Good morning!

I have just successfully (?) bid online at Southams for this single 12 bore by Whitfield and Mee. It is clearly not in brilliant condition and on the other side has a crude repair to the side of the stock alongside the breech.

Perhaps the kindest thing that can be said about it is that it has not been “over cleaned”.

It bears Birmingham Black powder re-proof marks applied between 1955 and 1989, so I hope that if the bore has not been too badly neglected in the intervening 32+ years it may still be a shooter. If not and it is a wall hanger only at least the stock damage will be against the wall.

I can find no mention of Whitfield and Mee in my Volume 2 of Nigel Brown’s book so they may have had a London address.

Has anyone any information on where they were based or when they traded?

Parabola

I have treated my self to Volume 1 of Nigel Brown’s book dealing with London Gunmakers, and am delighted to add it to my Volume 2.

There is however no mention of a Mr. Whitfield or a Mr. Mee.

Does anyone have Volume 3 (which I cannot find at a sensible price) and are they mentioned there?

In passing, if anyone is looking for a copy of volume one there are still some available in England and Wales at or near the original cover price of £60.

Shipping to the United States will not be cheap but still might total less than it appears that is being asked for copies is on your side of the pond

Try Google for Coch-y-bondu Books in Wales or Hereward Books in Ely

Could "Whitfield & Mee" have been retailers? In 1849-50 they are listed as merchants at 16 Church Street, Birmingham.

Markus

Dear Markus,

Very likely the right people as it is an unusual combination of names ( it keeps reminding me of the film “Withnail and I”)and the shape of the lock plate looks right for 1840 to 1850.

When it reaches me I will look under the barrel to see if that reveals any makers mark.

Many thanks for your very helpful research,

Parabola

Sorry, nothing in my Volume III. Lagopus.....

Many thanks, Lagopus.

I appreciate your checking your Volume 3. I hope they do another print run, but that is probably wildly over optimistic.

Current asking prices are currently multiples of what I paid for this gun, and indeed most of my other shotguns.

I think Markus has nailed their date and place of business, and I see that a Whitfield next door in Church Street at the time (so likely a relative) was a maker of scales and beam balances.

When my daughter was born on the Glorious Twelth I briefly toyed with the idea of Lagopus as a middle name, but that was quickly shot down as was “Grousie”.

Parabola

Names with hidden meaning can haunt you if you are not careful. Like the girl named Appizy, which while different would not have been the end of the world, had her middle name not been Ottomy. When both names were spoken quickly it denotes a rare surgical procedure done in child birth. For those not familiar with the term go ask your wife if they have heard of it.

Parabola, I thinks it's because I'm a bit of an Old Grouse at times! KY, many a dastardly deed takes place at the Baptismal font! Lagopus.....