marson of birmingham, 16 bore

Samuel Marson & Company was a manufacturer (founded circa 1840) of sporting and military firearms, and was based in Birmingham, England. Birmingham was one of the cradles of the British-best gun trade.

Birmingham, often dubbed as the ‘City of a Thousand Trades,’ has a rich and varied manufacturing history. Among these trades, the gunmaking industry stands out, having played a critical role in shaping the city’s industrial landscape. The Birmingham Gunmakers built a reputation for excellence and craftsmanship that continues till present day. This article will delve into the storied history of Birmingham Gunmakers, their golden era, the challenges they overcame, and their enduring legacy in modern times.

The origins of Birmingham gunmaking date back to the mid-17th century, when the city emerged as a significant hub for the metal industry. The availability of iron ore and coal, coupled with a strategic location with easy waterway access, made Birmingham an ideal place for metal-working trades. Among these was gunmaking, a craft that was initially concentrated in London but spread to Birmingham due to economic and political reasons. The onset of the English Civil War in 1642 led to an increased demand for firearms, and Birmingham’s gunmakers rose to the challenge, crafting weapons that would be used by both the Royalists and Parliamentarians.

The end of the civil war did not quell the demand for firearms. On the contrary, the Restoration of the Monarchy in 1660 led to a renewed emphasis on military preparedness, fuelling the growth of the gunmaking industry. The 18th century saw Birmingham gunmakers diversify their product range, producing firearms not only for military use but also for sport and personal protection. Furthermore, Birmingham gunmakers began to cultivate a reputation for innovation, pioneering new manufacturing techniques and designs that would set them apart from their competition.

In 1764, the Birmingham Proof House was established to test the quality and safety of firearms, further consolidating Birmingham’s status as a leading gunmaking hub. The Proof House was instrumental in ensuring the high standards of Birmingham firearms, providing a certification that became a mark of quality and reliability.

The 19th century is often referred to as the golden era of Birmingham gunmaking. The industry saw unprecedented growth during this period, with numerous manufacturers setting up shop in the city. At the height of its boom, Birmingham was producing hundreds of thousands of firearms each year, supplying to markets across the globe. The era was marked by a strong emphasis on craftsmanship, with Birmingham gunmakers honing their skills to create weapons of impeccable quality.

The Industrial Revolution played a key role in Birmingham’s gunmaking success. Advancements in technology allowed for mass production of firearms, making Birmingham the largest supplier of guns in the world. Notably, during the American Civil War, Birmingham’s manufacturers supplied a significant number of firearms to both the Union and Confederate forces, highlighting the global reach of the city’s gunmaking industry.

However, the prosperity was not merely a result of increased production. Birmingham gunmakers were also known for their innovative designs and superior craftsmanship. They pioneered new techniques in gunmaking, like the use of interchangeable parts and precision engineering, that revolutionized the industry. Birmingham-made firearms were highly sought after, not just for their functionality, but also for their aesthetic appeal.

Despite its success, the Birmingham gunmaking industry was not without its challenges. The late 19th and early 20th centuries saw a decline in demand for firearms, with the advent of new warfare technology. Many manufacturers were forced to diversify or shut down, marking a period of turbulence for Birmingham’s gunmakers.

The two World Wars, however, brought about a resurgence in demand for firearms. Birmingham gunmakers once again rose to the occasion, supplying weapons to the British and Allied forces. Despite the devastation of the World Wars, Birmingham’s gun making industry managed to survive and adapt, testament to their resilience and flexibility.  The post-war period ushered in another set of challenges, with stricter gun control laws impacting the industry. However, Birmingham gunmakers found new avenues for their craft, focusing on the production of sporting guns and collectible firearms. Through these transitions, the spirit of Birmingham gunmaking remained unbroken, demonstrating an ability to adapt and evolve in the face of adversity.

Today, Birmingham continues to be a hub for gunmaking, albeit in a different form than its heyday. The city is home to several renowned gunmaking firms, who carry on the tradition of Birmingham craftsmanship, producing high-quality sporting guns and collectibles.

The Birmingham Gunmakers’ legacy of innovation is also alive today. Modern manufacturers employ state-of-the-art technology and advanced engineering techniques in their production processes, upholding the city’s reputation for pioneering advancements in the field. In a nod to the past, many firms also offer bespoke gun making services, maintaining the focus on craftsmanship that Birmingham is known for.  Yet, perhaps the most enduring legacy of Birmingham Gunmakers is the spirit of resilience and adaptability they have demonstrated throughout history. From the Civil War to the World Wars, from the Industrial Revolution to modern legislative changes, Birmingham Gunmakers have weathered countless shifts and changes, always emerging stronger.

The Industrial Revolution played a key role in Birmingham’s gun making success. Advancements in technology allowed for mass production of firearms, making Birmingham the largest supplier of guns in the world. Notably, during the American Civil War, Birmingham’s manufacturers supplied a significant number of firearms to both the Union and Confederate forces, highlighting the global reach of the city’s gun making industry.t a tale of guns and war, but a testament to the enduring spirit of Birmingham – a city that has always been able to adapt, innovate, and overcome adversity.  "With iron ore and coal deposits nearby, Birmingham has been a manufacturing centre since the Middle Ages. The earliest record of guns--"musquets," actually--being built there dates to the 1640s, and Birmingham makers were supplying weapons to the armies of William and Mary by 1693. By 1770, the Birmingham trade comprised thirty-eight gun and pistol makers, six gunlock-makers, and five barrel-makers. During the Napoleonic Wars, between 1804 and 1815, Birmingham turned out 1,827,889 finished arms, 3,037,644 barrels, and 2,879,203 locks.

"Taking its cue from American industry in the 1850, the Birmingham trade was the first in England to adopt the techniques of mass-production and interchangeable parts. More than 4,000,000 military gun barrels were made and proofed in Birmingham between 1854 and 1864, a period that includes both the Crimean War and the American Civil War. From October 1861 through 1864, the Birmingham trade contributed 733,403 weapons to the American conflict, supplying, as we've seen, both the Union and Confederate armies.

