Charles Horner: The Begining.

Anyone with an interest in vintage and antique jewellery will have heard of Charles Horner; the Charles Horner company existed for over a 125 years, and were one of England's largest wholesale jewellery manufacturers.
Charles Horner began his career in 1850 as an apprentice jeweller/watchmaker, and by 1857 was in business for himself. His business was relatively successful, providing him with good steady income, but it wasn't until 1884 when he invented the "Dorcas" thimble, that things really took off for the Charles Horner Company.
At this time in Victorian Britain, being proficient with a sewing needle was a necessary skill for virtually all females; for the less well off, it was a necessity, and for those who were better off, it was practised for pleasure. So the simple thimble became a popular, and seemingly very practical 'love-token'. Jewellers produced them in their millions for home and export, and probably due to costs, silver thimbles were the most popular choice. Unfortunately silver is a relatively soft metal, and the new 'steel' needles of the time could easily puncture the thimble. Charles Horner's simple solution was to manufacture a plain steel thimble and encase it, inside and out, with a layer of silver, producing a thimble that retained all the beauty of solid silver, but with the added strength of steel.
The patented "Dorcas" thimble was sold with a lifetime guarantee, and quickly became the most popular thimble of choice.