A bit of English Gun History

[Rusty]

I found this on another forum and thought it quite interesting if you ever heard the name Westley Richards.

http://www.shotgunworld.com/bbs/viewtop ... 2&t=358286

[gamekeeper]

Thanks for posting that Rusty, I worked for Westley Richards late 60s early 70s on resleeving old shotguns.
This really brings back a lot of memories, sad to see the old place deserted though.
I could talk for hours on all the things that went on there, a great experience for a 19 year old gun nut like me...

[J35]

Thanks for posting that Rusty, I worked for Westley Richards late 60s early 70s on resleeving old shotguns.
This really brings back a lot of memories, sad to see the old place deserted though.
I could talk for hours on all the things that went on there, a great experience for a 19 year old gun nut like me...

Talk away I 'll listen

---J

[missionary5155]

Greetings
I think that has to be similar to us watching Marlin bite the dust. We know all things come to an end but some should continue on a bit longer.
Mike in Peru

[3leggedturtle]

GK how long did you work for them? I bet you have a lot stories and memories from there.

[Pete44ru]

.

It shows to go ya - it's not the place, it's the people............

JMO, but there's no finer all-around arm than a Westley Richards Faunetta 20 bore - a SxS with rifle sights that could shoot either birdshot or boolits.



.

[gamekeeper]

GK how long did you work for them? I bet you have a lot stories and memories from there.

I was only there for three and a half years but learnt a heck of a lot in that time, from stripping down old shotguns for resleeving to cataloging cap & ball revolvers, pattern testing shotguns and chronographing samples of Westley Richards cartridges for quality control.
I got to handle all types of antique and modern firearms, I went to the Wilkinson Sword Factory to purchase a load of bayonets for resale at Westley Richards.
I resleeved a few Parkers for American customers and met many wealthy hunters from around the world.
I won't mention putting Alka Seltzer in the coffee machine or black powder in the managers ashtray....

[3leggedturtle]

GK how long did you work for them? I bet you have a lot stories and memories from there.

I won't mention putting Alka Seltzer in the coffee machine or black powder in the managers ashtray....

I used to work at a bakery. After the decent folks would eat our excess goods. I would sweep out under the counters and put the "special" donuts out for the not so decent folks

[86er]

That is actually kind of sad, somewhat depressing...

[gamekeeper]

That is actually kind of sad, somewhat depressing...

Yes, that's what I thought, most of the guys I worked with there are long since passed.
One photo shows a letter to a Mr Creswell, Stuart was my boss and he died real young,
another photo shows my old mate Peter Guest, the barrel maker, sad yes but some great memories.

[gamekeeper]

One of my memories of Westley Richards is not gun related but a joke we played on the guys downstairs.
There were two coffee machines and the one upstairs in the gun makers dept. was always being used by the guys who worked downstairs in the tool room when their machine ran out, so I put an Alka Seltzer tablet in every other cup, when the tool room guys put their money in our machine the cup fizzed up all over the place and while they were cussing about it one of us gun-makers would dive in quick and buy a coffee without the Alka Seltzer and then say "there's nothing wrong with mine" this went on for weeks and they never figured out why it was happening..
Another time we loaded a Colt Navy with black powder and tissue paper and fired it at an overall hanging on a peg, later we could smell burning and found six smoldering holes in the overall caused by the burning tissue paper..
Hardly a day past without some fun, usually involving gun powder..

[Borregos]

Very interesting, and as already said a bit sad. Thanks for the link.

[gamekeeper]

After seeing QCI Winchesters post on Carbines sent to Britain in 1941, I remember being told that Westley Richards refurbished about 250,000 Garands and M1 Carbines after the war. I cannot confirm that but I did find brand new M1 carbine stocks when I worked there.

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=48865

[bdhold]

Great link - thanks for that. All of the famous British gunsmiths were also purveyors for all outdoor sport, especially fishing.
Here is a fly reel made by WH Dingley of Alnwick, and branded for Wesley Richards

stamped inside with Dingley's mark