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Forums10
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Jul 28th, 2025
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Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 4
Boxlock
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OP
Boxlock
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 4 |
Hi from England. I am researching my family tree and it seems that Thomas Woodward is my great x3 grandfather and worked for Holland and Holland and James Woodward was his brother. It appears that they were distinguished gunsmiths/gunmakers in the 19th Century with several patents to their names. It also appears that James Woodwards' sons, James and Charles started the James Woodward and Sons gunmakers. I was hoping that someone on this forum could suggest a book or website for further reading about my forefathers, preferably with photographs.
Thank you.
Anton Woodward
Great great great grandson of Thomas Woodward
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Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 3,553
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 3,553 |
Anton...Thats pretty sweet mate,
I'd start looking in any old relatives basements, attics,spare rooms,crawl space,car boots, outlying building, under any loose floor boards....you never know, eh??
I'm in New Hampshire USA(Born n raized in Somerset), but there is a Woodward around here who claimed some link to the Woodward makers across the pond,he wasn't into guns,& he mentioned it only when i said I was English, so I kinda believed him
Those Guys made savage Guns man
cheers
Franc
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Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 3,038 Likes: 133
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 3,038 Likes: 133 |
Anton: Your ancestors made some of the very best of the Best English guns! Purdey is today, still making the Woodward over and under. You can pick up any book about English guns and read about James Woodward and Sons. Woodward guns are coveted as one of the best guns in the world...what more can be said. Welcome aboard our great forum! P.S. If you are in London you might want to pay Purdey's a visit. They will know a lot of the history.
Socialism is almost the worst.
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Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 2,354 Likes: 663
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 2,354 Likes: 663 |
Anton,
Thomas Woodward was also the inventer of the "Spiral Spring" action or known by his firm as "The Acme". His design was protected under patent #651 of 1876. These "striker" fired guns were well ahead of their time. Simple, innovative, and robust, yet extremely well made. Your Grandfather had many patents to his name. I've owned a couple of these T. Woodward Acme guns, I like them alot. :-)
Dustin
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Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 1,544
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 1,544 |
Thomas Woodward moved from Birmingham to become factory manager at Holland & Holland in the early 1890s. I do not think he was related to the James Woodward who was already running the London firm.
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Joined: May 2003
Posts: 270 Likes: 31
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 270 Likes: 31 |
I would recommend "Holland & Holland , The Royal Gunmakers" by
Donald Dallas, Particularly pages 106 & 107 which give Thos Woodwards Biography and a Photo. Briefly the T Woodward , H&H Factory Mgr was:-
Born in Birmingham 1855, Married Fanny had at least 3 children Fanny, Ada & Thomas .
1880's lived at 22 Angelsey St, Aston
Left B'ham with family in 1892 after being recruited by Henry Holland to run new Factory.
Coincidentally, but of value to a genealogist there was a second Thos. Woodward, Gunmake, same age living in Aston at that time.
FYI Aston was considered different from Bham for certain purposes and you will need to search Aston Census for better details. Aston lies adjacent to and North of the Bham Gun quarter and is noted for the following contributions to Western civilization. Ansells Brewery, HP Sauce & Ozzie Osbourne. My Grandfather was apprenticed to a leading tool & die Co. in Aston who supplied forging dies to the gun trade, he started @ 1900.
Hope this helps.
ps must agree with Dig/ Small Bore that T Woodward & James Woodward were not directly related
Hugh Lomas
Hugh Lomas,
H.G.Lomas Gunmakers Inc.
920 876 3745
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Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 5,954 Likes: 14
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 5,954 Likes: 14 |
James Woodward is reputed to have joined Charles Moore in 1851-2 in London. That would seem a very large gap between children for that day and age. I suspect, have no proof, that they were cousins, since trade usually ran in extended family.
While James was the more famous, Thomas was certainly notable in his own right.
Mr. Woodward, I wish you all the best in your efforts and hope you will keep us posted on results. Knowing more about the artifacts than the men is not greatly satisfying to many of us.
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Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 4
Boxlock
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OP
Boxlock
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 4 |
Thank you for your comments. I have purchased the Holland and Holland book (arrived today) and am very pleased to see the photographs of Thomas and the positive comments about him.
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Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 93
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 93 |
anton- I have an Adams & Co 16 bore gun with the T. Woodward patent spiral spring action. It is a lovely thing to behold. It carries, swings and shoots like a dream. I used it on every manner of upland gamebird this season: woodcock, quail, grouse and pheasant. The gun dates from the late 1880's and is still going strong. It is quite a brilliant piece of manufacturing.
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