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Forums10
Topics38,445
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Most Online1,258
Mar 29th, 2024
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Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 3,553
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 3,553 |
Bonny is your George Hinton marked Taunton , Somerset?....I was born n raised not far from there.
cheers
franc
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Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 388 Likes: 1
Sidelock
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OP
Sidelock
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 388 Likes: 1 |
Bonny is your George Hinton marked Taunton , Somerset?....I was born n raised not far from there.
cheers
franc Yes Franc Otte, it is engraved G.Hinton, 34 High st , Taunton. The gun is number two of a pair and has been sleeved by someone who really knew what they were doing. It originally wore damascus barrels, so i am assuming it was made pre 1905.
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Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 1,164 Likes: 11
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 1,164 Likes: 11 |
George Hinton in cooperation with J.V.Needham is credited with being the co inventor of the automatic ejector. After 25 years with J.V.Needham, In 1885 George headed for Taunton were he was successor to the business of George Sheppard. George Hinton was active in the business for 40 years. During his life in Taunton George was elected mayor of Taunton. There is a picture of George as Mayor on page 175 of The British Shotgun Vol;2 by Baker and Crudgington.
Being the owner of a very fine Rook Rifle #2670,Engraved G.Hinton, 5 Fore Street,Taunton. I visted the location only to find that circa 1980 It was a shoe shop! I did how ever end up with a pair of shoes so the trip was not wasted!
Roy Hebbes
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Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 1,164 Likes: 11
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 1,164 Likes: 11 |
Your memory is Correct[Page 285], Malcom Cruxton started as an errand boy at Wrights, age 14 in 1957,Wage 12 shillings [about $2.40 U.S. in those days] per Week.
Malcolm became well established in the Birmingham trade; with a workshop in Price Street. A shop that I visited frequently for more than thirty years. There was always a warm welcome, a cup of tea and for me a chance to observe Malcolm stocking a gun. His skill and the shear speed that he accomplished the work was an amazing. I Hope Malcolm remains in good health.
Roy Hebbes
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Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 388 Likes: 1
Sidelock
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OP
Sidelock
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 388 Likes: 1 |
Does anyone have any pictures of the old gun quarter in Birmingham, there is very little online.
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Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 1,164 Likes: 11
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 1,164 Likes: 11 |
You need to search the internet under the heading, "Birmingham Gun Quarter". There is history and pictures to be found. Photographs/slides taken by Phyllis Nickling A member of the staff at Birmingham University, are available on the internet they record the changes taking place in Birmingham 1950-1960.These slides include shots of the Birmingham gun Quarter at a time that the area was being redeveloped including construction of a a new road system. Frankly may of the old buildings seen are very dilapidated and are awaiting demolition, for example Greener,s offices and factory on St; Marys Row. Fortunately the City Of Birmingham has recently seen fit to Classify the Gun Quarter as a place of Historical importance.
Roy Hebbes
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Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 610
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 610 |
Bonny, for the most info and best pictures call Carol Barnes at Gunnerman Books.
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Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 3,553
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 3,553 |
So if it was originally Damascus,it's now sleeved from Damascus stubbs to new sleeved steel bbls?,right?.
Got any pics of the bbls?..& the rest of it???
Love to see how they look.
cheers
franc
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Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 388 Likes: 1
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 388 Likes: 1 |
Thanks Roy, Justin and Franc Otte for the replies. Roy i know well the pictures you are talking about, i have the link to them below for anyone who doesn't know them. How greeners magnificent building was allowed to be pulled down i'll never know, what a shame. I also bought a book called "The Birmingham guntrade" last year, but didn't really find it good, to much emphasis on military firearms. Justin, i'll be sure to investigate the gunnerman books lead, thanks. Franc Otte, yes you are correct , the stubs are damascus, but blackened to match the rest of the steel tubes, i did not actually notice until holding the gun one day in bright sunshine and i could just make out the twist pattern. Sleeved barrels reduce the value of any gun i know but i didn't pay much for it to start with so it make no odds to me. Who ever did the sleeving made a nice job of it as the join is virtually invisible. I will attempt to take and load a few pictures tomorrow if i get a chance. http://www.pbase.com/beppuu/pnicklinhttp://www.pbase.com/beppuu/image/81049516
Last edited by bonny; 09/10/13 05:39 PM.
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Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 168 Likes: 57
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 168 Likes: 57 |
The history of S. Wright & Sons, Birmingham,is detailed in the book ,"The House of Churchill" by the late Don Masters.[Pages 278-286]The Business was started immediately after WW1 by Sam Wright.The firm made best quality box lock and side lock guns for for the London and provincial trade.London customers included; Holland & Holland ,"The Northwood" and Churchill the "Regal."
Other customers listed in Wrights ledgers included; Hollis, Gallyon, Hinton, Radcliffe, Jeffrey, Dickson ,Hillsdon Rodda, Bland, To name but a few!
In 1960 the business was sold to Interarmco[U.K.] The parent company of Cogswell & Harrison and Churchill.The Wright business ceased making guns for the trade in the circa 1972.After this date the business focused on making the complete range of Churchill box lock guns. I have many memories of Wrights having visited their shop on several occasions ,once to observe Don Masters test boring barrels using the old spill boring method. For the past 40 years my hunting gun of choice has been a best quality 12G box lock ejector was made by Wrights, but bearing the name, K.D.Radcliffe.
The Churchill book contains one of the BEST post WW2 descriptions of the Birmingham gun trade that exists. Many pictures of familiar names are seen in the book, for example, Kirk Merrington, who at the time of the photo was working as a trainee barrel filer at Churchills. Just to add onto what Roy Hebbes had previously stated above. The House of Churchill book further states, that Samuel G. Wright started working for the gunmaking firm of Webley & Scott (possibly apprenticed at P Webley & Sons), then moved onto Bentley & Playfair of Summer Lane, followed by Hollis, Bentley & Playfair in 1911. In 1918, immediately following the First World War, Samuel left the employ of Hollis, Bentley & Playfair to start his own business as S. Wright & Sons. He was joined in the business by his eldest son Jack, and later by his younger son Howard. The book states that Wrights made and sold many wholesale guns for the trade to such gunmakers/retailers as was previously stated. However, it does also state that Wrights did operate their own retail business, making some guns under their own name. Samuel G. Wright died in 1954 (aged 89 yrs.), but the family business carried on with his two sons, Jack and Howard, until being sold in 1960. ‘The House of Churchill’ by Don Masters., pages 278-282.
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