"By the turn of the nineteenth century, most of the components used throughout the English gun trade came from Birmingham--locks, barrels, furniture, and all.” Parliament officially established the Birmingham Proof House in 1813.

"Besides military arms, the Birmingham trade offered well-built, inexpensive sporting arms--certainly inexpensive by London standards--and the London makers had long been resentful of the competition. So long as the London Proof House was the only one in England, they felt relatively secure, but when the Birmingham trade gained co-equal power of law, the Londoners waxed testy indeed. Momentarily losing its collective head, the Gunmakers' Company backed a bill in the House of Commons to require that no one but the actual manufacturer could put his name on a gun. This was meant to stop the fairly common practice in which entrepreneurs stamped their own names and London addresses on Birmingham-built guns. The Birmingham contingent countered by pointing out that it would then become illegal for bona-fide London makers to put their names on guns made from Birmingham components. Since virtually all of the London makers did exactly that, they dropped the matter like a hot rock."

This is a beautiful Marson gun in 16 bore, it has been completely restored and is in perfect working order.

oldguns.ca, virtual museum.

The history of W Richards has connections with gunmaking going back to 1780, and was patronised by royalty from all over the British Empire, including HRH The Prince of Wales, HRH The Duke of Gloucester, and HSH Prince Adolphus of Teck.

The company grew to be a very successful business, originally formed in London in 1801, then after a brief spell in Birmingham finally settled in Liverpool, which at the time was a thriving shipping port.  They continued to prosper opening a branch in Melbourne, Australia in 1853 and then, further branches in England in Preston, Lancahshire in 1897.

Striving forward and building their empire, Richards were producing quality sporting guns and rifles with patents registered in their name.
In 1910 Richards purchased Willaims & Powell Gunmakers, which incorporated Patrick, the famous pistol makers, a further acquisition followed in 1924 of James H. Hooton Gunsmiths. Richards, still very much a family Business, passed from one family member to another and survived the depression of the turbulent 1920’s, Chris Caine purchased the name, goodwill and intellectual property of W.Richards in the late 1990's, relocated to Pocklington, East York where he continues to repair & manufacture guns to order with the finest materials and workmanship as made for hundreds of years by time served craftsmen.

oldguns.ca, virtual museum collection.

Charles William Lancaster (1820–1878) was a British gunmaker and improver of rifles and cannon.  Lancaster was the eldest son of Charles Lancaster, gunmaker, Portman Square, London, on 24 June 1820. On leaving school he entered his father's factory, where he practically learnt the business of a gunmaker and soon became a clever designer of models, a thoroughly skilled workman, and a mechanician of high order. The study of rifled projectiles and the construction of rifles was his chief pleasure, and he soon attained the highest skill as a rifle shot.

In 1846, Lancaster constructed a model rifle with which he experimented at Woolrich, with success at distances of 1,000 and 1,200 yards (920 and 1,100 m). The the Duke of Wellington then ordered some similar rifles for the Rifle Brigade at the Cape of good Hope.  The years 1844 and 1845 were devoted to solving the problem of rifled cannon. In July 1846, he submitted to the Board of Ordnance a plan for firing from rifled cannon smooth-sided conical projectiles; the required rotary motion coming from a sabot fitted to the base of the projectile, the base having a V cross-piece cast in it. Further experiments, however, did not encourage him to go on with this scheme.

In 1850, he conceived the idea of the oval bore as the proper form for all rifled arms and cannon; with which his name is associated. In order to publicize his invention, he constructed full-size working models of the 68-pounder, the largest gun then in the service, for the Great Exhibition of 1851. At the request of the government, these models were not exhibited, but a 68-pounder oval-bore gun, made and rifled at Birmingham, with accurately turned shells, was sent to Shoeburyness for trial. The shooting of this gun directed attention to the oval-bore system, and in the succeeding experiments made at Woolwich, Lancaster assisted the War Department and for some time superintended the production of the guns in theRoyal Arsenal. In 1852, he experimented upon the .577 pattern Enfield rifled musket and sent to the school of musketry at Hythe some specimens of carbines bored on his peculiar system. The device was considered satisfactory. In January 1855, the Lancaster carbine was adopted as the arm for the Royal Engineers and was used by members of the corps until it was superseded by the Martini-Henry Rifle in 1869. During the Crimean Campaigne, oval-bored rifle cannon were used and did good service and were, it is said, the first rifled guns used in active service by the army and navy. Shortly after the war, heavier guns were required for armour-piercing, and the experiments carried out at Shoeburyness, in which Lancaster assisted, led to a complete revolution in rifled artillery. For the oval-bore system of rifling, he received substantial rewards from the government. His transactions with the War Office, however, led to disputes, and he scheduled his claims in a pamphlet but was unsuccessful in obtaining the recognition of his services to which he considered himself entitled. Between 1850 and 1872, he took out upwards of twenty patents, chiefly in connection with firearms but including a joint patent with John Hughesfor iron plating ships in 1860.  His last invention was a gas-check, applicable to large rifled projectiles.

He traveled much in Russia, where the Czar had a special gold medal of large size struck in his honour. He was elected an associate of the Institution of Civil Engineers on 6 April 1852 and wrote a paper "On the Erosion of the Bore in Heavy Guns". While making arrangements for retiring from business, he was seized with paralysis and died at 151 New Bond Street, London, on 24 April 1878. He married in 1868 Ellen, daughter of George Edward and Ann Thorne, by whom he had two daughters.

oldguns.ca, virtual museum.

Undoubtedly, the Calisher & Terry is one of the more interesting and enigmatic of the Civil War-era breechloaders. Given the sobriquet “door-bolt gun” because of its unique, early bolt-action mechanism, during its brief life span (which probably extended no longer than 10 years between 1860 and 1870), in both rifle and carbine form, it saw use not only in its native Britain but throughout the world.

