jgguinness Posted November 19, 2014 Report Share Posted November 19, 2014 Just been thinking, in terms of old gun makers from the North East, I can think of Pape from Newcastle, Wanless from Sunderland/Stockton/South Shields and Reid of Sunderland... Are there any more, or any from Durham? Regards Jonathan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kernel gadaffi Posted November 19, 2014 Report Share Posted November 19, 2014 I think there was one in Bishop Auckland and there may have been one in Wolsingham, where l live, will have to dig deeper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaun4860 Posted November 19, 2014 Report Share Posted November 19, 2014 There is a gun featured in this months Sporting Gun George Davidson of Alnwick, it's a single barrelled flintlock and engraved with his name and the town of Alnwick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matone Posted November 20, 2014 Report Share Posted November 20, 2014 (edited) Burnand made fine guns,P.Small also J.F Smythe of Darlington. Pretty sure there was a one in Barnard Castle too,but can`t recall the name,I have seen a m/l by him though. Edited November 20, 2014 by matone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIG 5 Posted November 20, 2014 Report Share Posted November 20, 2014 Armstrong of Newcastle made shotguns. Have a look in Bagnal and Kirkwoods Newcastle, they have a few on the wall. Reid also stamped his guns Darlington for a very short time. There cant be many of those about. Remember some of these local gun shops did not make guns but finished them off and put their name on it. That includes Papes who made guns but the cheaper range they just finished off maybe a Birmingham made gun. Markings will tell. Ask Alan in Bagnals as he knows the score on Papes etc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jgguinness Posted November 20, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 20, 2014 Cheers for the replies guys. Always interested in local guns. Regards Jonathan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
panoma1 Posted November 20, 2014 Report Share Posted November 20, 2014 Not Durham but certainly NE, Hardy of Alnwick put their name on guns! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnfromUK Posted November 20, 2014 Report Share Posted November 20, 2014 W.R. Pape. Sometimes listed as the inventor of choke boring. See http://www.wrpape.co.uk/4.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunman Posted November 20, 2014 Report Share Posted November 20, 2014 (edited) A Ward Thompson Middleborough and Stockton .W Greener New Castle . Conyers Scarborough and York. Several in the boarders ,Forest of Kelso for instance . Akrill from Beverley if that's not to far south .Numerous in Hull from time to time .Robson Durham . B Norman Framlington . A lot were just shops that sold guns but had them made with there name as maker .Don't know if Wilkinson of Barnard Castle or Metcalf in Richmond ever sold guns "by them". Fosters of Darlington in more recent times sold guns signed John Foster but most went to the States I'm told . Edited November 20, 2014 by Gunman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIG 5 Posted November 20, 2014 Report Share Posted November 20, 2014 ASKEY of BEDALE don't forget. An old gun maker with history. If you go to the military fair at Bowburn (28th Dec, 9 till 2 at the community centre) there is a bloke there that sells old shotguns. He has been collecting local things for years. He is the man. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stormhound Posted November 21, 2014 Report Share Posted November 21, 2014 I think you'll find B. Norman (ex Purdey's) worked from Framlingham (also Woodbridge) in Suffolk... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackpowder Posted November 21, 2014 Report Share Posted November 21, 2014 A Ward Thompson Middleborough and Stockton .W Greener New Castle . Conyers Scarborough and York. Several in the boarders ,Forest of Kelso for instance . Akrill from Beverley if that's not to far south .Numerous in Hull from time to time .Robson Durham . B Norman Framlington . A lot were just shops that sold guns but had them made with there name as maker .Don't know if Wilkinson of Barnard Castle or Metcalf in Richmond ever sold guns "by them". Fosters of Darlington in more recent times sold guns signed John Foster but most went to the States I'm told . Hi Gunman I note with interest you have listed Forrest of Kelso as gunmakers. I am extremely interested in the history of this firmand have managed to get up on line some photographs of Forrest guns for sale, one an immaculate 20 bore hammer gun and others located in the USA. Looking through trade records it seems that the firm originated in Jedburgh as gunmakers then perhaps one brother moved to Kelso trading as gun and fishing tackle makers.. Have you ever come across any examples of Forrest guns? Blackpowder Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Feltwad Posted December 27, 2015 Report Share Posted December 27, 2015 Burnand made fine guns,P.Small also J.F Smythe of Darlington. Pretty sure there was a one in Barnard Castle too,but can`t recall the name,I have seen a m/l by him though. Barnard Castle had several gunmakers and gunsmiths working from 1750 till 1960 period the early ones were Arrowsmith and Dunham from 1750 to 1800 from 1800 there was James Rowntree this gunmaker built the first percussion cap gun using the steel top hat cap for Joshua Shaw the inventor of the percussion cap, Othe gunmakers of that period were John Hesketh, Thomas Dalkin, William Rowntree , Borrowdale , Humble, Simpson , the last gunmaker family to work in Barnard Castle were the Richardson Family from 1890 till 19 60 approx the last was George Richardson who had his shop in Galgate. Feltwad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matone Posted December 28, 2015 Report Share Posted December 28, 2015 Used to go into W G Richardson`s as a youth for cartridges .Mr Richardson was rarely in,believe he spent most of his time at the golf club ! By then,1970`s they didn`t have many guns in stock .Paul Crompton took over the premises for a while ,before he moved to Newcastle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunman Posted December 28, 2015 Report Share Posted December 28, 2015 Blackpowder , sorry I seemed to miss your post . Forrest was at one time taken over by Dickson's of Edinburgh then I understand was sold on to a guy who ran it for some years whos name escapes me [might have been Duncan ] . Can not remember any specific guns singed by Forrest but I'm certain I've seen a boxlock and a hammer gun . