Can anyone tell me anything about S. Wright and Sons gunmakers of birmingham ? From searching on here i know they were associated with Churchills. They seem to have been makers to the trade rather than makers under their own name, correct ? I have a George HInton boxlock , one of a pair, that someone mentioned to me was probabily made by S. Wright.

S. Wright made guns for a lot of people and provided wider gun-smithing services as well. Ken Halbert at Westley Richards is one surviving ex- Wright's gunmaker I know.

Thank you small bore. Did they ever make guns under their own name or was it exclusively for the trade ?

The history of S. Wright & Sons, Birmingham,is detailed in the book ,"The House of Churchill" by the late Don Masters.[Pages 278-286]The Business was started immediately after WW1 by Sam Wright.The firm made best quality box lock and side lock guns for for the London and provincial trade.London customers included; Holland & Holland ,"The Northwood" and Churchill the "Regal."
Other customers listed in Wrights ledgers included; Hollis, Gallyon, Hinton, Radcliffe, Jeffrey, Dickson ,Hillsdon Rodda, Bland, To name but a few!

In 1960 the business was sold to Interarmco[U.K.] The parent company of Cogswell & Harrison and Churchill.The Wright business ceased making guns for the trade in the circa 1972.After this date the business focused on making the complete range of Churchill box lock guns. I have many memories of Wrights having visited their shop on several occasions ,once to observe Don Masters test boring barrels using the old spill boring method. For the past 40 years my hunting gun of choice has been a best quality 12G box lock ejector was made by Wrights, but bearing the name, K.D.Radcliffe.
The Churchill book contains one of the BEST post WW2 descriptions of the Birmingham gun trade that exists. Many pictures of familiar names are seen in the book, for example, Kirk Merrington, who at the time of the photo was working as a trainee barrel filer at Churchills.

Thank you very much roy , i might see if i can pick up that book. I find the birmingham guntrade facinating but there isn't a lot of information out there. Where were Wrights in the gun quarter ? Shadwell street occurs to me for some reason.

Here are some of the addresses associated with Wrights;
1920-23 Price Street, Two locations in New Buildings.
1923 5 Price Street, later moved to, 74 Whittall Street.
1941 94-99 Bath Street, also renting 30-32a Shadwell street [backed on to Bath Street property].
1945 97-98 Bath Street.
1972 following a change in ownership relocated to Vyse Street Hockley Centre, Birmingham[This location was in the Jewellery quarter which adjoins the gun quarter]. The business stayed at this location under the Churchill name till 1981 when Churchill,s ceased to trade.

+1 on The House of Churchill by Don Masters. Very well done & one of my better $ investments in books both from the educational & enjoyment standpoints.

If I remember correctly John "Jack" Rowe apprenticed @ Wright's in the 1950's.

Yes, Uncle Jack can probably help you out.

F.Y.I
Jack Rowe is seen in a 1968 picture taken at the Stratfield Saye Game Fair,U.K on page 338 of the Churchill book.

Malcolm Cruxton of Price Street, Birmingham is an ex-Wright employee and still in business today as a gunmaker. From memory, he is mentioned in the Churchill book?

Bonny is your George Hinton marked Taunton , Somerset?....I was born n raised not far from there.
cheers
franc

Yes Franc Otte, it is engraved G.Hinton, 34 High st , Taunton. The gun is number two of a pair and has been sleeved by someone who really knew what they were doing. It originally wore damascus barrels, so i am assuming it was made pre 1905.

George Hinton in cooperation with J.V.Needham is credited with being the co inventor of the automatic ejector. After 25 years with J.V.Needham, In 1885 George headed for Taunton were he was successor to the business of George Sheppard. George Hinton was active in the business for 40 years. During his life in Taunton George was elected mayor of Taunton. There is a picture of George as Mayor on page 175 of The British Shotgun Vol;2 by Baker and Crudgington.
Being the owner of a very fine Rook Rifle #2670,Engraved G.Hinton, 5 Fore Street,Taunton. I visted the location only to find that circa 1980 It was a shoe shop! I did how ever end up with a pair of shoes so the trip was not wasted!

