Peter Frith Sr., ca. 1767 - ca. 1839
Peter Frith Jr., 1794 - 1871

P. Frith
P. Frith & Co.

by Brian Stevenson
last updated April, 2022

The Frith optical businesses were primarily located in Sheffield, England, although they had London branches from about 1825 until around 1870. Peter Frith Sr. began his business ca. 1790 in Sheffield. As his sons grew up, they became partners in the business. Eldest son Peter Jr. appears to have split off during the mid 1830s. After Peter Sr.'s death, ca. 1839, Peter Jr. adopted the business names "P. Frith" and "P. Frith & Co.", while his younger brothers variously named their businesses as "Frith Brothers" and "James Frith".

While they primarily made eyeglasses, P. Frith & Company also produced and/or sold microscopes, linen provers, telescopes, opera glasses, and other optical instruments. The jury report of the 1862 London International Exhibition reported, "P. Frith and Co., Sheffield, exhibit some well-made microscopes, at moderate prices for the amount of workmanship expended upon them. Their optical properties are, however, hardly equivalent to the soundness of their mechanical construction". The eyeglasses that Frith & Company exhibited were highly regarded, however (see below).

I am aware of three compound microscopes with Frith's name on them. One is of a style that was common around 1862, and is likely of the sort exhibited at the 1862 Exhibition (Figure 1). The other two compound microscopes are models that are known to also have other makers' names attached, or to be unsigned (Figures 2 and 3). These were probably acquired by Frith from wholesale manufacturers, then re-sold under their own name.

Figure 1. A circa 1862 binocular microscope, engraved "P. Frith & Co., London". Adapted for nonprofit, educational purposes from an internet auction site.

Figure 2. Circa 1840s drum-style microscopes. (A) An example that is signed "P. Frith London". (B) Another, unsigned example. The majority of such microscopes are not signed by a maker/retailer, suggesting that they were manufactured for the wholesale trade. Most of these are found in France, suggesting production in that country. These microscopes have multiple, simple "button" objective lenses that screw together, a mode that was common among nineteenth century French manufacturers. Several years ago, an auctioneer inexplicably attributed one of these microscopes to the Jecker family of Paris – but there are no known reasons to associate the Jeckers with this type of microscope, and the auctioneer's attribution was probably hyperbole. Adapted for nonprofit, educational purposes from internet auction sites.

Figure 3. Circa 1870 combination microscope/telescope, retailed by Frith & Co. Similar apparatus were sold by other retailers – the actual manufacturer(s) is not known. The handwriting on the microscope slides indicates that they were prepared by Amos Topping (1831-1900). Adapted for nonprofit, educational purposes from an internet auction site.

Figure 4. A linen prover, signed "P. Frith". Adapted for nonprofit, educational purposes from an internet auction site.

Figure 5. Another linen prover, sighed "Frith Bros." Adapted for nonprofit, educational purposes from an internet auction site.

Figure 6. A telescope, signed "P. Frith, London. Peter Jr. was noted as manufacturing achromatic telescope lenses in 1862. Adapted for nonprofit, educational purposes from https://www.rmg.co.uk/collections/objects/rmgc-object-69152.

Figure 7. Frith businesses were also known for manufacturing powder and shot flasks. The patented spout of this flask is marked "P. Frith". Adapted for nonprofit, educational purposes from https://www.jjmilitaryantiques.com.

An 1862 advertisement stated that the Peter Frith optical business was founded in in 1790 (Figure 11). All records indicate that the Frith business began in Sheffield, Yorkshire. A likely candidate for our founding optician was christened Peter Frith, son of Peter Frith, on August 16, 1767 in Handsworth, Yorkshire (a suburb of Sheffield). If this was him, then he would have been about 23 years old at the time that Frith began his business.

Peter Firth and his wife, Sarah, had several children, including Peter Junior (christened in 1794), James (born in 1802), and Henry (born in 1807). Those three sons followed their father in his trades. All of the Frith children's birth and christenings were recorded with nonconformist religious denominations.

The business names of "P. Frith", "P. Frith & Co.", and "Frith Brothers" were used at several different times, so it may be difficult to date items by signatures. The Frith businesses included both optical shops and manufacturers of gunpowder and shot carriers.

The 1818 Pigot's Commercial Directory of Sheffield listed "Frith Peter and Co." as opticians at Arundel Street, Sheffield.

The 1822 History, Directory & Gazetteer, of the County of York listed "Frith Peter, optician, powder flask & shot belt mfr. 37 Arundel street". The 1825 General & Commercial Directory of Sheffield recorded a slightly different business name, "Frith Peter and Co. opticians, powder flask and shot belt manufacturers, 37, Arundel street".

