On January 26th, 2008 at the business meeting of the American Custom Gunmakers Guild (ACGG) in Reno, David Trevallion, our friend and fellow contributor on this Board (Crossed Chisles) received an Honorary Membership in The ACGG.
The ACGG grants a membership of this type to persons who deserve special recognition, the plaque Mr Trevallion received read: “The American Custom Gunmakers Guild proudly recognizes David Trevallion for his outstanding contribution to custom gunmaking”.
Recently I asked David about his contribution and he said “And his 55 years standing at the work bench, what we used to say at Purdey, wearing a hole in the floorboards”.
And a productive fifty five years at the work bench it has been.
I quote here Michael McIntosh from the sleeve of Shotgun Technicana:
“David Trevallion was born in London in 1938, three hundred yards from James Purdey and Sons. He fired a gun for the first time at the age of nine, on a farm in Gloucestershire.
At fifteen, he was apprenticed at the Purdey factory, where he worked under veteran stockmaker William O’Brien. Six years later, having completed his apprenticeship, David became a full-fledged stockmaker at Purdey’s.
In June 1963 he submitted his master piece to the Court of Assistants of the worshipful Company of Gunmakers and was admitted to the Freedom of the Company.
David remained at Purdey’s until 1964, when he emigrated to the United States. He soon founded Trevallion Gunstocks in Eau Gallie, Florida, subsequently moving the business to Chicago, Indianapolis, and Cape Neddick, Maine, where it has been located since 1986”.
To my knowledge Mr. Trevallion is the only person to bear the distinction of being “Admitted to the Freedom of the Company” and a member of the ACGG.
I asked Gary Goudy, a stockmaker and former president of ACGG what he felt about David’s membership, he said and and I quote
“Speaking on behalf of my fellow Regular Members of the ACGG, I can say the American Custom Gunmaker’s Guild membership is honored by his participation in our organization.” Gary paused, and then added: “We are delighted to have him in the Ranks, A talent of Davids’ stature doesn’t need the Guild, but we sure need him”.
Thank you Mr. Trevallion.
The following photos are from the Guild show in Reno, 2008
ACGG president Al Lind and Dennis Potter enjoy the moment as David recieves his membership:
New members James, William, David, and Joe
Hartmann and Weiss and Trevallion
David Trevallion, Monte Mandarino and Michael Petrov
Trevallion and Nigel Beaumont examine the new book on Lynton S. M. MacKenzie
Gary Goudy and David measure a stock, for a Goudy restock.
David checks the length of pull
