What need to guess it? It's Chester 1896. Or is there a cunning secret hidden behind the white rectangle
I was going off Saunders & Shepard being listed as Birmingham makers http://www.925-1000.com/dlBirmingham2.html#M
If their shed was located in Staffordshire, they may have submitted stuff to Chester for marking from time to time. It's not far to go. Maybe Birmingham was busy or closed for Christmas? You will find that some makers used several assay offices, according to convenience. The only fixed rule in British hallmarks seems to be that there are exceptions to almost everything. Even the little lion.
