doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Russell Hillsdon?

I was wondering if anyone had any information on this maker? I did some Internet searches and have not come up with much of anything. Any information would be appreciated!

Boothroyd page 128 .
Hillsdon Russell Chichester 46 South St W.Sussex .Ceased trading in 1986 sold "Royal Counties" gun .
Also listed, Hillsdon & Hillsdon Folkstne and Dover .
Hillsdon and Stones Chichester.
C E Hillsdon 14 Harbour St Chichester and South St .

Sounds like a family ,father and son or brothers perhaps ?

Gunman, thank you for the information. The family angle is another for me to explore.

I also found a reproduction trade label. On the label it said "Represented by Gieves LTD" Gieves is a bespoke tailor (Gieves & Hawkes today) that did alot of business with the military.

I remember the RH shop in Chichester. It was a sporting store and sold cricket, tennis, hockey, football etc kit. The guns were a very small part of the business, tucked away at the back, as I recall.

Tim

From the Internet Gun Club-------------


Name

C E Hillsdon



Other Names

Hillsdon & Hillsdon; Hillsdon & Stones Ltd; Russell Hillsdon; Russell Hillsdon Ltd



Address1

South Street



Address2

30 South Street



Address3

46 South Street



Address4





Address5





Address6





Address7





City/Town

Chichester



County

Sussex



State/Region/Province





Country

United Kingdom



Trade

Gunsmith & general engineer



Other Address

14 Harbour Street, Folkestone, Kent; 2 Alexandra Gardens, Folkestone, Kent; Snargate Street, Dover, Kent; 149 Oxford Street, London; Eastergate, Barnham, Bognor Regis, Sussex; 9 Bishopric, Horsham, Sussex; 33 Brighton Road, Worthing, Sussex; Cape Town, South Africa.



Dates

1888-1901



Notes




C E Hillsdon was recorded in business from 1888 to 1901, he owned shops in South Street (no number known), Chichester, Sussex, and at 14 Harbour Street, Folkestone, Kent.
In 1891 a shop was opened in Snargate Street (no number known), Dover, Kent, which traded under the name of Hillsdon & Hillsdon (possibly C E Hillsdon and brother or son or two brothers / cousins?).

The firm described themselves as gunsmiths and general engineers, but it would appear that they developed a cycle manufacturing business when cycling became popular in the early 1890s. The firm employed William Joseph George who was a champion cyclist who opened his own gun shop in 1896 (at 181 Snargate Street, Dover).

In 1893, a representative of the company attended the inaugural meeting of the Inanimate Bird Shooting Association.

In 1895 it would seem that C E Hillsdon retired or died because although the firm of C E Hillsdon continued trading at 14 Harbour Street, Folkestone, as did Hillsdon & Hillsdon in Snargate Street. It may be that the C E Hillsdon name was retained to demonstrate continuity. However, in 1895 a new firm by the name of Hillsdon & Stones Ltd (gunsmiths only) started trading at 149 Oxford Street, London. They also traded at 14 Harbour Street, Folkestone, and opened another shop in Folkestone at 2 Alexandra Gardens. The London shop closed in 1897 but the firm, trading as Russell Hillsdon, was represented in London by Gieves Ltd at 21 Old Bond Street, and also by Gieves Ltd at The Hard, Portsmouth. At this time the firm also had a branch in Cape Town (precise address unknown).

C E Hillsdon and Hillsdon & Stones Ltd appear to have ceased trading in 1901. The Folkestone shop appears to have traded as Hillsdon & Hillsdon from 1901 but it closed in 1903 however, the Chichester and Dover shops remained open trading as Hillsdon & Hillsdon until at least 1913. There are no known records of Hillsdon and Hillsdon or Russell Hillsdon trading between 1914 and 1924, but in the latter year Russell Hillsdon was recorded in Barnham and Bognor in Sussex, and at 30 South Street, Chichester, Sussex, so it appears the firm re-opened or had continued trading through the war years and in their aftermath.

In 1932 a new shop was opened at 33 Brighton Road, Worthing, and another at 9 Bishopric, Horsham. The Worthing, Barnham and Bognor shops were not recorded after 1934, and after 1936 only the 30 South Street, Chichester shop was recorded. In about 1940 it appears to have closed but in 1955 Russell Hillsdon Ltd was recorded at 46 South Street, Chichester.

The firm sold guns made in Birmingham and Liege, but in 1947 they commenced having their guns made by S Wright & Sons (Carlton, Royal Counties, Goodwood and Special Carlton models).

The company ceased trading in 1986.




Other Info



The firm sold shotgun cartridges under the names the "Sussex Express", the "Sussex Champion", the "Goodwood", the "Revenge" and the "Combat" (post 1927).

Daryl, thank you for all of that information!

I just wanted to thank everyone who gave me information on the maker. I ended up purchacing the gun. The gun handles nice and I am pleased with it. It is my first English gun. The next step is to take it to my gunsmith and have him remove the wood extension. I will have a pad fitted at my correct length of pull. Here is a link if anyone wants to take a look at it.


Hillsdon link

DaveB
Russell Hillsdon,s guns were made by the Birmingham firm, S.Wright and Sons. Wrights also made boxlock guns for H&H and Churchill. Prior to closing Wrights became subsidiary of Churchill. Having made several visits to the Wrights shop I can say that I never saw anything other than best quality work. Enjoy your gun.
For further info on the business connection between Russell Hillsdon and S.Wright and Sons, see the book,"The House of Churchill" by the late Don Masters, pages 281-2

trw999 says that the gun department at Russell Hillsdon was small and tucked away. I worked in the gun and fishing tackle department for Russell Hillsdon and his son Scott in the early 1970s, at his store in South Street, Chichester. Far from being a minor part of the business, we generated the lion's share of business during my time there. We were not tucked away at the back but had our own department upstairs. With four fulltime employees, including a gunsmith, we were always busy and had a huge turnover in cartridges, arriving by the tens of thousands every week and being distributed all around Britain. My most memorable moments include selling a Holland & Holland shotgun from the early 20th century.

Wilco

Welcome and thank you. I used to pop in there when I was a boy on summer hols at Itchenor in the 1960s, so it was a long while ago. I also think that at the time I was more interested in the sports goods, especially the masks, fins and snorkels for some reason! Never anything to see in the sea around there, far too murky.

Thanks for the correction and info.

Tim