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackpowder Posted December 28, 2015 Report Share Posted December 28, 2015 Blackpowder , sorry I seemed to miss your post . Forrest was at one time taken over by Dickson's of Edinburgh then I understand was sold on to a guy who ran it for some years whos name escapes me [might have been Duncan ] . Can not remember any specific guns singed by Forrest but I'm certain I've seen a boxlock and a hammer gun . Yes I was still a customer when Dickson's took over and bought quite a lot of fishing tackle there over the years. I have seen a Forrest of Kelso hammer gun which I suspect was only Forrest by the name on the rib. I have two Forrest catalogues from 1920's but they only list fishing tackle. There is or was a muzzle loader by Forrest of Jedburgh in Kielder Castle and I have seen several Forrest guns for sale on line both here and in the USA. Blackpowdeer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Feltwad Posted December 28, 2015 Report Share Posted December 28, 2015 I think there was one in Bishop Auckland and there may have been one in Wolsingham, where l live, will have to dig deeper. There was one gunmaker working in Wolsingham,my records show a David Coates gun maker who was born at Cockfield Co Durham in 1845 he traded under many different trades of which a blacksmith was his true profession.His guns were purchased in the white from Birmingham, I have examined and worked on serveral guns by him most were top lever hammerguns.The years he traded at Wolsingham were has follows 1875 - 1879 Pack Horse Inn ,Market Place,. Wolsingham has a publican come gunsmith, then 1881-1900, 22. West End ,Wolsingham Co Durham has a Black Smith come Gun Smith He was also a keen live pigeon shot and took part in many compertitions , on the 23rd October 1882 he shared first prize by killing all his birds at the 3 day event at the Old Engine Inn , South Church , Bishop Auckland , Co Durham Feltwad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanWalker Posted December 29, 2015 Report Share Posted December 29, 2015 Hi Blackpowder, Have you seen this in the latest Holts sealed bid sale, Forrest & Sons Boxlock ejector. http://auctions.holtsauctioneers.com/asp/fullCatalogue.asp?salelot=S0116+++3027+&refno=+++94170&saletype= Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Feltwad Posted December 29, 2015 Report Share Posted December 29, 2015 There have been a few Forrest & sons guns and rifles going through Holts auction over the years the last I remember was a 7 bore percussion Live pigeon gun which sold just over £700.I also remember in the June 2011 sale a .500 percussion s/b rifle signed George Forrest & Son, Jedburgh and sold for £3300 .These guns were both top quality Feltwad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunman Posted December 30, 2015 Report Share Posted December 30, 2015 English Gunmakers by Baiely and Nie is a good reference work and worth a look .Dont know if there is a equivalent book for Scottish or Welsh . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Feltwad Posted December 30, 2015 Report Share Posted December 30, 2015 (edited) Another good Victorian gunmaker of the North-East was the Teasdale family who were in business in Silver Steet Durham City Joseph Teasdale was the father and the business was carried on by his sons Joseph and William. Feltwad Edited December 30, 2015 by Feltwad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Felixite Posted June 11, 2022 Report Share Posted June 11, 2022 (edited) Anyone got any info on Oliver & Co Hull? I have a cartridge of theirs called the "The Estate" from around 1900-1910. They claim to be Gunmakers on the tube print. Edited June 11, 2022 by Felixite Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Boggy Posted June 11, 2022 Report Share Posted June 11, 2022 The only reference that I can find is `Oliver & Co, 8 Trinity House Lane, Hull, Yorks c.1917` OB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ditchman Posted June 11, 2022 Report Share Posted June 11, 2022 On 29/12/2015 at 18:06, Feltwad said: There have been a few Forrest & sons guns and rifles going through Holts auction over the years the last I remember was a 7 bore percussion Live pigeon gun which sold just over £700.I also remember in the June 2011 sale a .500 percussion s/b rifle signed George Forrest & Son, Jedburgh and sold for £3300 .These guns were both top quality Feltwad are they the same forrest and sons kelso ...that used to make bepoke salmon and trout tackle ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fellside Posted June 11, 2022 Report Share Posted June 11, 2022 10 minutes ago, ditchman said: are they the same forrest and sons kelso ...that used to make bepoke salmon and trout tackle ? Yes they are the same. I remember going in to their shop as a boy. By then it was more fishing than shooting really. It was like Aladdin’s cave to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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