Based on the details of the shoulder, proportion of the grip as well as the bold chamfers, I agree that your Torus plane appears to have 18th century features. Though, despite spending quite some time deciphering the marks on the toe, I'm still not much closer to being sure who made it, or when. But I thought I'd share what I think I've figured out so far in the hope that it may lead to further discussion and discovery.
As best I can determine, the oldest mark is the one (well, actually two) with serrated borders which occupy the mid-line of the grip. And to my eyes, it actually reads: [ST. KITCHING][LONDON]. I'm thinking the ST. may stand for Stephen or Stephenson, though I have not been able to find any such person listed as plane makers or apprentices. So, despite this mark having the best chance of being the makers mark, it may simply be the earliest owner's mark.
The second mark (again, actually two marks), as best I can read it, is RICHARD JOYS/GRIMSBY. Three different Richard Joys were enrolled as freemen in Grimsby: 1806, 1842 and 1877. At least one of them, and possibly two, worked as joiners and cabinet-makers in Grimsby. In a preliminary search, I've found trade listings for Richard Joys, joiner and cabinet-makers as early as 1835 and as late as 1852.
The third mark is J. ESKRIETT, which partially obscures the Richard Joys mark. Again, a preliminary search has turned up a John and Cyrus Eskriett, who were working as joiners and shipwrights, in Great Grimsby, as early as 1882. They dissolved their partnership in 1893, when they were listed as timber merchants, sawmill proprietors, ship carpenters and smack owners. John may well have been the person associated with the third mark on your plane.
Hope this has been of some interest.
Don McConnell
Eureka Springs, AR
