doublegunshop.com - home Forums Thread Like Summary - Webley & Scott Nostalgia

Today is a very emotional day in my life, and gives me faith in goodness, good fortune, luck and God working in mysterious ways.
Being brought up in 'The Black Country' the Industrial area in the West Midlands of England UK as a school leaver I was fascinated by the Birmingham Gun Quarter and had many part time jobs there before settling down at Uni and my chosen engineering career.One of these Saturday jobs and school holiday jobs was at Webley's. There they had a great man who was works foreman and finisher Bert Williams.
Fifty years later I do business with a company from Birmingham the CEO happened to mention his Dad used to work at Webley's. "I think I've got his tools in the shed somewhere, you can have them if I can find them out"
Today I took delivery of the toolkit which belonged to yes you've guessed Bert Williams.But with a twist of fate there nestling amongst them was a chequering cutter with the initials on the handle PH "welcome home baby" it is irrefutabley my initials.Nice to know Bert had time for the 'little rascal'and his tool.
Also amongst the bits and bobs are numerous pins, springs, strikers, swivels etc., which will probably get one of us here on this board out of a fix one day.

Salopian and have I believe, much in common!The first 30 years of my life was spent in Midlands/Birmingham, both as a student and engineer.I discovered the Birmingham Gun quarter in the 1940,s arriving by Tram car at the front door of G.Bate Gun Makers,Steel House lane. This was the beginning of many interesting encounters and visits to the gun quarter. I will share one of my earliest with you! I dearly wanted to see Greener,s showroom Located in their offices and works on Saint Marys Row. It was an impressive building, quite formidable to a 15 year old.I resolved to buy some pellets for my air rifle as a means to gain access. One entered through an ornate front door, opposite was a large flight of stairs leading to a landing which housed a service wicket and access to the showroom. As I stood at the wicket, a voice behind me said "and what do you want young man?" To which I answered "air rifle pellets"! The reply was;"I think you would like to see The guns." My reply was of course, yes. The speaker was as you may have guessed,was Mr.Greener.Following a brief tour of the showroom he presented me with a small booklet entitled, "A Few Facts for Shooters"; which I still have and treasure. His last words were; "I hope one day you will buy one of our guns".
Over the years I have owned many Greener,s the last remaining in my collection being a Greener Imperial.