The “Terry,” as it is most commonly called, was certainly not the first bolt-action longarm, nor was it necessarily the best—though it was not all that bad. Despite a probable run of no more than 20,000 guns, and approved by the British War Office for use by cavalry, it was first issued to the 18th Hussars, but is best known for its use by the Colonial governments in Australia and New Zealand - particularly by the NZ Colonial Defence Force (NZ Forest Rangers) from July 1863 - A number were used during the American Civil War, particularly by the Confederates, but they were never a standard issue for any unit.

It was also popular in New Zealand, where it was employed against the Maoris, as well as in South Africa, with the Cape Mounted Rifles, Australia and America, with numbers being sold to both United States and Southern forces in unknown quantities.

Most famously, the Calisher & Terry was the chosen carbine of famed Confederate cavalry general J.E.B. Stuart. A Terry was also found by Union forces in the baggage of Confederate president Jefferson Davis. Like the carbine featured here, both were marked with the name of the retailer, Thomas Blissett of Liverpool.

Designed by William Terry, who patented his invention in 1856, the gun was an interesting capping breechloader, the action of which involved a turning bolt or “plunger.” The action was assisted in sealing escaping gases by way of a swinging gate that had to be pivoted out and up before the bolt could be withdrawn.

At the heart of the system was a proprietary cartridge that consisted of a .539" (and earlier .568") conical bullet wrapped in a nitrated paper envelope which, at its base, had an attached, greased felt wad. The charge was 55 grs. of blackpowder.

After the load had been inserted in the chamber and the bolt closed, the carbine was capped and fired, the wad providing an excellent seal. Firing a subsequent round pushed the first wad ahead of the bullet, cleaning the bore. The cartridge, while ingenious, was not as unique as a similar-style cartridge used in the superior "Westley Richards Monkey Tail Breechloader"

For the most part, Calisher & Terrys were well regarded by those who used them, though there were complaints of gas leakage after the head of the “plunger” became eroded from repeated usage.

Rifles and carbines were manufactured by William Terry and his partner, Bertram Calisher, in Birmingham, England, under the name Breech Loading Armoury Co. (Limited). With the exception of the less than 1,000 carbines built for the British military, whose locks featured a crowned “VR” (“Victoria Regina”) and date, the remainder of the firm’s output was for commercial sale. As such, they will either be marked with caliber (“30 BORE”) and simple Calisher & Terry designations, or might also have the added name of a retailer. Specimens with floral and scroll engraving also exist.

The carbine shown here is a typical civilian arm, retailed by Thomas Blissett and checkered at the wrist and fore-end—an embellishment not seen on all Terrys.

oldguns.ca, virtual museum.

William Charles Scott was born in 1806, he was the eldest son of William and Dorothy Martin Scott who farmed at Bradfield Combust near Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk. Charles Scott, his brother, was born in 1807.

William Scott worked on the farm with his parents until he was 21 years old, but then obtained an apprenticeship as a gun finisher, probably with Benjamin Parker in Bury St Edmunds. Most people at this time started their apprenticeships at 14 so it seems that either William decided to change his career or his father needed his help on the farm and sought reimbursement for William's upbringing and education! Charles's career probably followed the same course.

In 1834, when his apprenticeship finished, William married Mary Susan Middleditch (born Bury St Edmunds 1810) and moved to Birmingham where he established himself as an outworker (gun finisher) at 11 Lench Street. Charles joined him in the business, probably within four or five years, and the firm of William & Charles Scott was established as "Gun and Pistol Makers". They were only recorded in the street directories in 1840. There are reports that William Scott established his business or was working in 1820 at 79 Weaman Street, but these are obviously not correct as William would have been only 14 years old at the time; the William Scott of 79 Weaman Street was a different person.

In 1835 William and Mary had a son, William Middleditch Scott. In 1837 they had another son, James Charles Scott.

In 1842 the firm moved to 33 Lench Street, and they took additional premises in 21 Loveday Street.

In 1849 they moved to Court, 4 Shadwell Street.

In the 1851 census William Scott and his family were living in Walsall Road, Aston. William Middleditch Scott (aged 15) was working in the firm as a gun finisher, James Charles (aged 14) was employed as a gun engraver. There were two further sons, Frederick M Scott (b.1839) and Edward John Scott (b.1849). There was a daughter, Amelia, who had been born in 1842. At this time Charles Scott (now aged 43) was living with William and his family, he married Mary A (maiden name unknown) in about 1852.

In 1855 the firm moved into larger and more prestigious premises at 94-95 Bath Street.

While working as an engraver with the firm, James Charles Scott attended art school (the "The School of Design"?). There have been reports that he had little interest in making guns, but although his speciality was engraving his reported lack of interest in gunmaking is unlikely, not least because of the high regard in which he and William Middleditch Scott, known as "the brothers in Birmingham", were held later in the century.

In the 1861 census, William Scott was recorded employing 18 men and two boys. By this time, Frederick M Scott was employed as a gun stocker. In the same census, William Middleditch Scott was recorded living in Victoria Road, Aston Manor with Caroline A (maiden name unknown but born in Edgbaston, Birmingham). They never had any children. The 1861 census records Charles Scott as living in Bolton Street with Mary, they had two sons, Martin (b.1853) and John (b.1859).

In 1861 William Scott was appointed a guardian of the Birmingham Gun Barrel Proof House, a position he held until 1865.

There are reports that William Middleditch Scott became a partner in 1858, and that the firm was re-named W & C Scott & Son in that year. There are other more likely reports that this happened in 1862. Yet other reports say that William Middleditch Scott only became a partner in 1866 but these are almost certainly incorrect. Whatever the truth, the name W & C Scott & Son implies that when William Middleditch Scott was made a partner and was selected as the future head of the firm, Charles Scott still worked in the business but was never made a partner, perhaps because he was not the eldest son.

In about 1864, James Charles Scott married Ellen Margaret (maiden name unknown but born in Chelsea, London in 1837), they had a daughter Caroline M in 1865.

