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====== *84 1890: Death of E.M. Reilly and aftermath TEXT ======

*84 1890: Death of E.M. Reilly and aftermath:

In July 1890 EM Reilly contracted broncho-pneumonia and passed away.*84a, 84b, 84c

Of Reilly's “acknowledged” sons Charles A. was 20, Herbert H. was 15, and Gerald Atol was 13 - all still in school, none apparently with the hands-on gun-making expertise that EM had in his upbringing. His first "son" Edward Montague, who he referred to as “my reputed son,” was 23 and apparently working as a locomotive mechanic (see below).

In his will*84d E.M left a sum of about £8,000 (about $1.2 million today). Thus was in addition to the two buildings held freehold (probably by the company), the guns, the tools, etc. (The structure of the company and Reilly’s partners, if any, are still not known).

His wife Mary Ann was in her 40's. Business was still lively. Widows did successfully manage companies in England at the time after the deaths of their husbands. EM specifically did not leave his wife the "trade books."*84e However, newspaper articles on the later death of her son Edward Montague seem to indicate that Mary was indeed running the company during this time.*84f

With EM’s death, somehow the light of Reilly entrepreneurship went out. Mary Ann Reilly had to operate in a "man's world" and no matter how strong willed, there were serious obstacles for her.

Subsequently, his sons on their majority did not seem to have the hands-on knowledge of the gun manufacturing trade that EM had hammered into him in the 1830's. Nor did they have the generational connections to the business, or the understanding of the complex entertwinings of its execution. The gun-trade was always a sort of dance while juggling a number of balls
-- relationship to outworkers,
-- handling in-house bench workers,
-- dealing with importation of parts (from Belgium) and the licensing for manufacturing others' patents,
-- contacts with Birmingham mass production factories
-- kow-towing to the upper class,
-- staying abreast of market trends,
-- and always advertising and promoting.

By the time Bert actually exerted control over the company, surely around 1899 after Mary’s death, its reputation and place in the English gun-making fraternity had been seriously eroded. (And Bert not bothering to attend assemblies of English gun-makers probably didn't help - fraternization, even in a cut-throat business, always is a plus).*84g

==== *84 1890: Death of E.M. Reilly and aftermath TEXT ====

Please note that these assessments of the Reilly's are my own, formed after reading every word of their advertisements, articles, letters, etc. and noting what little personal information is available about them, etc. This chapter is not footnoted except for the photos for that reason

========= *85 Characterizing the Reilly's: TEXT =========

*85 Characterizing the Reilly's:

This study has not looked at the Reilly family except where it effects the business; however, here are some possible characterizations of the Reilly's based on very limited information, much from Sally Nestor, family researcher.

-- J.C. Reilly comes across as something of an early 19th century, self-absorbed narcissist (this from one possibly extremely prejudiced source) . Yet, he registered a silver mark - not something one can just do without true expertise and apprenticeship, and per John Campbell, not independently confirmed, he was a clock-maker and a member of the "Clockmakers" guild. JC apparently had some serious mechanical skills. He appears to have been rebellious, snarky, egotistical and independent, and probably was a difficult and demanding boss, husband, father. His wife left him, and a couple of his children apparently wanted nothing to do with him. But, he had allies in the gun world, i.e. a relationship with John Blanch from pretty much the time when he first began to build his own guns (a deduction from very limited evidence. Blanch kept Reilly advertisements from the 1840’s era in his private scrap book. In 1855 EM and Blanch's son Williams seem to have encouraged each other to tackle pin fire breech loaders.

-- E.M. Reilly appears to have been an imaginative, far-sighted, organized, ambitious businessman (based on his business record). He also worked with his father from an early age in the gun making business and had extensive hands-on experience in making guns and air guns.
-- He rationalized the Reilly serial numbers, created new trade labels, and advanced new and risky products.
-- He had some excellent political connections in the gun trade - the same group of gun makers appear repeatedly together in the late 1850-early 1860 time period - Prince, Green, Deane, Reilly, Blanche, Manton and a couple of others - and given that he manufactured well in excess of 6,000 Comblain breech loaders (presumably in Birmingham) in the 1860's, he had connections there as well. He had to have had some people skills.
-- He had a talent for recognizing promising new patents and was not afraid to build them to suit or to take technological business risks trying to anticipate market demand.
-- He was definitely a Francophile in an English world where France conjured up the image of a 1000 year old structural enemy. One must wonder if he got his dander up after being snubbed by the Royal Family; he seemed to turn mockingly towards anti-gun-making establishment; giving the proverbial finger to Purdey doesn't win friends.
-- He also at least early on was a practicing Catholic and may have had a chip on his shoulder about this. As late as the 1960's John Le Carre commented in a "Murder with Quality" about this lingering English phenomenon of religious persecution. He dreamed big dreams and the biggest was snagging a contract with Arsenal. One must wonder whether his religion played a part in his inability to obtain this.
-- He was probably not regarded as a "gentleman" by the English class conscious society. And definitely so when he took up with Mary Ann, a 20 year old and had four children out of wedlock. He was a businessman and a trader and though he tried to be royalty respected, he was insulted. He returned the insult by being successful.
-- He was perhaps a bit of a control freak and probably not easy to be around - especially if you were his son. (The Victorian age was not a "huggy-feely" one) (this only from interpreting the wording in his will).

