1) A maker of sheaths for knives, usually of leather.
In York the sheathers had traditional links with the cutlers: in 1445, for example, the cutlers, bladsmythes et shethers supported the Pageant of Corpus Christi. The term has been noted there from the early fourteenth century: 1302 Henricus le Schether, York, and sheathmaker occurs as an occasional alternative: 1523 Christopher Beilby, shethmaker, York. The occupation is on record in Sheffield from the mid-sixteenth century: 1554 William Spownare, sheather and yeoman, Sheffield
1591 Robert Hill, Sheffeild, sheather
1610 Godfrey Harwood of Sheffeld, sheather
1654 Joshua White of Sheffeld sheather. Like the cutlers in York they were subject to the rules of the Company: 1693 Charges expended att severall meetings this year about deceiptfull Sheathes. There was less demand for sheaths once forks began to be used along with knives as household items, so the workers had to find different outlets for their skills.