Ashley Carson has worked at the Sheffield Assay Office, assaying, testing and hallmarking precious metals for more than 40 years.

Now the assay master, he holds one of the city’s most historic titles and has chosen to support the next generation of silversmiths.

Every piece of jewellery for sale in Britain has to be hallmarked. At the Sheffield Assay Office, each earring, bracelet, chain or ring must be carefully unwrapped, stamped, checked then returned to its original packaging. It is a system which is labour intensive and makes implementing a streamlined production system difficult.

As part of Ashley’s mutually beneficial relationship with Hallam, students from the Materials and Engineering Research Institute (MERI) took part in a Knowledge Transfer Partnership with the Assay Office. The students worked to design and implement a new factory layout at the office’s premises in Hillsborough, which has translated into increased productivity; the Sheffield Assay Office hallmark more than 13 million articles a year.

An accomplished silversmith himself, Ashley supports students on the metalwork and silversmith course at Hallam by offering a free hallmarking service and an annual prize to a third year student for their final degree show. The Assay Office also donates silver to the department which is sold to students at a discounted rate to help encourage them to be more experimental without having to worry about the cost. In recognition of Ashley’s dedication to supporting young silversmiths he was awarded an honorary doctorate in 2003.

Hayley Grafflin was awarded the 2017 Sheffield Assay Office Graduation Prize for Excellence in Design. She said: “Winning the award was such a shock and an incredible experience. It has given me the encouragement and confidence I needed to enter the professional world of jewellery. It has enabled me to achieve my goals of attending exhibitions and craft fairs all within the first few months
of graduating.”