Frith opened a branch in London by 1825, with that year's Pigot & Company's New Commercial Directory listing "Frith Peter & Co., opticians". Frith was not listed in directories from 1823 or earlier. The 1829 Post Office Directory listed, "Frith Peter, Optician, 8 Cursitor street, Chancery lane". The 1835 London Post Office Directory gave the address as, "Frith Peter, Optician, 50 Hatton garden".

Eldest son Peter Frith, Jr., married Frances Mary Fisher in Stainton, Yorkshire, on April 14, 1832. The 1837 History, Gazetteer, and Directory of the West-Riding of Yorkshire listed "Frith Peter jun. optn; h Woodside" and "Frith Peter & Co. opticians, and patent powder flask and shot belt mfrs. 32 Arundel st; h East bank". Evidently, Peter Jr. had a business that was separate from his father's (and younger brothers?) during the mid-1830s.

It was reported on August 13, 1839 that the partnership of "P. Frith and Co. Sheffield, opticians" had been dissolved. A death record of Peter Frith, Sr., has not been located, but he was not recorded in the 1841 national census. It is likely that the P. Frith & Co. partnership ended around the time of his death.

The 1841 Sheffield and Rotherham Directory listed two different Frith son/brother businesses. James and Henry James were listed as "Frith Jas. optcn. 105 Arundle st. h. Belmont", "Frith Hy. optcn. 105 Arundle st. h Broomhall fld", and "Frith Brothers, opticians, and powder flask mfrs. 105 Arundle st.". Peter Jr. was listed as "Frith Peter and Co., opticians, 81 Arundle st." and "Frith Peter, optcn, 81 Arundle st. h. Hallamgt".

Both of the Frith businesses had an outlet in London. The 1842 Robson's London Directory listed, "Frith P. & Co., Sheffield whse, 4 Bolt st, Fleet st" and "Frith Brothers, opticians and mnfs of powder flask, 46 Lisle st, Leicester sq., & Arundel st, Sheffield, Greatbatch J. agent". The references to Frith & Company's warehouse on Fleet Street and J. Greatbatch's service as agent for the Frith Brothers implies that neither firm was primarily located in London.

The 1842 directory is the last identified record of the Frith Brothers' business. The 1851 national census recorded Peter Jr., James, and Henry as "opticians", each living separately in Sheffield. James, but not Henry, was listed as an optician and powder flask maker in an 1852 business directory of Sheffield. James' business appears to have folded some short time later.

Peter Jr.'s business evidently prospered. The 1848 Post Office Directory of London showed that he had operations in both Sheffield and London: "Frith Peter & Co. Sheffield wareh. 5 Bartlett's bldgs. Holborn". An 1849 advertisement provided that same information (Figure 7). The 1850 Post Office Directory of London noted that the London agent of Peter Frith & Company was one Zachary Allnutt, located at 5 Bartlett's Buildings. The 1851 national census recorded that Peter Frith Jr., living in Sheffield, employed "30 men".

As noted above, Peter Frith & Co., of "Sheffield and London", exhibited at the 1862 International Exposition in London. They showed, "Improved spectacles, Concave convex, and meniscus spectacle lenses. Military, marine, and tourists' telescopes. Achromatic microscope and telescope objectives. Microscopes. Woolen and linen provers. Twin photographic stereoscopic view lenses. Camera lucida right angel and compass prisms. Riflemen's telescopes. Exhibition opera-glasses, lenses, &c. Astronomical and surveying instruments made to order". The judges appreciated the workmanship of Frith's microscope bodies, but did not like the quality of the lenses. Frith's eyeglasses were very well received however, with the jury reporting that they "exhibit an extensive collection of spectacles and other optical instruments, and are perhaps entitled to more commendation than they have received, for the attention they have devoted to the refractive power of the glass employed in the construction of spectacles, &. ... The machinery of the firm is understood to be sufficiently extensive to furnish one hundred gross of pairs of lenses per week."

Peter Frith, Jr., did on July 5, 1871. In Reminiscences of Old Sheffield, Its Streets and its People, 1875, an elderly inhabitant stated, "On the opposite side of Westbar, up a passage, the father of the late Peter Frith began business as an optician, 70 years ago. He prospered, devoting himself more to the fancy branches than his competitors, and saved a large sum of money".

Figure 8. An 1849 advertisement, from "History and General Directory of the Borough of Birmingham".

Figure 9. Advertisement from the 1862 "Kelly's Post Office Guide to London".