From 1864 to 1895 the firm occupied premises in Bagot Street. The precise address is not known, but they may have occupied all or part of The Tower in Bagot Street. The original purpose of the tower is unknown, it may have been a shot tower. It was a government small arms factory (National Rifle Factory no. 2) prior to being taken over by W W Greener in 1914 for the manufacture of Belgian type Mauser actioned rifles and bayonets.

There are reports that the firm built and moved to the Premier Works at 123 Lancaster Street in 1865, and opened a showroom in London at 7 Dorset Place, Pall Mall, in the same year. It appears that the firm opened in London at that date, but the Premier Works at 123 Lancaster Street were probably only built in 1873/4 and occupied in 1875. At some time the factory at 94-95 Bath Street expanded to include 96 and 97 Bath Street.

The 1860s were very prosperous times for the Birmingham gun trade, due mainly to the American Civil War but also to the success they had selling their sporting guns, particularly pigeon guns and other high quality guns in the USA, Europe and elsewhere. At this time the firm was producing about 2,000 guns per annum.

In 1864 and 1865 Westley Richards joined Moore & Harris in a partnership established to save the manufacturing business of Moore & Harris from closure. The venture failed and, because Moore & Harris had a fairly substantial business exporting to the USA, the business was bought at auction by W & C Scott & Son.

On 25 October 1865, William Middleditch Scott filed his first patent. This was for loaded indicators and the famous Scott Spindle (No. 2752 of 25 October 1865), the spindle was used by Purdey in conjunction with their double bolt and it became the standard opening mechanism for double barrelled guns. The cocking indicators mentioned in the patent were spring loaded pins above the strikers that protruded through the top of the action body when the gun was loaded. In a later variation the tops of the strikers themselves protruded through the action.

In 1866 William Middleditch Scott was appointed a guardian of the Birmingham Gun Barrel Proof House, he retained this position until 1894.

In 1869 William Scott retired and William Middleditch Scott took over the running of the business.

Reportedly, from 1870 the firm marked all it's guns with the firm's trade mark consisting of a tower with a flag, representing The Tower in Bagot Street. Some guns may have been so marked, but probably not all of them, the use of this trade mark continued until at least 1914.

On 16 February 1870 an adjustable sliding front lump was patented under No. 452 (No. 108942 of 1.11.70 in the USA), this was popular abroad as any wear and looseness could be easily corrected simply by tightening the lump with a screwdriver. The lump is most commonly if not only seen on hammerguns made prior to 1887.

In 1871 the Dorset Place showroom in Pall Mall, London closed and the firm moved to 10 Great Castle Street, Regent Circus (now Oxford Circus) where the firm was to remain until 1899.

In the 1871 census, William Scott was recorded living in Victoria Road, Aston Manor. Edward John Scott had become a jeweller, Frederick M Scott, then aged 32, was a gun finisher still living at home. Charles Scott was living in Vulcan Place, Sycamore Road, Handsworth, with Mary A, Martin (aged 18) a gunmaker's assistant, and John (aged 13). William Middleditch Scott and Caroline had moved to Sharman's Cross, Solihull. James Charles Scott was recorded as living in Albert Road, Aston Manor with his wife, Ellen Margaret, and their daughter Caroline M.

Between 1871 and 1875 both William Scott and Charles Scott retired, William Middleditch Scott took over the running of the business.

In 1872 an improvement to the spindle patent was made, but it was not popular and does not seem to have been patented.

By 1873, strikers projecting from the breech face had long been a problem because they could detonate loaded cartridges and could be broken by the extractors. Spring-loaded strikers had been used, but on 5 April 1873 patent No. 1268 covered two mechanisms to move them back into their holes. The first was shaped slots cut into the extractors to push the strikers back into the breech and out of the way, and the second was a bar or a cam linked to the top lever to push them back into the breech face. The patent also covered two fore-end fasteners one of which, a short "bulb" shaped one, was used on the better quality models of gun. Patent No. 3756 later that year covered a rib extension with a spring bolting system and another two fore-end fasteners.

In 1874 the firm became agents for Smith & Wesson. Early in that year they patented a further fore-end fastener (No. 712). On 12 June 1874 patent No. 2052 was registered to cover a barrel locking mechanism (two spring operated cylindrical bolts on the standing breech parallel with the barrels). This was Scott's "Quadruple Grip", it was used by Holland & Holland amongst others, but the extra grips were unnecessary and the design was not popular. Patent No. 3424 of 7 October 1874 covered a hammerless action cocking mechanism similar to the Gibbs & Pitt patent. In this mechanism cocking was achieved by movement of the top lever, variations for different actions were included.

In Birmingham at the time was a partnership named Abingdon Works who made actions, other parts and accessories, and gunmaking tools. It was a partnership of several of the largest gunmakers in Birmingham but it appears to have been trading unsuccessfully. A new company, Abingdon Works Co Ltd, was formed in 1875 and William Middleditch Scott bought a majority of the shares. In addition to the partnership's premises in Shadwell Street, the new company took over the former Scott premises at 94-97 Bath Street and W & C Scott & Son moved to 123 Lancaster Street. Abingdon Works Co Ltd closed in 1889.

On 18 January 1875 William Middleditch Scott patented an external twin bolting system for barrels (No. 186) which comprised cross-bolts on either side of the action. Patent No. 1902 of 25 May 1875 covered a bolt which was part of the top lever. It engaged with the top rib extension and became famous as the Triplex top lever grip (in use up to 1892 when it was replaced by Scott's Improved Bolt). Minor changes were made to the basic design over the next few years and it was widely used until gradually replaced by the rectangular crossbolt introduced in 1892, it was discontinued by Webley & Scott in 1914. On 15 September 1875 the famous Scott crystal cocking indicators (and a fore-end fastener) were patented (No. 3223 in the UK and No. 215022 of 6 May 1879 in the USA). They were simply small windows let into the lock plates which allowed the user to see whether the tumblers were in the cocked position or not. They were used up to 1892 on virtually all Scott guns and up to 1900 on about one third of the guns produced. They were discontinued in 1905. Also in 1875, William Middleditch Scott and John Rigby registered patent No. 312 for a choke boring system for cylinder guns.

