I recall that both Hodges and Squires were well known for their Henry Atkin association. Here are their respective IGC entries for information:
Name Edwin Charles Hodges
Address1 23 St James Street, Islington
Address2 8 Florence Street, Islington
Address3 95 Mount Street and 8 Florence Street
Address4 69 Ebury Street
Address5 34 South Audley Street and 8 Florence Street
Address6 8 Florence Street
City/Town London
Country United Kingdom
Trade Gun maker and actioner (outworker)
Other Address
Dates 1852-1909
Notes
Edwin Charles Hodges was the son of Edward Hodges, a leather dresser, and Elizabeth Rachel Hodges (nee Reynolds b.1806 in Sevenoaks, Kent). He was born on 9 October 1831 in Georges Terrace, Crimscott (Grimscott) Street, Bermondsey, and was the younger brother of Henry John Joseph Hodges, a gun and gun lock maker of Bermondsey (1830-1899) and brother of Edward (b.1839) and William (b.1846 d.1912). In the 1841 census Edwin Hodges was recorded living with his parents in Georges Terrace, together with his elder brother Henry and younger brother, Edward. In about 1845 Edwin was apprenticed as a gun maker to his uncle, Ebenezer, a gun barrel maker living at 31 Great Wild Street (just off Kingsway in the parish of St Giles in Fields now in Camden). They were recorded there in the 1851 census. In 1852 Edwin established his own business as an outworking action filer and gunmaker whilst living at 23 St James Street (later Chantry Street), Islington. The business was probably established because Edwin had seen and intended to make breechloading guns similar to those of Casimir Lefaucheux. In 1851 Edwin had visited the Great Exhibition and designed an improved copy of the Lefaucheux breechloader. This he showed to Joseph and James Lang of the firm of Joseph Lang. They were impressed and, when the design was perfected in 1853, the firm sold a number of them claiming that Lang was the first gunmaker to introduce the breechloader to Britain. On 22 December 1855 Edwin married Emma (nee Lane b.1831 in North Walsham, Norfolk). Her sister was married to Robert Hasdell, a gunmaker living at 14 St James Street, Islington. Edwin and Emma's first child, a daughter named Rosa, was born in 1858, Florence was born in 1860. It appears to have been a year or two before 1860 that the family moved to 8 Florence Street, Islington, which had a workshop at the rear of the property.
In 1858 Edwin worked on the first breech loading shotgun produced by Boss; in 1864 he actioned a pair of 12 bore pin-fire guns for Boss. In the 1861 census Edwin and his family were recorded at 8 Florence Street together with a James Robinson and his mother who shared the premises. Edwin was described as a master gun action maker employing 2 men and 3 boys. One man employed by Edwin at this time was John Wilkes who later established his own business in London. In 1862 Edwin exhibited improved breech loading actions at the second International Exhibition in South Kensington. John Rigby expressed the opinion that Edwin's work was "especially worthy of praise". On 4 December 1865 Edwin registered patent No. 3113 which covered an extractor and angled striker for a drop-down barrel action. On 15 November 1866 patent No. 2996 covered an extractor mechanism. This patent was not renewed after 1869 but it was modified slightly from time to time and was used by several makers for about 20 years. At about this time Edwin appears to have started using a patent stamp comprising a crown (to indicate his patents) over a triangle containing the initials ECH. In 1867 the firm started to work for James Purdey and the newly established firm of Stephen Grant. On 31 January 1871 Edwin registered patent No 251 for a treble grip. The early guns used a push forward underlever but later a side lever was used and Stephen Grant bought a licence to use it, apparently on condition that Grant could call it the Grant Hodges patent although Grant was not the patentee.
By the time of the 1871 census Edwin employed 9 men and 3 boys. The extra family members at 8 Florence Street were Lillian (b.1862), Arthur (b.1863), Lionel (b.1866), Edgar (b.1868) and Leslie (b.1870). From 1875 Edwin produced a few guns under his own name but one of his largest customers was Henry Atkin. His other customers at about this time were Alfred Lancaster, William Cartwright, and Samuel & Charles Smith, and he made a few guns for Army & Navy Co-operative Society. An 1876 advertisement in the Field magazine stated that the firm were gun and rifle manufacturers and had been manufacturing guns for 24 years. They were able to provide all kinds of patent treble grip snap-action breechloaders and a patent hammerless gun. Mention was also made of a patent army revolver for service in India, ammunition of all kinds, and "every requisite for shooting". In 1876 Edwin the firm's principle address became 95 Mount Street, Grosvenor Square, but the workshop at 8 Florence Street continued to be used and Edwin continued living there. Quite obviously, the firm needed additional space located closer to the top London gunmakers with whom he did business. On 22 March 1878 Edwin patented his own hammerless action with an underlever and safety on the trigger guard strap (No. 1145).
In 1881 the Mount Street premises were relinquished in favour of 69 Ebury Street. In the 1881 census Edwin and Emma still lived at 8 Florence Street. Edwin described himself as a gun maker. Their children living in the house at the time were Florence, Julia (b.1862 governess), Arthur (surgical instrument maker), Frederick (b.1866 stationers clerk), Ella (b.1873) and Frank (b.1876). On 20 March 1883 Edwin together with Thomas William Webley and George Bouckley registered patent No. 1463 for cocking and safety mechanisms for drop-down barrel guns. In 1884 the firm moved to 34 South Audley Street, but in 1886 the firm's address once again became 8 Florence Street. The firm is known to have worked on barrels for James Purdey at about this time, and it was owed money by Lang & Hussey. They appear to have been doing an increasing amount of business with Henry Atkin. In 1886 Ernest Charles Lawrence became an apprentice actioner with the firm, he went on to work for James Woodward and then James Purdey. In the 1891 census Edwin (gunmaker) and Emma were living at 8 Florence Street with Rosa, Edgar (stockbrokers clerk), Leslie (gunmaker), Ella (milliners assistant), and Frank (occupation not described possibly still a scholar but later became foreman at Florence Street).
On 23 September 1899 patent No. 19167 covered a single trigger mechanism. In the 1911 census Edwin was recorded living and working from home. His wife Emma died in 1913, and the firm of E C Hodges ceased to be listed in 1915. In 1919 Edwin moved to reside with his daughter, Ella, at 125 Leaside Road, Golders Green, he died on 10 February 1925 and was buried next to Emma in East Finchley cemetery.
More information is at Robert Hodges excellent web site
http://hodgesgunmakers.yolasite.com/ where he details his family's extensive gun making history.
Name Henry Squires
Other Names Frank Squires
Address1 Upper Seymour Street, St Pancras
Address2 4 George Yard, Wardour Street
Address3 4 Dansey Yard, Wardour Street
Address4 82 Berwick Street, Oxford Street
City/Town London
Country United Kingdom
Trade Barrel maker
Other Address
Dates 1882-1915
N
otes
In the 1841 Census, Henry Squires was recorded as an apprentice gun barrel maker aged 15 of Upper Seymour Street, St Pancras. He appears to have been apprenticed to his father (?), William.
In 1882 he was in business at 4 George Yard, Wardour Street (occupied nos. 3 and 4 at unknown dates); 4 George Yard was also the address of John Robertson, both worked for the trade, including Holland & Holland, James Lang and Lang & Hussey. In 1882 he was succeeded by his son, Frank; father and son supplied barrels to Thomas Boss, amongst others. In 1885 George Yard was re-named Dansey Yard. In 1899 Frank Squires moved the business to 82 Berwick Street, Oxford Street. The firm appears to have ceased trading in 1915.
Tim