Figure 10. Descriptions of Peter Frith Jr.'s entries in the 1862 London Exposition.

Figure 11. A receipt from Peter Frith & Company, dated November 23, 1866. Adapted for nonprofit, educational purposes from https://collection.sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk/objects/co8002736/trade-card-peter-frith-compy-trade-card

Figure 12. An 1869 advertisement from "The Merchant Shippers of London".

Acknowledgement

Thank you to Joe Zeligs for sharing images from his extensive database of optical instruments.

Resources

England census and other resources, acquired through ancestry.com

The Examiner (1839) "From the London Gazette, partnerships dissolved: P. Frith and Co., Sheffield, opticians", page 526

Gazetteer and General Directory of Sheffield (1852) "Frith James, optician, & powder flask, shot pouch, liquor bottle, &c. mfr. 105 Arundel street; house Sheaf garden street", and "Frith Peter and Co., opticians, and mathematical instrument manufacturers, 81 Arundel street; h Broomgrove cottage", William White, page 110

General & Commercial Directory of Sheffield (1825) "Frith Peter and Co., opticians, powder flask and shot belt manufacturers, 37, Arundel street", by R. Gell, Albion Press, Manchester, page 38

History, Directory & Gazetteer, of the County of York (1822) "Frith Peter, optician, powder flask & shot belt mfr. 37, Arundel street", Edward Bains, page 317

History, Directory & Gazetteer, of the County of York (1837) "Frith Peter and Co., opticians, and powder flask and shot belt mfrs. 32, Arundel street; h East bank" and "Frith Peter jun. optn; h Woodside", William White, page 124

History and General Directory of the Borough of Birmingham (1849) Advertisement from Peter Frith & Company, Francis White & Co., Sheffield

Johnstone's London Commercial Guide, and Street Directory (1817) Frith not listed as a business

Kelly's Post Office Guide to London (1862) advertisement from Peter Frith & Co., page 36

Kent's Directory of London (1803) Frith not listed as a business

Kent's Directory of London (1823) Frith not listed as a business

The Merchant Shippers of London (1869) pages 272 and 335

Official Illustrated Catalogue of the International Exposition (1862) Peter Frith & Company, entry 2899

Pigott's Commercial Directory (1818) Sheffield, Opticians, "Frith Peter and Co. Arundel-street", page 421

Pigot & Co.'s New Commercial Directory of Scotland for 1825-6 (1825) London, "Frith Peter & Co. opticians", page 1032

Pigot & Co.'s National Commercial Directory for 1828-9 (1828) Sheffield, "Frith Peter & Co. Arundel st", page 1091

Post Office Directory of London (1807) Frith not listed as a business

Post Office Directory of London (1814) Frith not listed as a business

Post Office Directory of London (1829) "Frith Peter, Optician, 8 Cursitor street, Chancery lane"

Post Office Directory of London (1835) "Frith Peter, Optician, 50 Hatton garden"

Post Office Directory of London (1843) "Frith Peter & Co., Sheffield warehouse, 4 Bolt st Fleet st"

Post Office Directory of London (1848) "Frith Peter & Co., Sheffield warehouse, 5 Bartlett's bldgs. Holborn"

Post Office Directory of London (1850) "Frith Peter & Co., (Zachary Allnutt, agt.), 5 Bartlett's buildings"

Probate of the will of Peter Frith Jr., (1871) "Peter Frith late of Sheffield in the County of York Optician who died 5 July 1871 at Sheffield was proved at Wakefield by Walter Frith of Sheffield Optician the Son one of the surviving Executors. Effects under £3000", accessed through ancestry.com

Reminiscences of Old Sheffield, Its Streets, and its People (1875) Edited by Robert E. Leader, Leader & Sons, Sheffield, page 115

Reports by the Juries (1863) pages 23 and 26

Robson's London Directory (1842) "Frith Brothers, opticians and mfrs of powder flask 46 Lisle st, Leicester sq, & Arundel st, Sheffield, Greatbatch J. agent", and "Frith P. & Co., Sheffield whse, 4 Bolt st Fleet st", page 558

The Sheffield and Rotherham Directory (1841) "Frith Brothers, opticians, and powder flask mfrs. 105 Arundle st", "Frith Hy. optcn. 105 Arundle st., h Broomhall fld", "Frith Jas, optcn. 105 Arundle st. h. Belmont", "Frith Peter and Co., opticians, 81 Arundle st", and "Frith Peter, optcn. 81 Arundle st. h. Hallamgt", Henry A. Rodgers, page 151