pittsburgh on 24 December 1867. This American patent is described thus: 72,553. Thomas Skinner, Pittsburgh, Pa. Method of Forming Designs upon Metals, Ivory, etcetera. December 24, 1867. To produce ornamental figures upon steel, the design is first engraved upon a copper plate. A proof is taken upon thin paper with ink made by boiling oil to a viscid consistence and adding a little lampblack. The design is transferred to the steel plate, and the paper is removed with water, leaving the ink upon the steel. The plate is then coated with a light spirit varnish. The ink is removed by application of oil of turpentine, and dilute acid applied to act only on the parts previously covered by the ink. After removal of the acid by water the varnish is removed by benzine. Claim. The herein-described method of preparing the design upon the article to be operated on preparatory to the etching process by the means of transfers, substantially as set forth.

A description of the process was given by Mr Branson who met Skinner around 1856.

After Skinner's return from America, Branson met Skinner again: "From the founder of the Beaver Falls Cutlery Works (also a Sheffield man) I learned something of his luck in America. Being employed at these works, he induced the proprietor to purchase the invention for etching at a goodly price. It was, however, soon found out that the patent (of 1867) could not be enforced, the process being now common in the trade. Mr Skinner showed me a painting of these works, a large red brick building, unpicturesque in its angular and staring newness." Skinner exhibited works in Division Street and the Society of Artists' Exhibition in Sheffield. The Sheffield Daily Telegraph said, "Altogether his style of colour is vivid and showy; lacking the suggestiveness of mystery." The crowd began to gather "long before" the start of the sale, and increased to "between three and four hundred". Female attendees made it clear that "The Heeley Queen had few friends amongst them," and amongst them were Skinner's two sisters and Jane Jones, his former housekeeper. When Kate Dover's sentence was reported, it was "hailed with apparent satisfaction," and "the greatest merriment prevailed throughout." There were customers who "only wanted something that had been his," and it so happened that just before the auction a "large dray" full of furniture from "outside sources" was added by the auctioneer. Bidders were permitted to believe that a tin pudding dish was the one used for the poisoned onion stuffing, and it realised 1s 2d and an announcement from the winning bidder that it would hang on the wall, although the real dish for poisoning was in the hands of the police.

Nearly forty of Skinner's oil paintings were in the sale. The Sheffield Independent thought them "crudely executed". The paintings were: The Beaver Cutlery works, North America, A lane near Matlock Bath, Beechwood Glen, A companion picture, Mademoiselle Beatrice, The Woman of the People, Landscape, Meeting in the lane, Spanish scene, Cattle in the meadow, A country lane, Windmill and cattle after Birket Foster, Scene on an American farm, Alpine loch and cattle, A log cabin, An American lake scene, A prison scene during the French Revolution, Lake scenery in America, A wood in America, A Derbyshire Toll-Bar, The flute-player, The Queen of Hearts, A Spanish beauty, A bridge at Windermere, Sheep waiting for admission at the gate, The meeting place, Beech trees and cattle, Cottage near a wood, The old farm, Scene in a Derbyshire lane, Going to market, Erin go bragh, Cottages near Southport, The drunkard's home, A country walk, Cattle at water, and Cattle and sheep. "At Van Wagner's photogram gallery ... a fine painting of the Beaver Falls Cutlery works ... including the adjacent landscape. It was executed by Mr Thos. Skinner of Sheffield, England, who was commissioned by the company to paint it. It was executed with great care and fidelity to details, and we have no doubt is an admirable reproduction of the actual scene, having been painted not only from careful study on the spot, but also by the assistance of photographs. It was mainly executed in Matteawan, the past summer, the artist being on a visit to his relatives there, Messrs John and William Rothery. The painting, which has been photographed by Mr Van Wagner, is valued at $500. It has already been shipped to the company, at Beaver Falls." The plot has a "handsome monolithic column" which bears the inscription, "In affectionate remembrance of Mellond, the beloved wife of Thomas Skinner who departed this life Nov 24th 1876 aged 56 years. Also the above Thomas Skinner who departed this life Dec 6th 1881 aged 62 years."