On 15 February 1876 William Middleditch Scott and Martin Scott (appointed Works Manager in 1876) patented a long fore-end catch which was used until 1892 (patent No. 615). Under that patent they included three barrel bolting mechanisms for different actions, but these were never produced in any quantity.

On 23 February 1878 William Middleditch Scott and Thomas Baker (action maker) patented their famous coil spring hammerless lock (No. 761) in which the gun was cocked on opening by means of rods passing diagonally through the action and engaging with projections on the barrel lump (it was patented in the USA under No. 210436 of 3 December 1878). This patent remained in production until 1892 but the design was used by Holland & Holland, Cogswell & Harrison and others, in some cases up to 1916.

In 1879 the Joseph Vernon Needham and George Hinton patent No. 706 (no. 225994 of 1880 in the USA) which was bought by Scott covered an intercepting sear or safety block which prevented movement of the tumbler unless the trigger was pulled. In that year, provisional patent No. 3883 with John Tonks covered a lever cocking hammerless gun but it was never registered or produced.

In the 1881 census William Scott was recorded living at 158 Victoria Road, Aston Manor with Mary Ann. Their son Frederick M Scott was still living at home (aged 42) and was still employed as a gunmaker. His brother, Charles, was then living at 16 Booth Street, Handsworth, his son John, had become a coach axle manufacturer. William Middleditch Scott (then aged 45) and Caroline had moved to 14 Greenfield Crescent, Edgbaston. James Charles Scott was erroneously recorded as James Edward Scott, he was living in St Bernard's Road, Solihull, with Ellen Margaret, they had had three sons; William James Scott (b.1872) who worked for the firm in the 1890s but emigrated to the USA in 1897/98; Harry E Scott (b.1873) who emigrated to the USA probably about 1897 but possibly earlier, and Frederick (Frank) Charles Scott (b.1880) who worked for the firm and then established his own business at 80-81 Bath Street in 1904.

On 8 February 1882 William Middleditch Scott and Thomas Baker patented their famous gas check groove. This was a groove around the striker holes which vented laterally to the outside of the action (No. 617 in the UK, No. 264722 of 19 September 1882 in the USA). In these early days, black powder gases could by-pass the cartridge cap and enter the breech around the striker where they would cause corrosion. The design was used up to 1935 by which time cartridges had long been "gastight". An alternative solution patented in the USA in 1883 was a cartridge which had grooves running from the cap to the rim of the cartridge, these supposedly allowed any gases from the cap to escape but it seems the cartridge was not very efficient or popular. On 18 March 1882 patent No. 1320 was an improvement to their 1878 patent which made their hammerless action a self-opening one through the use of coil springs around the cocking rods.

In 1883 William Scott, founder of the business, died.

Also in 1883, William Middleditch Scott patented another self-opening action (No. 727) for back-action locks (made between 1882 and 1887) and bar-action locks (made between 1887 and 1897) which was based on Thomas Perkes patent No. 1968 of 1878 which had been assigned to Scotts. On 8 August 1883 together with Charles Proctor, William Middleditch Scott patented a barrel cocking design which used cocking rods (No. 3859) but few were produced. This patent was registered in the USA on 20 November 1883 under No. 288670.

On 27 March 1884 patent No. 5564 covered another barrel cocking mechanism which cocked one lock as it opened and the other as it closed. It also included two slightly different mechanisms on the same principal and a mechanism to cock both barrels on closing.

In 1887 William Middleditch Scott retired (aged 51) and James Charles Scott took over the running of the business. By this time the company employed about 200 craftsmen. They sold guns under their own name in the USA, but in the UK they continued making sporting guns for the trade. They were suppliers of all types of guns to other Birmingham and provincial "gunmakers", and many of the top London firms sold Scott guns under their own names.

In about 1890 the firm opened an showroom in Turin, Italy. Reportedly, this showroom was established mainly to capitalise on the live pigeon shooting market, it was run by Frederick M (Middleditch?) Scott (William's third son sometimes incorrectly reported as Frederick William Scott). At about this time the firm was appointed gunmaker to the Kings of Spain, Norway and Sweden.

In the 1891 census, William Middleditch Scott was recorded living at 2 Augustus Road, Edgbaston. James Charles Scott was recorded at a more precise address than in the 1881 census, Rowanleigh, St Bernard's Road, Solihull. William J, now aged 19 was a gunmaker's apprentice, and Frederick (Frank) C (aged 11) was at school.

From 1895 to 1911 J C Scott was a guardian of the Birmingham Gun Barrel Proof House, he was also chairman of the Proof Committee for a time.

In 1897 W & C Scott & Son took over the firm of Richard Ellis & Son and then, on 21 October, amalgamated with P Webley & Son to form Webley & Scott Revolver & Arms Co Ltd, at enlarged premises at 81-91 Weaman Street (P Webley & Sons formerly occupied 82-89 Weaman Street). The precise reason for the amalgamation is unknown, it was probably due to a recognition of the change in the nature and scale of gunmaking firms, Webley needed additional manufacturing capacity for revolvers and similar related manufacturing activities, J C Scott wanted to retire and there was no suitable successor, and the Scott family wanted to capitalise on the value of the firm. James Charles Scott retired and his nephew, Martin Scott (Charles' son) left the firm to open his own business, Martin Scott & Sons Ltd at 13 St Mary's Row, this company was not recorded after 1908. The names of the sons are unknown. What happened to Frederick (Frank) Charles Scott (then aged 17) is not clear, he probably remained with the firm until 1903. He was recorded as a gunmaker at 80 Bath Street in 1904, his business continued until 1919.

