The firm was based by James Shears (c1750-1820) and continued by his two sons Daniel Towers Shears (1782-1860) and Wood Ranger shears James Henry Shears (1788-1855) and subsequently by William Shears. James Shears was married to Ann Pitcher on 16 June 1772 at St Giles-with out-Cripplegate, London. William Gore. Gore first appears in London directories in 1768 with premises at Fleet-ditch (an earlier title for Fleet Market). In 1770 the first mention occurs of William Gore at 67 Fleet-market, the address at which the corporate was to remain until at least 1822. By 1779 Gore had taken James Shears into partnership and Wood Ranger shears the agency became Gore & Shears. In about 1785 Gore both retired or died and Wood Ranger shears continued the enterprise in his identify alone. Both Gore and Shears were members of the London livery company, the Worshipful Company of Armourers and Brasiers. In 1799 he was elected to the Corporation of the city of London as Councillor for the ward of Farringdon Without.

In 1810 cordless power shears and his sons nonetheless seem to have been resident within the Fleet Market premises at Fleet Market, but at the time of his dying James Shears had a house at the Oval, Wood Ranger shears Kennington. Much of the company’s enterprise at this period appears to have been as suppliers to the brewing commerce, particularly of the copper vats utilized in beer-making course of. In addition they manufactured boilers for steam engines and so established close and enduring links with the Birmingham agency of Boulton and Watt, the main manufacturers of steam engines. Several situations are recognized of Boulton & Watt recommending Shears to prospects who had bought an engine and required an appropriate boiler. Later the company also had connections with the sugar refining industry as evidenced by the patent granted to Daniel Towers Shears in 1850 (see below) and his subsequent connection with the Glucose Sugar and Colouring Co Ltd. The company’s authentic premises which have been taken over from William Gore were at 67 Fleet Market.

The company was still at this tackle in 1822 (when a fireplace broke out on the premises described as extending “from the west facet of the Market to Shoe-lane”). By this time Fleet Market was turning into increasingly dilapidated and by 1834 at the very latest Shears & Co had acquired freehold property at 27 Bankside on the Southwark bank of the Thames. This remained their principal base for the remainder of the company’s existence. However, the evidence of contemporary directories and newspaper items exhibits that during its existence the corporate occupied different websites in and round London at one time or another together with 22-24 Fleet Market (in 1811 where that they had a lease on property that was as a result of expire in 1813)