Your memory is Correct[Page 285], Malcom Cruxton started as an errand boy at Wrights, age 14 in 1957,Wage 12 shillings [about $2.40 U.S. in those days] per Week.
Malcolm became well established in the Birmingham trade; with a workshop in Price Street. A shop that I visited frequently for more than thirty years. There was always a warm welcome, a cup of tea and for me a chance to observe Malcolm stocking a gun. His skill and the shear speed that he accomplished the work was an amazing. I Hope Malcolm remains in good health.

Does anyone have any pictures of the old gun quarter in Birmingham, there is very little online.

You need to search the internet under the heading, "Birmingham Gun Quarter". There is history and pictures to be found. Photographs/slides taken by Phyllis Nickling A member of the staff at Birmingham University, are available on the internet they record the changes taking place in Birmingham 1950-1960.These slides include shots of the Birmingham gun Quarter at a time that the area was being redeveloped including construction of a a new road system. Frankly may of the old buildings seen are very dilapidated and are awaiting demolition, for example Greener,s offices and factory on St; Marys Row. Fortunately the City Of Birmingham has recently seen fit to Classify the Gun Quarter as a place of Historical importance.

Bonny, for the most info and best pictures call Carol Barnes at Gunnerman Books.

So if it was originally Damascus,it's now sleeved from Damascus stubbs to new sleeved steel bbls?,right?.
Got any pics of the bbls?..& the rest of it???
Love to see how they look.
cheers
franc

Thanks Roy, Justin and Franc Otte for the replies. Roy i know well the pictures you are talking about, i have the link to them below for anyone who doesn't know them. How greeners magnificent building was allowed to be pulled down i'll never know, what a shame. I also bought a book called "The Birmingham guntrade" last year, but didn't really find it good, to much emphasis on military firearms.
Justin, i'll be sure to investigate the gunnerman books lead, thanks.
Franc Otte, yes you are correct , the stubs are damascus, but blackened to match the rest of the steel tubes, i did not actually notice until holding the gun one day in bright sunshine and i could just make out the twist pattern. Sleeved barrels reduce the value of any gun i know but i didn't pay much for it to start with so it make no odds to me. Who ever did the sleeving made a nice job of it as the join is virtually invisible. I will attempt to take and load a few pictures tomorrow if i get a chance.

http://www.pbase.com/beppuu/pnicklin

http://www.pbase.com/beppuu/image/81049516

Just to add onto what Roy Hebbes had previously stated above.

The House of Churchill book further states, that Samuel G. Wright started working for the gunmaking firm of Webley & Scott (possibly apprenticed at P Webley & Sons), then moved onto Bentley & Playfair of Summer Lane, followed by Hollis, Bentley & Playfair in 1911. In 1918, immediately following the First World War, Samuel left the employ of Hollis, Bentley & Playfair to start his own business as S. Wright & Sons. He was joined in the business by his eldest son Jack, and later by his younger son Howard.

The book states that Wrights made and sold many wholesale guns for the trade to such gunmakers/retailers as was previously stated. However, it does also state that Wrights did operate their own retail business, making some guns under their own name. Samuel G. Wright died in 1954 (aged 89 yrs.), but the family business carried on with his two sons, Jack and Howard, until being sold in 1960. ‘The House of Churchill’ by Don Masters., pages 278-282.

The firm of S Wright & Sons is also covered in Don Masters other excellent book, Atkin Grant & Lang.

On page 241 the author stated that a workshop ledger from the late 1940's shows production of guns for Hellis and also Hinton amongst others.

Does anyone know where this workshop ledger is now and any other day books or registers for S Wright & Sons?

Regards

Aland
Sydney

Does anyone have a S. Wright & Sons name branded shotgun? Just curious.

There is one for sale in the current Holts auction.

Lot 5550.

Regards

Alan

Thanks for that Alan. Holts S. Wright & Sons shotgun

Just a reminder, still looking for whom has the records/ledgers for this maker.

Regards

Alan

I managed to find an S. Wright & Sons, Price Street, Birmingham, Wholesale Only catalogue from circa 1920/1930. I have scanned their six bread and butter models. They did also make a Model 0 which was their basic shotgun with minimal border engraving, Hackett snap fore-end and a stock with no drop points. There are no models shown with decorative sideplates like what was produced for Charles Hellis & Sons, so I’m thinking that may have been a model that came from Bentley & Playfair. See attached, S. Wright & Sons various models with descriptions.


Wholesale Price Listing circa 1951

I picked up the gun at Holt's. I will let you know how it looks when it comes in.