In 1916 William Middleditch Scott died, James Charles Scott died in 1917.

Apart from guns being marked with the W & C Scott name up to the mid-1930s, the name made a brief re-appearance in about 1926 when Webley & Scott Ltd established W & C Scott Arms Co in New York to handle the importation and distribution of guns in the USA. This firm probably ceased operations in or soon after 1929.

All the Scott rifle records were destroyed by fire in 1945.

W & C Scott & Son became a major manufacturer (and one of the largest trade manufacturers) of sporting guns and rifles. In order to understand the type, quality, model, and style of guns made in the nineteenth century, one has to realise that this was a period of invention and perfection far surpassing anything seen either before or during the next 100 years. Shooting men were more knowledgeable about their guns and the "latest principles" on which they were made than they are today, and both the medium sized gunmaker and the major manufacturer could be much more flexible in terms of what they produced.

Whether ordering a gun or buying it off-the-shelf, the customer usually had his own ideas about what he wanted but, in the main, he was advised by his gunmaker. Thus, the specification would list every required detail including any patent numbers for bolting mechanism, safety, triggers and ejectors etc.

Although the retailer or "gunmaker" would advise the customer, his advice would depend on what he could produce himself or, more likely, by what was available at the time from the actual manufacturer of the parts or the complete gun.

Manufacturers often supplied retailers with complete guns which bore the manufacturer's name and serial number on the barrels and action, but a "trade" manufacturer would usually put the retailer's name and serial number on the barrels and the action. The trade manufacturer's initials or trade mark might be put somewhere inside the action, under the barrels or on the fore-end.

If a "gunmaker" had a workshop or factory, it was not necessarily an indication that he actually "made" his guns himself. Most of the medium sized firms bought guns "in the white" and stocked, engraved and fitted the "furniture" themselves. Alternatively, the so-called factory might have just "finished" guns or it could simply have been a buying, storage and transhipment office. In any event, to the customer, the retailer or "gunmaker" usually appeared to be the actual maker of every part of the gun.

Early Scott guns were made in A, B and C qualities. From about 1873, model names were introduced on A quality guns which usually proved in London, bore the Scott name, and were sold through retailers in various parts of the world. Most B and C quality guns bore the name of the retailer and were known simply by model numbers which were not always imprinted on the guns. To complicate matters further, some models appeared in different grades. The models included:

Australian Special
Automatic Ejector (1897-1924)
Bogardus Club (Hammer - de luxe = A quality; B quality = Model 67 - 1887-1892)
Canadian
Excel (Hammer - B quality)
Excellentia Triplex (B quality back-action 1884-1888; bar-action 1888-1897)
Imperial Premier (A+ quality 1890-1939)
Lever Lock Grip (C quality back-action 1882/1886-1892)
Monte Carlo B (bar-action non-ejector 1892-1935)
Model 67 (1885-1914) (Circular hammer - B and C quality and in lightweight the "Zephyr")
Model 146 (A & D boxlock with Deeley ejectors 1890-1897)
Model 148 (A, B, B*? and C qualities non-ejector)
Model 158 Automatic Ejector (1892-1897)
Model 159 (B quality A & D boxlock 1893-1897)
Model 162 (C quality A & D boxlock 1894-1930)
Model 180 (C quality 1904-1939)
Moore & Harris (C quality Hammer 1865-1897)
Multum-in-Uno (Combination rifle shotgun 1890-1900?)
Pigeon Club (Hammer - A, B and C qualities 1879-1924)
Premier (A quality hammer from 1873 to 1921; hammerless version, back-action 1878-1888, bar-action Perkes patent 1888-1897 and up to 1928)
Special Grade (C quality)
Reliance / Continental (B quality boxlock 1900-1935)
Unique (Bar-action sidelock 1887-1924)
Victoria (Hammer - B or C quality)

The following are some of the more important awards won by the firm:
1876 1st Place Philadelphia Exhibition
1878 Silver Medal Paris Exhibition
1880 1st Place Sydney Exhibition
1881 Gold Medal Melbourne Exhibition
1883 Gold Medal Boston Exhibition
1884 Silver Medal Toronto Exhibition
1887 1st Place Adelaide Exhibition
1889 Gold Medal Paris Exhibition
1889 Gold Medal Melbourne Exhibition

The firm of W & C Scott & Son was one of largest in the world. Probably because the firm were primarily "Trade Gunmakers" it is none-the-less remarkable that there is little recorded original history other than that contained in "The History of W & C Scott Gunmakers" by J A Crawford and P G Whatley.

The production of W & C Scott sporting guns ceased in 1939 (apart from one gun made in 1949 and a consignment of 48 boxlock shotguns made for Abercrombie & Fitch in New York in 1964). The production of Webley & Scott sporting guns continued until June 1940 when the company increased the manufacture of Mark IV .38 calibre revolvers and flare pistols. Precisely what other war work the company engaged in is not known. It seems the company acquired two addional factories during the Second World War but their precise addresses are not known; it is likely that they were not in Birmingham as the company was classified as a strategic industry and the danger from bombing was too great.

In December 1945 the production of boxlock shotguns started again, but rifles were no longer made by the company and sidelock shotgun production temporarily ceased. "Standard" and "Special" models of shotgun were made, but these were replaced in 1947 by the model 700 in 12 and 16 bore. By 1949 production had reached 1,000 guns per annum.

During the 1950s and 1960s the company made their bolt action shotgun in .410, .22 and .360 (9mm) calibres.

In the 1950s they also made boxlock and falling-block guns for Holland & Holland. W C Scott & Son had been a major supplier of guns to Holland & Holland from the mid-1800s; from about 1919 these boxlocks were usually sold with "Shot and Regulated by Holland & Holland" engraved on the barrel or rib.

In 1952 Eric G Bewley became general manager, he had been company secretary since 1930 and was appointed a director of the firm in 1957. He was a guardian of the Birmingham Proof House from about 1930 until about 1967, and chairman from 1949 to 1957. He was chairman of the Gunmakers Association in 1950 and Chairman of the Long Sufferers Association in 1965.

