Eley and Fern (Fearne) and Chawner, London silversmiths and manufacturers of silver flatware.

William Eley, apprenticed to William Fern 1770, free 1778. Mark entered as spoonmaker 1777, in partnership with George Pierrepoint. 2nd and 3rd marks alone as spoonmaker 1778. Took out patent for “Eley’s New Constructed Buckles” 1784. 4th, 5th and 6th marks as bucklemaker 1785/90/95. 7th and 8th marks in partnership with William Fern 1797. 9th mark, in new partnership, with William Chawner 1808. 10th mark, in partnership alone with Fern 1814. Died 1824.

William Fern apprenticed to William Chawner 1762, free 1770. 1st mark entered as smallworker 1769. 2nd mark as spoonmaker 1774. 3rd mark, in partnership with George Smith as plateworkers 1786. 4th and 5th marks, in partnership with William Eley, 1797/1802. 6th mark with William Eley and William Chawner 1808. 7th, with Eley alone, 1814. 8th with William Eley II 1824.

William Chawner, apprenticed to the William Eley and William Fearn partnership for 7 years from 1797, he became the third partner of this company in 1808. The experience from this top quality partnership provided him with the knowledge to set up his own workshop in 1815 at 16 Hosier Lane, London to produce some of the finest quality silver spoons and forks of the period. This family business/silver workshop became the most dominant force in silver flatware production through the 19th century. William and his wife Mary, had a son William, who undertook his apprenticeship with his father, and a daughter Mary Ann. On his death in 1834 his widow Mary (also a spoonmaker) took over the business ready for her son William to take over however, in 1838, after completing his apprenticeship he instead entered the church. The family business therefore was left to the George Adams, husband of Mary Ann, to go into partnership with Mary Chawner from 3rd August 1840 until 23rd November of the same year. Under the leadership of George Adams the company flourished and became the most prolific producer of the very best quality silver flatware in a huge variety of patterns. The Chawner & Co. pattern book of circa 1875 is the basis for naming many of the more obscure patterns of the period. Illustrations from the pattern book can be found in Silver Flatware by Ian Pickford. Chawner and company continued trading until the 1880’s using the initials of the owner as it’s maker’s mark. It was sold to Holland, Aldwinckle & Slater in 1883, and carried forward in to the 21st Century via Francis Higgins Ltd.