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Forums10
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Most Online9,918 Jul 28th, 2025
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Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 285
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 285 |
Many of you will be familiar with the work I have done putting together a web site covering the guns sold by Perrins of Worcester and to a lesser extent Thomas Perrins who started the business in Worcester and then moved to Windsor supply Prince Albert amongst others. http://info71508.wix.com/perrinsgunmaker. We have decided to move on and compile another web site covering the other Worcestershire gunmakers/retailers. If anyone has a gun or other equipment by Averills, Bakers, J.E. Cooke, A.J. Foster(Kidderminster), W. Griffiths, H.E. Pollard, Thacker, Ward & Son, Whiteman - all of Worcestershire England then we would love to hear from you. There is an e-mail contact on the Perrins web site. Of course if you have a gun by a Worcestershire retailer I haven't listed then that would be wonderful as well - or even if you have cartridges. Look forward to hearing from anyone with information. Thanks John
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Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 2,768 Likes: 115
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 2,768 Likes: 115 |
Once owned a Pollard single 8 bore hammer gun with Jones underlever and also a Pollard double 16 bore box lock non-ejector. I don't think I have any further details of the guns but will have a look as to serial numbers. Lagopus.....
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Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 285
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 285 |
Hi Lagopus, Wind blowing up your way as well this evening? There were two Pollards - WH was a London maker - not really interested in him and then there was H E Pollard - Worcester who was son in law to Henry Perrins and took over the business on his retirement. I think Thacker worked for him for a while before setting up on his own. Any information would be of interest. Thanks John
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Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 617 Likes: 51
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 617 Likes: 51 |
John we have corresponed in the past as I have a particular interest in Henry Clarke. Here is what I have concerning the Clarke/Pollard connection:
1905 - H. E. Pollard & Co. Ltd., acquired the neighbouring business of Perrins & Son around 1905, already established at 61 & 62 Broad Street, Worcester. Herbert Pollard was son in law to a Perrins. The latter advertised themselves as "Practical Gun Makers and Cartridge Loaders & Fishing Tackle Experts". It is not known when Herbert Pollard retired or died.
1911 - H. Clarke & Sons of Leicester took over the firm of HE Pollard & Co of 62 Broad Street, Worcester in about 1911.
1922 October London Gazette: NOTICE is hereby given, that the Partnership heretofore subsisting between us, the undersigned, Henry Clarke, George Clarke and Frank Clarke, carrying on business as Gunmakers and Fishing Tackle Merchants, at 62, Broad-street, in the city of Worcester, under the style or firm of "H. E. POLLARD & CO.," has been dissolved by mutual consent as from the 31st day of October, 1922. All debts due to and owing by the said late firm will be received and paid by the said Frank Clarke, who will continue the said business under the same style. Dated this 27th day of January, 1923. HENRY CLARKE. GEORGE CLARKE. Mr FRANK CLARKE”. So the Pollard name (brand I guess we would call it now) carried on under the management of Frank Clarke only, leaving his brothers to concentrate on their Leicester business.
1928 July edition of the Sporting Goods Review magazine: "A Worcester Gunmaker. Established 100 years ago, the business of Messrs Clarke, sporting gunsmiths, has been taken over by Mr T Thacker, who was manager of Messrs Clarke & Sons since they took the business over from Messrs Pollard & Co in 1911. Mr Thacker was formerly works manager for Messrs WW Greener & Co. The business was originally founded by Messrs Perrins & Sons, and went in that name for nearly 50 years, when it was taken over by Mr Pollard, the chief partner, being the son in law of the surviving member of the Perrins family". In this notice it is clear that the writer meant ‘Messrs Clarke’ as to be Messrs Pollard, since that was the trading name. H Clarke & Sons of Leicester in fact carried on until December 1963. In addition, I might speculate that Frank Clarke continued to manage the Pollard business alongside Thacker, since he appears not to have worked with his brothers in Leicester.
It is stated that Thomas Thacker remained at the Broad Street premises until 1932. However I have found an auction listing for a Hardy Super Bottom Fishing Tackle Catalogue c1936, retailed by H E Pollard & Co Ltd of 62 Broad Street Worcester. He may have therefore carried on in business until around the start of WWII.
Pollards loaded their own cartridges, the "Gastight", "The Keepers", "The Long Shot" and a best quality gastight game load called "Our Game".
Tim
Last edited by trw999; 11/18/15 06:21 AM.
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Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 285
Sidelock
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OP
Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 285 |
Tim - thanks for all that information - it is a great help in putting things in order. I have been trying to upload some images to photobucket of cartridges I have - but the connection is so slow it keeps timing out and crashing. On the one case it says 'Thacker& Co Late H.E. Pollard & Co' so I guess eh was trying to tie up the names to give credibility to his brand. I will pass on the information to Roger who is compiling the web site. John PS Managed to finally copy the photo. 
