doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com S. Wright and sons

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?