Hi guys. I was not feeling very well but I bought myself a first class train ticket and someone picked me up the other end (Mike, my checkering mate) and I got to the proof house.
I had been invited for the work I'd done on behalf of the gun quarter (setting up the petition and facebook sites and liasing with the council etc) so it was a really nice gesture to be invited for a VIP visit.
It was an amazing trip. I had to sit and ask for water mid way through but I got there and I learnt so much! Here are some pictures and a bit of dialogue about what they are about. Hope it is of interest for people!
Cheers
Tony
This is a set of photos of the proof masters since 1813.
Here we all are discussing and preparing for our trip around starting in the Guardians room.
The old testing room. Amazing. The barrels would be lined up on the right of the pictures, powder run along the back of the barrels and ignited..Each gun would then fire, boom, boom, boom...into the sand on the other side.
The modern day trap now in use.
The other side, where the barrels are place to fire.
One of the prep rooms. Here, a bunch of Turkish guns (Hatsen autos) are being built ready for new proof for sale into the UK market.
Outside the firing rooms.
Special loaded proof loads for 12 gauge!
More of them.
An amazing piece of art made from bayonets, hammers, ramrods etc!
