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Reilly markets gun stuff

And Reilly did market everything related to guns. Eley cartridges with his name on it have been found in an archeological dig at a French settlement in Canada. Here are reloading tools for the above labels:
http://www.finesportingcollectablesltd.co.uk/tools.htm



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1903-1912 - 295 Oxford Street

From the texts of a couple of period pieces, I'm pretty sure Reilly rented the entire building at 502 (16) Oxford Street in 1847 and the building and area behind the building at 315 (277) as well in 1859. In 1890, the year of Edward M.'s death, there was a nasty lawsuit at 277, whereby someone tried to use the fact that they had an easement to close access to the property behind it....i.e., probably Reilly's old shooting gallery.

When EM Reilly & Co. (Run by sons Charles Arthur Farquhar Reilly (b1870) & Herbert Horace (Bert)) was forced to move out of 277 in 1903, they went a few blocks down the street to 295. They were there for 9 years. I think Reilly only numbered about 250 guns in these 9 years...say 30 a year (first extant Reilly with 295 on the rib is 35422; last one I've found is 35678). The census showed that Bert and Charles "gunmakers" lived in the building. Thus if this building existed as is in 1903, then I'd imagine he only had the first couple of floors rented, with the shop on the ground floor and a few boring, engraving machines and lathes in the back - they were still building guns during that period. The current store front area exhibited here:



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1912 - Bankruptcy

Here is the final story - not the final one because 5 years after the fall of the House of Reilly, his son sold the name to a small time carney barker named Charles Riggs. (Did this happen in 1917? I don't know - but that's what the "internet" says; But then the "internet" also has a Riggs catalog supposedly dated 1924 that trumpets his new-found Reilly line "From now on our guns will be labeled 'Reilly' " - see Riggs commentary above; so one date 1917 or the other 1924 is wrong). Anyway this will also correct a widely reported mis-fact:

In the history of Reilly on Page one, I posted the following: "In 1912 E M Reilly & Co Ltd was recorded at 13 High Street, Marylebone. The directors of this limited company were H Reilly and "C W Roberts." I've attempted to establish the identity of CW Roberts...no success so far. Welcome additional information."

All this business about Roberts and a shop at Marylebone of course came off the internet - I'm as subject to swollowing mis-information as anyone...it's so easy; just copy what everybody else has written.

Well turns out EM Reilly located at 295 Oxford Street declared bankruptcy on June 8, 1912. G. Watkinson Roberts ("G" for George) was the liquidator; Reilly's son HH was the protagonist. I believe "C.W. Roberts" above to be in fact GW Roberts." This was a prominent law/accounting firm specializing in bankruptcies. Reilly no longer existed after June 8, 1912. I am even now questioning whether Reilly ever had a "gun maker's" shop at 13 High Street, Marylebone. if so it might have been a repair or alteration shop but it also might be the address of one of Robert's subsidiary law offices. In other words it is unlikely that anyone is going to find a Reilly gun with Marylebone on the rib or that address on a Trade label or even in an advertisement (I certainly haven't after two years of looking). I'd be happy to eat my words if anyone can prove this to the contrary.
https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/28618/page/4328/data.pdf



As an aside, Robert's son was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for service on the submarine "Thresher" in the Mediterranean in WWII. His brother was killed in 1941.
http://www.hambo.org/kingscanterbury/view_man.php?id=272

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1912-1918 + - 13 High Street, Marlybone

Here is the address today. Certainly a tiny little shop. A small gun repair facility, work benches, some gun racks could have occupied the place and from appearance more likely than a lawyer-accountant's office. But if so, quite a come-down for Reilly.



"The majority of the buildings in the street today date from 1900, since which point the street has been consistently revitalised by the main local landlord, Howard de Walden Estates, which has been credited with turning a "once-shabby area of central London" into an elegant street which carefully manages its "mix of boutiques and small retailers".[5] Property prices in the area have soared in recent years.[6]"

Last edited by Argo44; 09/10/18 10:54 PM.
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