Does anyone here know who currentley owns the records for Charles Lancaster guns? Last I heard it was a man named David Perkins. If this man still owns them, how might I go about getting in contact with him? Thanks for any help provided.

Dave did own Lancaster and built a small number of quite wonderful guns with that name, all by hand with no tool more complex than a simple lathe. Alas, he had a degenerative disease and died a couple of years ago. I know that someone bought the name, but I don't know who it was. Perhaps someone else on the board will know

I think that Atkin, Grant & Lang have some of the Lancaster records but I believe that they are incomplete. Lagopus.....

Try Ron Wharton (ex-Rigby's) here:

Charles Lancaster & Co., Ltd, Rhome Cottage, Capel Road, Rusper, Horsham, West Sussex, RH12 4PZ; tele. (0)1293-871-453; fax. (0)1293-871-379; http://www.charleslancastergunmakers.co.uk; e-mail: Wharton@bunduki.co.uk.

It's my understanding they are concentrating on rifles.

Thanks for the information and help. I will try the address and numbers that Mr. Venters provided. Thanks.

Dustin

I have a 1903 Charles Lancaster and wanted to know the same. I contacted a Margarita Booker at wharton@bunduki.co.uk. She indicated that the records search would cost 25 BPS. I said okay and gave her my serial number. Never heard back, nor did I on 3 subsequent emails. Don't know what happened. I'm still waiting....
Let me know if you have better success.

Had the opportunity to see the Lancaster records some years back when the name was up for sale.Very patchy and incomplete.Unless some more have been found [which seems unlikely] they could probably not give very much information.

No luck e-mailing as of yet. I will try calling them and then, lastly, I will try mailing them a letter with my request. I've made it known to them via e-mail that I am very willing to pay for the information I seek. Thanks again.

Using the above address, I've had a satisfying exchange with Margarita. Payment via Paypal at 30 GBP per gun. E-mail information recieved including photo of ledger page; letter to follow via snail mail.

All the best, Mal

Using the above address, I've had a satisfying exchange with Margarita. Payment via Paypal at 30 GBP per gun. E-mail information recieved including photo of ledger page; letter to follow via snail mail.

All the best, Mal

Using the above address, I've had a satisfying exchange with Margarita. Payment via Paypal at 30 GBP per gun. E-mail information recieved including photo of ledger page; letter to follow via snail mail.

All the best, Mal

Check the first couple of pages of items offered at auction at Holt's, June 24. Not production records, but maybe even more interesting. I hope I didn't skew someones plans for that auction. I wonder who the consignor is?

Sorry for the multiples, I'll never figure out this electronic stuff! kept getting "server errors" whatever they are. I do understand it when I'm at a restaurant.
Mal

How long ago was this? Pretty recentley? Still no luck on my end, I'll keep trying though.

Dustin

Yesterday, with more info this morning. [their afternoon]

WHAT THE????? Hook a brother up Mal! If you talk with them again, tell them to please check their email or answer the phone!

Dustin

Dustin,

Have you heard anything from Atkin Grant & Lang, Margarita, or Charles Lancaster Co.? I am trying to find the records of a Charles Lancaster muzzleloader that is in very nice condition and cased with a full set of tools.

Larry

LD1,
I did not try Atkin, Grant & Lang, I have tried emailing and calling Chas. Lancaster Co., not having ANY luck doing that, I will try mailing them my request via snail mail here pretty soon. I haven't heard anything back from "Mal Macgregor" either. He seems to have no problem getting in touch with Lancasters.

Dustin

No special treatment; I just e-mailed them at wharton@bunduki.co.uk, requested info, and paid for their service via Paypal. I recieved e-mail information as well as a photo of the ledger page. I havn't recieved my snail mail letters yet. Keep trying.
All the best, Mal

I e-mailed them at wharton@bunduki.co.uk, and I too requested info. I did this several times, finally got a reply from Margarita and agreed to send money via Paypal, awaited instructions and never heard back even after several more attempts.
???

I just got an E-mail from Margarita stating that they do have the Charles Lancaster records for my .50 caliber muzzleloader. She said that they accept Paypal to take care of the 30 pound charge for the service. I have replied to her response and I will keep you all informed as to what happens next.

Larry

I have corresponded with Margarita 2 more times this morning. I have paid for the records service and she has just replied that a picture of the records will be taken and sent to me.
Larry

I have received a photograph from Margarita of the page from the record book that shows the info on my muzzleloading rifle.

LD1,
Good news for you! I still have had NO luck getting in touch with them. Multiple emails and phone callls go unanswered. I'll keep trying. Everyone else seems to get ahold of them no problem, my turn has to be coming up soon I should think.

Dustin

On 15 April 1993 Sotheby,s sold the Atkin,Grant and Lancaster collection.This sale provided a reliable source for estimating the age of early Lancaster guns.Here are a few of the manufacturing dates quoted in the sale catalogue.
1188-1840/2204-1850/3973-1865/5016-1881/6272-1889/6710-1891.
Unfortunately 1891 is the last date found on guns included in this auction. Tracing the Lancaster records is a challenge!
In 1980 the Lancaster records were I believe owned by Harris and Sheldon who at that time were owners of; Churchill,Atkin Grant and Lang.As late as 1980 Churchill was still offering the Lancaster 12/20 made to special order.During 1980,Harris and Sheldon, sold Atkin,Grant and Lang and Churchill as separate entities.It would appear that the Lancaster records were sold to a third party by one of these separated companies and/or by Harris and Sheldon.
Still posted on the internet is the following:
Charles Lancaster Gun makers Limited,
The Firs
Bishopswood,
Chard,
Somerset TAO3RU
Tel# 01460 234254

P.S Can any one provide a guide as to date of manufacture and description of a pair Lancaster gun numbers 11628/9 named as," a+w [No connection to the fast food outlets!] special hammerless ejectors?

Ms. Margarita has finally emailed me back, I have sent payment and I'm anxiously waiting to get a copy of the ledger pertaining to my gun, #6574. Phase 2, we'll see how this goes.

Dustin

If you have serial numbers I can possibly find dates for you.
T

Roy, Nigel Brown's London Gunmakers gives the date as 1907.

Now I can't get back into the Holt's June 24 catalog to see if the Lancaster records are among the unsold items. Does anyone know what lot numbers they were so we can look them up? Thanks OK, I found them. Mostly Grant, Lang, and Hussey. One item is a letter of termination to E.J. Hussey for thievery. Another is a bound book of minutes of all board meetings from 1917 to 1955. Interesting. They are items 54 ot 59 and they all sold.

Has anyone got their paperwork in the mail yet from Lancasters (aka Ron Wharton & Margarita)? She sent me a picture of the ledger (looked like there was alot of juicy info on my guns serial #'s line too) but I have not heard anything from them since the picture. Just curious...

Dustin

I was told that they would send me the information by regular mail. I have not received anything as yet, but I did receive an E-mail with a good photo of the records page.

Larry

Thats all I've gotten too Larry.