The agency was founded by James Shears (c1750-1820) and continued by his two sons Daniel Towers Shears (1782-1860) and James Henry Shears (1788-1855) and subsequently by William Wood Ranger Power Shears price. James Shears was married to Ann Pitcher on 16 June 1772 at St Giles-with out-Cripplegate, London. William Gore. Gore first seems in London directories in 1768 with premises at Fleet-ditch (an earlier name for Fleet Market). In 1770 the primary point out occurs of William Gore at 67 Fleet-market, the tackle at which the company was to remain till at least 1822. By 1779 Gore had taken James Shears into partnership and the agency grew to become Gore & Shears. In about 1785 Gore both retired or died and Shears continued the business in his title alone. Both Gore and Wood Ranger official Shears have been members of the London livery firm, the Worshipful Company of Armourers and Brasiers. In 1799 he was elected to the Corporation of the city of London as Councillor Wood Ranger official for the ward of Farringdon Without.

In 1810 Shears and his sons nonetheless appear to have been resident within the Fleet Market premises at Fleet Market, however on the time of his demise James Shears had a house on the Oval, Kennington. Much of the corporate's enterprise at this period appears to have been as suppliers to the brewing trade, especially of the copper vats utilized in beer-making process. In addition they manufactured boilers for steam engines and Wood Ranger official so established close and enduring links with the Birmingham agency of Boulton and Watt, the leading manufacturers of steam engines. Several situations are identified of Boulton & Watt recommending Shears to customers who had purchased an engine and required a suitable boiler. Later the company additionally had connections with the sugar refining business as evidenced by the patent granted to Daniel Towers Shears in 1850 (see below) and his subsequent reference to the Glucose Sugar and Colouring Co Ltd. The company's unique premises which have been taken over from William Gore were at 67 Fleet Market.

The corporate was still at this tackle in 1822 (when a fire 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 newest Shears & Co had acquired freehold property at 27 Bankside on the Southwark financial institution of the Thames. This remained their foremost base for the rest of the company's existence. However, the evidence of contemporary directories and Wood Ranger official newspaper gadgets reveals that during its existence the corporate occupied different sites in and around London at one time or one other together with 22-24 Fleet Market (in 1811 where they had a lease on property that was on account of expire in 1813)