In 1957 two extra models were introduced, these were the 701 and 702 which had more engraving and better wood. The 702 was the top of the range, not the 701 as some reports state; this oft-repeated mistake arose due to a researcher obtaining prices for the 701 and 702 at different times and between rises in prices. Variations including 20 bore and 28 bore models, were made for export to the USA. The number of guns produced by the firm at this time and during the 1960's and early 1970's was about 1000 per annum of which more than half were exported to the USA.

In 1958 Webley & Scott Ltd were taken over by R H Windsor Ltd and, when the Weaman Street factory was demolished to make way for the Birmingham Inner City Ring Road, they moved to Park Lane, Handsworth, Birmingham.

In 1960 Arusha Industries Ltd took over R H Windsor Ltd and the enlarged company was named General & Engineering Industries Ltd.

In 1965 Webley & Scott Ltd bought W W Greener Ltd. From 1965 to 1967 the company made 275 guns under the Greener name, mostly "Empire de Luxe" and "Empire" models with aluminium alloy actions. Most of the remainder were "DH40" and "Blue Rock" boxlocks. The Greener GP single barrel shotgun was produced from 1965 to 1979.

In 1966 a small number (27) of "Conquest" or "Model 1100" guns were made, these were based on the Rogers bar-action sidelock.

From 1970 to 1978 the company imported Over/Under shotguns from Beretta in Italy. These guns were finished by Webley & Scott and named either "Model 900" (1346 in number)or "Model 901" (11 in number), the latter having better wood and engraving.

In 1973 the Harris & Sheldon Group bought Webley & Scott Ltd but within a short time sales and production started to fall, declining to about 350 guns per annum by 1979.

In 1978 and 1979 the company imported a few Kromson and Arkrom Over/Under shotguns.

In 1979 Webley & Scott ceased shotgun production but continued to make air rifles and air pistols at Park Lane. Harris & Sheldon invested 250,000 in a new company, W & C Scott (Gunmakers) Ltd which was established at the Premier Works, Tame Road, Witton, Birmingham. The cessation of shotgun production was mainly due to the high costs of gunmaking in the UK compared with Spain, Italy and Japan; the intention of the new company was to produce medium and top quality double barrelled shotguns, supply the trade with barrels and actions, and repair all makes of shotgun.

Patrick G Whatley was the managing director of the new company, his staff numbered 32 people a majority of whom were former Webley & Scott employees. Out of about 500 shotguns per annum produced by all UK makers in the following 12 months, about 100 guns were produced by the new company. The basic models were the "Bowood", the "Chatsworth" (sideplates) and the "Kinmount". Derivations of these were made for the US market these being the "Texan" (Bowood) and the "Crown" (Kinmount). In 1983 a sidelock was produced in standard (discontinued in 1984) and de luxe qualities, this was named the "Blenheim". The company also produced guns for the Orvis company (the Orvis KHP).

The main problem experienced by W & C Scott (Gunmakers) Ltd during the ensuing years was the relatively high price of their products compared with imported guns, and lack of a significant export market. In 1985 W & C Scott (Gunmakers) Ltd and Webley & Scott Ltd were sold to Holland & Holland who had a long held reputation for very high quality guns, an established export market, and a desire to manufacture boxlock guns for which they required additional manufacturing capacity. Webley & Scott appears to have ceased operations but W & C Scott (Gunmakers) Ltd appears to have continued operating under that name making the "Cavalier" model shotgun.

In 1991 Holland & Holland decided to centralise all their manufacturing at their Harrow Road factory in London and the Birmingham factory was closed.

In 1993 the company was bought by Scalemead Arms, a distribution company owned by David Pickering. Airgun manufacture was resumed and the company moved to Frankley Industrial Park, Tay Road, Rednal, Birmingham, West Midlands B45 0PA.

In November 2005 Webley & Scott Ltd appointed administrators to manage the company and find a buyer for the business. A company named Webley International Ltd continues to operate as a supplier of airgun accessories, imported airguns, blank firing guns and other gun accessories, see Webley International Ltd under "Gun Suppliers". Whether or not this is still operating is not known, in 2006 a buyer was found, Airgunsport Ltd bought the business but details are not known.

The shotgun archives of Webley and Scott were sold to Gallyon & Sons at auction in London on 5 December 2002.  IGC.

oldguns.ca, virtual museum collection.

W.J. Jeffery & Co was founded by William Jackman Jeffery (1857–1909), who started his career in the gun trade in 1885 working in the front shop of Cogswell & Harrison. In 1887 Philip Webley appointed Jeffery manager of Webley and son's London showroom.  Webley later abandoned their London operation and in 1890 Jeffery formed a partnership with a man by the name of Davies and Jeffery & Davies. This partnership was short lived and in 1891 the firm was renamed W.J. Jeffery & Co, still operating out of the Queen Victoria Street store. In addition to building new firearms, W.J. Jeffery & Co was a trader in second hand firearms, by 1892 offering over 1000 for sale. In 1898 the firm opened a shop at 13 King Street St. James and by 1900 the company was a full-scale gunmaker with a workshop at 1 Rose and Crown Yard, near to the King Street shop.

Martini-Francotte rifle is system of the English weapon Martini-Henry, improved by Auguste Francotte, manufacturer of weapons in Liege.

This rifle Martini system is itself an improvement of the weapon of Peabody, it was adopted, initially by the English government for its army, then by Turkey and Romania; it is known under the name of Martini-Henry rifle.

Martini is the inventor of the meeting of the mobile mechanism of cylinder head, of extraction and percussion, these mechanisms functioning together by means of the same lever. All the various bodies of which this mechanism is composed are assembled separately on and between the walls of the box of cylinder head, joining together the gun and the stick.

