My First Car: Master Cutler Ian Nicholls' Beetle 'struggled on Sheffield hills'
Sheffield’s new Master Cutler Ian Nicholls says his first car was a very memorable Volkswagen Beetle, but it did not seem as cool as it would today.
“I was 18 when I got it straight after I passed my test,” he said. The car had been in the family for some time, and he was privileged to have a motor at that age.
“It did struggle with the hills in Sheffield,” he said. Ian was born in Dudley in the West Midlands and studied at Manchester University before getting a job at Sheffield Forgemasters in Sheffield.
Ian was formally installed as Master Cutler at a ceremony at Cutlers’ Hall recently, succeeding the 386th Master Cutler, Professor Keith Jackson.
With a career spanning more than four decades, he played a significant role in the development of Sheffield Forgemasters and the wider South Yorkshire manufacturing sector.
A metallurgist by training, he has spent most of his career at Sheffield Forgemasters, one of the UK’s most advanced and unique manufacturing facilities, specialising in the production of large-scale ingots, forgings and castings. He said one of his most memorable cars was a Volkswagen Scirocco, which he thoroughly enjoyed. It wasn’t just the looks. “It drove very well too,” he said.
He now drives a Toyota RAV4, which he says is his ideal car because of its size and versatility.
As Master Cutler, he acts as an ambassador for industry across Sheffield and South Yorkshire, representing the interests and achievements of the region’s manufacturing and engineering community while supporting The Company’s work across education, skills, charity and civic engagement.
Ian will be joined during his year by his wife, Liz Nicholls, who takes on the role of Mistress Cutler. She is Lead Nurse for the Burns Service at Sheffield Children’s Hospital and brings extensive experience from her involvement with Theo's Burns Club and The Children's Hospital Charity to the role.