Last edited by Oldfarmer; 11/21/15 03:37 PM.
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Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 5,954 Likes: 12
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 5,954 Likes: 12 |
I owned a Griffiths Jones/rotary underlever hammergun at one time. I could probably dig up some data and, maybe, photos - if they would be helpful.
DDA
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Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 285
Sidelock
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OP
Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 285 |
Hi Rocketman - good to catch up again. We are only just starting to gather relevant information together to compile a web site so any one with information about Worcester guns is very welcome. Early days yet - we had no idea when we started the Perrins site it would mushroom like it has. I am not sure if there was more than one Griffiths - I have a feeling there was one in Manchester around the same time. I will have to have a look at the gun directory. The one in Worcester was William Griffiths.   Bridge St Worcester & Birmingham. 'Practical Gunmaker' send me a PM and I will let you have an e-mail address if you manage to find the photos. By the way we are hoping to hold our bi annual 'Vintagers' day in the spring of 2016 - so anyone interested watch this space or drop me an e-m via the web site link above. John P.S. By the way there was more than one Pollard - the one in Worcester was H. E. Pollard
Last edited by Oldfarmer; 11/24/15 01:10 PM.
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Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 617 Likes: 51
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 617 Likes: 51 |
John
You probably have this list already, but if not, this is what IGC has on Worcestershire:
Alan & Thumber Worcester Allen & Thurber Worcester E C Asthorpe Unknown address Severn Stoke Benjamin Attwood Hayseech, Old Hill Hales Owen Averill & Son Evesham J C Banfield & Sons Tenbury Wells Rowland Barnsley Hales Owen Simon (Samuel) Benson Salop Street Dudley Birmingham Gun Barrel Co Ltd Hayseech Old Hill Halesowen William Bourne Droitwich Samuel Brown Summer Hill Hales Owen William Burgess Malvern Wells Malvern Alfred & Arthur Richard Burr Hayseech Hales Owen John Burr Hayseech Mill Hales Owen Thomas Droman Dudley Road Halesowen Thomas Drummond Dudley Road Halesowen Edge & Rose Birch Hill Mill Hales Owen John & Abraham Edmunds Cornmarket Worcester Joseph Fellows Stomber Mill Stourbridge James Fletcher Bridge Street Evesham A J Foster Unknown address Kidderminster John Gill 13 New Street Worcester L Edwin Goff Dodford Bromsgrove William Griffiths 5 Bridge Street Worcester James Hawker Coventry Street Kidderminster Harry Higgins 46-48 Teme Street Tenbury Wells Higgs & Price Hayseech Hales Owen Hughes-Johnson Stamping Ltd Langley Engineering Works Oldbury James Humpherson High Street Bewdley John Lambert 85 Sidbury Worcester Thomas Lane 4 Corn Street / Corn Market Worcester Edward Male Worcester Street Bromsgrove John Osborne Bridge Street Evesham John Perkins New Street Worcester John Perrins College Street Worcester Thomas Phipps Evesham H E Pollard 61 Broad Street Worcester Joseph Price New Town, Netherton - See Price & Hibbert Dudley Price & Hibbert New Town, Netherton Dudley William & Major Rose See Aaron Rose Halesowen Aaron Rose Birch Hill Mill Hales Owen John Rose & Co Crown Gun Barrel Works, near Coombs Wood Hales Owen Rose Brothers See Aaron Rose Halesowen Rose Tube Co. Ltd See Aaron Rose Hales Owen James Sawyer Hawne Lane Hales Owen Robert Scott 31 College Street Worcester John Shaw 16 Moore Street Worcester Arthur Joseph Simpson Crabbs Cross Redditch Charles & John Siviter Runbow Hales Owen John Southall Bromsgrove John Stanton Coventry Street Kidderminster Thomas Stephens Bridge Street Pershore J T Taylor Bromsgrove T Thacker & Co 62 Broad Street Worcester William Tromans Whitehall Hales Owen Thomas Trueman / Truman Dudley Road Hales Owen Ward & Son Worcester Whiteman Brothers Ltd Silver Street Worcester Richard Wise Kidderminster William Wood 18 Broad Street Worcester
If you'd like additional info on any of them, just let me know.
Tim
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Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 593
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 593 |
Wow. What would the complete list of British gun makers look like if that is just Worcester ?
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Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 617 Likes: 51
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 617 Likes: 51 |
Ah, well, don't forget that list spans a couple of centuries, they were not all gun makers per se, some were lock makers, stockers etc and do bear in mind that Worcestershire is right next door to Birmingham and Wolverhampton, so there would be some geographical spill-over from those gunmaking centres.
Tim
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