Henry is the inventor of the stripe, and it is for that that its name was joined to that of Martini, to name the weapon joining together the two inventions.  The only serious disadvantage of this excellent rifle is the difficulty, not to say impossibility, for the gunner, to dismount the mechanism, either to clean it and lubricate it, or for any other fortuitous.

The improvement due to the invention of Auguste Francotte counters this serious defect completely. It consists of what the whole mechanism of the mobile carcass, the turntable and the extractor is adjusted on a mounting being embedded in the box and maintained in place by only one pin. By withdrawing this pin or pins, one removes box the whole mechanism of only one part, which makes it possible to clean the gun without deteriorating the mechanism.

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Charles William Lancaster (1820–1878) was a British gunmaker and improver of rifles and cannon.  Lancaster was the eldest son of Charles Lancaster, gunmaker, Portman Square, London, on 24 June 1820. On leaving school he entered his father's factory, where he practically learnt the business of a gunmaker and soon became a clever designer of models, a thoroughly skilled workman, and a mechanician of high order. The study of rifled projectiles and the construction of rifles was his chief pleasure, and he soon attained the highest skill as a rifle shot.

In 1846, Lancaster constructed a model rifle with which he experimented at Woolrich, with success at distances of 1,000 and 1,200 yards (920 and 1,100 m). The the Duke of Wellington then ordered some similar rifles for the Rifle Brigade at the Cape of good Hope.  The years 1844 and 1845 were devoted to solving the problem of rifled cannon. In July 1846, he submitted to the Board of Ordnance a plan for firing from rifled cannon smooth-sided conical projectiles; the required rotary motion coming from a sabot fitted to the base of the projectile, the base having a V cross-piece cast in it. Further experiments, however, did not encourage him to go on with this scheme.

In 1850, he conceived the idea of the oval bore as the proper form for all rifled arms and cannon; with which his name is associated. In order to publicize his invention, he constructed full-size working models of the 68-pounder, the largest gun then in the service, for the Great Exhibition of 1851. At the request of the government, these models were not exhibited, but a 68-pounder oval-bore gun, made and rifled at Birmingham, with accurately turned shells, was sent to Shoeburyness for trial. The shooting of this gun directed attention to the oval-bore system, and in the succeeding experiments made at Woolwich, Lancaster assisted the War Department and for some time superintended the production of the guns in theRoyal Arsenal. In 1852, he experimented upon the .577 pattern Enfield rifled musket and sent to the school of musketry at Hythe some specimens of carbines bored on his peculiar system. The device was considered satisfactory. In January 1855, the Lancaster carbine was adopted as the arm for the Royal Engineers and was used by members of the corps until it was superseded by the Martini-Henry Rifle in 1869. During the Crimean Campaigne, oval-bored rifle cannon were used and did good service and were, it is said, the first rifled guns used in active service by the army and navy. Shortly after the war, heavier guns were required for armour-piercing, and the experiments carried out at Shoeburyness, in which Lancaster assisted, led to a complete revolution in rifled artillery. For the oval-bore system of rifling, he received substantial rewards from the government. His transactions with the War Office, however, led to disputes, and he scheduled his claims in a pamphlet but was unsuccessful in obtaining the recognition of his services to which he considered himself entitled. Between 1850 and 1872, he took out upwards of twenty patents, chiefly in connection with firearms but including a joint patent with John Hughesfor iron plating ships in 1860.  His last invention was a gas-check, applicable to large rifled projectiles.

He traveled much in Russia, where the Czar had a special gold medal of large size struck in his honour. He was elected an associate of the Institution of Civil Engineers on 6 April 1852 and wrote a paper "On the Erosion of the Bore in Heavy Guns". While making arrangements for retiring from business, he was seized with paralysis and died at 151 New Bond Street, London, on 24 April 1878. He married in 1868 Ellen, daughter of George Edward and Ann Thorne, by whom he had two daughters.

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Nearly every source describes this original Westley Richards patent, hinged tipping block, single-shot design as an "Improved Martini". This terminology is so ubiquitous that even prominent merchants of fine vintage arms use it unthinkingly. The esteemed Walter Winfer, acknowledged as the guru of British single shot lore, uses it freely. But Winfer at least makes it clear that the moniker is technically incorrect. The Martini design was a hammerless modification of the original Peabody action design. However, the Westley Richards design is similar only in the respect of a hinged breech block that tips down for loading. None of the rest of the internals share any commonality. Whereas the Peabody has an external hammer and the Martini a striker, the Westley Richards has an internal hammer with an integral firing pin. More to the point, the Westley Richards design predates the Martini, so it's clearly not an improvement on that design. In fact, the Westley Richards design was a competitor with the Martini for British military contracts. After losing out to the Martini for the British Army, the Westley Richards design was marketed heavily to the pioneers and settlers of the Dutch Boer colony of South Africa in both musket and sporting rifle forms.

The design (including the Model 1871 and its variants) was extremely popular in the Cape colony and was followed by improvements and variations for several years, competing well against Westley Richards' own Deeley-Edge patent falling block design and remaining in production until the expiration of the Gibbs Farquharson patent rights around the turn of the century and its release to the trade prompted the firm to develop the similarly styled Model 1897 Westley Richards New Model Underlever Rifle, which was the ultimate evolution of the Deeley-Edge action. There is much confusion regarding the various models, in part because Westley Richards continually advanced the design and also made individual rifles to order. The Model 1869 is distinguished from the later larger framed Model 1871 most easily by examining the length of the lever in relation to the trigger guard; in the Model 1869, the lever does not extend much rearward past the small trigger guard, whereas on the Model 1871, it comes well past the long trigger guard.

This is a beautiful example, wonderfully engraved in true Wesley Richards fashion.  The wood is in excellent condition as is the rest of the rifle, the blueing shows very well and remains bright on most of the rifle, with the receiver showing most of the wear.  Originally chambered in No. 2 Musket, it was sleeved with a Parker Hale insert many years ago.  It is now chambered in 25-20.  The bore is bright and shiny with excellent rifling.  

oldguns.ca, virtual museum collection.