Mike
Here is what IGC have on Clabrough for you to pass on:
Name John P Clabrough
Other Names J P Clabrough & Brothers; J P Clabrough & Johnstone
Address1 5 New Buildings, Price Street
Address2 89 Bath Street?
Address3 8 Whittall Street
Address4 8 Whittall Street & 15 St Mary's Row
Address5 8 Whittall Street
Address6 7 1/2 St Mary's Row
Address7 3 Price Street
City/Town Birmingham
Country United Kingdom
Trade Gun maker
Other Address 16-17 Loveday Street, Birmingham; 91-92 Lower Loveday Street, Birmingham; 52 Leadenhall Street, London; 11 Pall Mall, London.
Dates 1867-1946
Notes
John Plumb Clabrough was born in Carlton, Selby, Yorkshire, in 1836. He was the son of Michael Clabrough / Claborough (b.1802), a gunsmith recorded in the 1841 census and later in post office directories. His mother was Sarah (nee Plumb b.1800 in Lincoln, Lincolnshire). Michael may have moved to Selby, an M Clabrough was recorded trading in Selby in 1857, and a Michael Clabrough died in Sely in 1866. Michael's brother appears to have been Peter Clabrough of High Street Lincoln. Peter had a daughter named Mary, possibly Mary Ann, a Mary Ann Clabrough was married in Rothwell in 1852. Rothwell, near Leeds, about 30 miles west of Carlton. John P probably worked for his father but may have been apprenticed in Birmingham. In 1862/3 he emigrated to San Francisco (American Civil War 1861-1865) and worked as a gunsmith for Wilson & Evans and then, from 1864 to 1866, for Robert Liddle & Co.
In 1867 he opened his own business sharing a shop with a jeweller at 630 Montgomery Street, San Francisco. Presumably this business was called J P Clabrough or John P Claborough; he soon took over the whole of the shop premises. In England in 1868 his brother, Joseph (b.1845), was recorded as a gun maker trading as J P Claborough at 5 New Buildings, Price Street, Birmingham. Reportedly, Joseph went to America in 1870 leaving another brother, George, in charge of the Birmingham business. This business was undoubtedly opened in order to supply the San Francisco business with guns, and to export elsewhere in the USA. The firm later specialised in shotguns and established depots in New York, Philadelphia and Chicago as well as San Francisco. In 1871, John and Joseph returned to Birmingham leaving George to run the San Francisco shop (which appears to have been re-named J P Clabrough & Brothers or simply Clabrough Brothers). Shortly afterwards, Joseph closed his business at 5 New Buildings, Price Street, and John, Joseph and a fourth brother, William, appear to have opened as J P Claborough & Brothers in larger premises at 89 Bath Street, this address has not been confirmed. Guns bearing this name and marked "London" (but proved in Birmingham) have been seen. From 1872 to 1882 the firm, reportedly John and Phillip Claybrough, was recorded at 8 Whittall Street. In the USA in 1876, George Clabrough became ill (he died in 1879), and in 1877 William Golcher, a retired gun maker from Minnesota (a descendant of the lock-making family from Darlaston) took over the running of the San Francisco business.
In 1878 Julius Bluemel, an employee in the San Francisco shop, patented a hammerless trigger-plate action with coil springs (USA 210905/1878); John Claborough registered the patent in the UK on 12 September 1878 (No. 3611) but it was not successful. In 1880 in Birmingham, additional premises were taken in the name of Claborough & Brothers at 15 St Mary's Row. In 1882 the firm's principal address appears to have changed to 7 1/2 St Mary's Row and the name changed to J P Clabrough & Brothers, J P being the initials of both John and Joseph or John and Phillip; George had died, but what had happened to William is not known, the implication is that he had left or died. Also in 1882, J P Clabrough Brothers obtained the US manufacturing rights to a hammerless thumb-cocking action (UK patent 2816/1879 Richard Ellis & Henry Scott, USA patent 252703/1882 Henry Scott assigned to J P Clabrough) but it too was unsuccessful. However, the firm also obtained a license to manufacture for sale in the USA the John Thomas Rogers and John Rogers patent side-lock barrel cocking mechanism (No. 397/1881). This mechanism became the most popular sidelock cocking mechanism. In 1890 in order to protect American gun manufacturing, the McKinley Tariff imposed a duty of 35% + $6 on all guns imported into the USA. By 1892 the trade with America had virtually ceased.
In the 1890s William Golcher become a partner in Clabrough & Golcher who bought guns from W & C Scott & Son. By 1895 the firm's address was 605 Market Street. The 1891 census records John P Clabrough, aged 54, living at 15 St Marys Row, Birmingham, with his sister, Ann (b.1839 in Carlton), and brother William (b.1826 in Carlton therefore aged 65 and retired "living on own means"). This census also records Joseph Clabrough (b.1845 in Carlton) living at 60 Aston Road North with his wife, Eliza (b.1841 in Birmingham). A Joseph Clabrough, almost certainly him, was married in Kings Norton in April 1878. Reportedly (but see next paragraph), in 1892 the brothers decided to sell the business. John wanted to retire but Joseph wanted to continue working. In 1893 J P Clabrough & Brothers was sold to Douglas V Johnstone, a long time employee. He continued trading at 8 Whittall Street, but retained the 7 1/2 St Mary's Row premises and opened a shop in London at 52 Leadenhall Street (recorded until 1895 but may have remained open until 1911). John retired to San Francisco where he died in 1895 (but a John P Clabrough died in Birmingham in 1895!). Joseph reportedly opened his own business at 60 Aston Road North and traded until 1900. Joseph and Eliza were recorded in the 1901 census living at 60 Aston Road North. Joseph described himself as a retired gun maker.
In 1902 Douglas V Johnstone moved the Birmingham factory to 3 Price Street. On 9 November 1910 Douglas V Johnstone and A H Hill registered patent No. 26071 for a method of attaching lock plates and positioning the cocking arm. In 1911 in London, the shop was recorded at 11 Pall Mall. In 1914 the firm joined with Hollis, Bentley & Playfair to form Standard Small Arms Co Ltd as a separate venture. In 1915 it seems the firms amalgamated under the management of John O Redgrave, a long serving Clabrough employee, and the Birmingham factory moved to 16-17 Loveday Street which were Isaac Hollis's premises. In London the firm occupied 143 Holborn. From 1920 to 1931 the firm occupied 54 Clerkenwell Road, it appears to have closed here in 1931 when the Birmingham factory moved to 91-92 Lower Loveday Street. The business ceased trading in 1946.
Other Info
Clabrough & Johnstone registered "TENGO" as their trade mark.
Tim
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