Fattorini & Sons was a

jewellery Jewellery ( UK) or jewelry ( U.S.) consists of decorative items worn for personal adornment, such as brooches, rings, necklaces, earrings, pendants, bracelets, and cufflinks. Jewellery may be attached to the body or the clothes. From a w ...

business established by a family of

Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance language *** Regional Ita ...

immigrants who arrived in the British city of

Leeds Leeds () is a city and the administrative centre of the City of Leeds district in West Yorkshire, England. It is built around the River Aire and is in the eastern foothills of the Pennines. It is also the third-largest settlement (by popul ...

, in

Yorkshire Yorkshire ( ; abbreviated Yorks), formally known as the County of York, is a Historic counties of England, historic county in northern England and by far the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its large area in comparison with other Eng ...

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe ...

in the early 19th century. Antonio Fattorini opened a shop in

Harrogate Harrogate ( ) is a spa town and the administrative centre of the Borough of Harrogate in North Yorkshire, England. Historically in the West Riding of Yorkshire, the town is a tourist destination and its visitor attractions include its spa ...

to take advantage of seasonal trade in Harrogate in 1831, this business is today owned and run by descendants of the founders. In the 1850s he opened a shop in

Bradford Bradford is a city and the administrative centre of the City of Bradford district in West Yorkshire, England. The city is in the Pennines' eastern foothills on the banks of the Bradford Beck. Bradford had a population of 349,561 at the 2011 ...

with two of his sons. In 1883 the firm made the first ever chess clock comprising two linked pendulum clocks.

Trophy work

By the 1920s, the company was making sports trophies and medals for the local and then national markets. They made such famous trophies as the

FA Cup The Football Association Challenge Cup, more commonly known as the FA Cup, is an annual knockout football competition in men's domestic English football. First played during the 1871–72 season, it is the oldest national football compet ...

and the Rugby League

Challenge Cup The Challenge Cup is a knockout rugby league cup competition organised by the Rugby Football League, held annually since 1896, with the exception of 1915–1919 and 1939–1940, due to World War I and World War II respectively. It involve ...

- both in use to this day. Fattorini and Sons also marketed sewing machines manufactured by Varley. Thomas Fattorini Ltd, emblematic jewellers, still manufacture specialist bespoke sports trophies, awards and medals today.

Masonic regalia

For many years Fattorini and Sons were a prominent manufacturer of regalia for use in the different Orders of

Freemasonry Freemasonry or Masonry refers to fraternal organisations that trace their origins to the local guilds of stonemasons that, from the end of the 13th century, regulated the qualifications of stonemasons and their interaction with authorities ...

. Their factories and retail outlets in Yorkshire and Birmingham provided a regional competitor to the well-known London based regalia manufacturing companies. Many items of masonic regalia manufactured by Fattorini and Sons remain in current use, and bear the company's "signature-style" label. The North Wales Society of Architects' Presidential Chain of Office was designed in 1954 by Fattorini and Sons of hallmarked sterling silver finished in polished hard gold plate and vitreous enamelled in three colours.

Manningham Rugby Club and Bradford City Football Club

The family became heavily involved with Manningham Rugby Club in

. Indeed, Tony Fattorini represented Manningham when the club became part of the breakaway from

Rugby Union Rugby union, commonly known simply as rugby, is a close-contact team sport that originated at Rugby School in the first half of the 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand. In it ...

in 1895 which resulted in the birth of what we know today as the

Rugby league Rugby league football, commonly known as just rugby league and sometimes football, footy, rugby or league, is a full-contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular field measuring 68 metres (75 yards) wide and 112 ...

. Manningham were the new game's first champions in 1896. After a period of decline Manningham changed games and became the football club

Bradford City Bradford City Association Football Club is an English professional football club in Bradford, West Yorkshire. The team competes in League Two, the fourth tier of the English football league system and are currently managed by Mark Hughes. Th ...

in 1903. Once again the Fattorinis were at the forefront of the switch to football, they also designed and made the FA cup which Bradford City won in 1911.

Today

Fattorini & Sons was sold to Thomas Fattorini Ltd in 1984. Thomas Fattorini Ltd and Fattorini & Sons were friendly rivals for many years, both businesses being owned and managed by descendants of Antonio Fattorini. Thomas Fattorini Ltd is still trading, and is located in the Birmingham Jewellery quarter, where it is managed by the 6th generation of the Fattorini family. The Harrogate jewellery shop is owned and run by the Tindalls, descendants via the female line.

References

{{reflist , refs= {{cite web , title=About Us , url=http://www.fattorini.co.uk/About_Us.aspx , website=Thomas Fattorini , accessdate=7 March 2015 , date=2015

External links

Photograph "Tony Fattorini" at rlhp.co.uk
Companies established in 1831 British jewellers Defunct companies based in Leeds Companies based in Harrogate 1831 establishments in England