doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Westley Richards T-Series S/S

I was fortunate to inherit my Grandfathers Westley Richards shotgun.

When researching it - I came across this forum and thought some would find this interesting.

The gun was ordered in the last couple of weeks before WW1 through a UK Trade exporter, it was held up because of the war, and then finished October 22nd 1919. I am still awaiting written confirmation of the order date from Westley Richards, but have based this assumption on the proximity to T6390, ordered on July 21st 1914 (see https://www.westleyrichards.com/blo...WxxHFO88mP3TgwCGF1i1Khs0NRHSfDs1aIYVicZ4). Mine is just 19 serial numbers away (T6409)

It was ordered custom spec for a G.R. Forman of Napier (New Zealand). From what I can tell he owned a successful higher end Ironmonger (hardware store - thus the link with the Trade Exporter in the UK). Most T-series guns (but not all) were sold with lower levels of embellishment and were sold to Trade (retailers). This gun is slightly unusual in that it was ordered via a UK trade shipper (as opposed to buying from the local New Zealand Westley Richards agents) in order to get custom changes make. I have attached the ledger - and am in the process of working with Westley Richards to try and obtain the Factory and order book details.

It is interesting to see that it was was listed as a ditto of the previous serial number T6408. This gun was ordered with our ejectors, which (at some point in the process) was changed from non ejector (the non is crossed out in the ledger), and "cone to ejector" added to the spec. but was for a completely different recipient. I can't quite work this out.

Looks like the original purchaser lost his money with a combination with the Great Depression and the Napier earthquake which (from what I can find) destroyed his store. My Grandfather (who was a keen shooter - and an accomplished jockey) purchased it just prior to WW2 on the basis of "Im probably going to die anyway - so might as well enjoy a nice gun before I go".

He survived - although he had a hell of a war as a POW and was on the ill fated Nino Boxio, and returned to New Zealand where he remained a keen shooter for many years. his has been in my family ever since.

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