Salopian, Larry,
Thank you very much for that. It looks as though William Spendlove was one of those small, probably one-man, producers of parts for the Birmingham gun trade. My mother remembers visiting his house and that it was full of duck decoys. Maybe that was his sideline!
For anyone who is interested, I have found some photos of St. Mary's Row, Birmingham (William was in good company, W. W. Greener's factory fronted on to St. Mary's Row as well!)
http://epapers.bham.ac.uk/547/http://www.pbase.com/beppuu/image/81049516 (W W Greener's premises)
http://www.pbase.com/beppuu/image/92254254 (typical yard off the street where one-man businesses operated).
Salopian, does St. Mary's Row still exist?
Nigel.