. . . . .The only two known photos of E.M Reilly (from Sally Nestor's posting on ancestry.com) are attached.*85a

[b]-- Edward Montague Reilly his first "son b.1867 probably was the pre-marriage offspring of then 50 year old EM and his then 21 year old future wife Mary. Four sons were born to EM and Mary, all technically out of wedlock; However, only Edward Montague was called a "reputed" son by his father. Edward Montague was an "engineer" and "gun maker" following somewhat in his father's footsteps. He was designated as an executor of EM's will (along with Mary). He apparently later worked on locomotives. He did not seem to have advanced education and one wonders if he were a bit "slow." His father's sneering references to him cannot have improved his psyche. In about 1893 he came down with tuberculosis and ultimately fell from an upper window at 277 Oxford Street in July 1895.

-- Mary Ann Reilly, E.M.'s wife, was a woman operating in a "man's world" after his death. The fact that she apparently ran the company for 9 years from 1890-99 is a testament to her pluckiness. There is not much known about her except by analysis. She was born in 1845. No-one knows who were her parents or her background; family historians speculate that she was E.M.'s cousin. Even her maiden name is not clear - it is either Curtis or "C-o-x." At the age of 20 she seduced a 50 year old successful businessman, ignoring convention. She had 4 sons out of "wedlock" one of which may not have been his; something or someone kept them from formally marrying until the late 1870’s. After EM’S death, in spite of very specifically not being left the "trade books," she apparently took over and ran a large company in Victorian, England. This is something movies are made for - sex, guns, money and power. Her offspring included later Members of Parliament. She died 12 January 1899. She deserves more attention. Yet, under her guidance the company began steadily to contract. She had neither the insight into the gun business nor the connections to keep the company afloat.

. . . . .A photo is attached which possibly shows EM and Mary walking on Oxford Street near 277.*85b

[b]======= *85 Characterizing the Reilly's: END TEXT =======

======= *86 Mid-1890's: Reilly’s decline TEXT =======

*86 Mid-1890's: Reilly’s decline

By 1895, the death of Edward Montague, Reilly guns were no longer being mentioned as often as winners in pigeon shoots; Reilly victories and promotional donations of guns as prizes had been a prominent feature in London papers for 25 years. The number of serial number guns built by Reilly continued to decline after E.M.’s death from about 680 in 1890 to 250 in 1897.

And yet, advertisements for the firm's products continued to fill newspapers and journals,*86a although as the decade went on, the regular newspaper ads became smaller.*86b Some beautiful guns were made the finest being sidelocks with a sprinkling of big bore SxS rifles.*86d Reilly even built SxS’s chambered for the .303. Quote from WW Greener’s “The Breech Loader" (1898): “My late father took with him a double .303 ejector built by Reilly and Co., and he did excellent work with it at all kinds of game.”*86e

And perhaps due to reputation, Reilly was still being mentioned in books at the turn of the century as a company which could make quality Africa-proof big-bore rifles. Again a quote from “The Breech-Loader” p.378: “In conclusion, I think that I shall be offering good advice by recommending intending investors in .303 arms to go to the best makers and get good value. The work of Greener, Reilly, Westley Richards, etc., can be relied on… (signed Hjenry T. Glynn, Sadie Hall, Transvaal)"*86f

Case labels during this time period continued to be the classic 16, New Oxford Street or 277, Oxford Street labels which were adopted after the closure of 2 rue Scribe.





Note the new instructions for reloading with smokeless powders including “E.C., Schultz or Walsrode”:
. . . . . . . . . ._____________________
. . . . . . . . . |. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
. . . . . . . . . |. . Reilly instruction. . .|
. . . . . . . . . |. . .reloading labels. . .|
. . . . . . . . . |____________________|

Presentation Case labels continued with the now standard blue velvet interiors:
. . . . . . . . . ._____________________
. . . . . . . . . |. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
. . . . . . . . . |. . . .Reilly Label. . . . .|
. . . . . . . . . |. .presentation case . . |
. . . . . . . . . |____________________|

Note: In 1896, London proofs changed again with the addition of “Nitro Proof” and “1 1/4 oz Max” added. Toby Barclay marketed a gun serial numbered by Reilly in late 1898 but with the pre-1896 proof marks on the barrel.

. . . . .SN 35079 - E.M. Reilly & Co., (address not mentioned). 12 bore. Shotgun SxS. SLE; brls proofed pre-1896; Southgate pat 12314; Southgate ejector trip pat 8239)*86g

===== *86 Mid-1890's: Reilly’s decline END TEXT =====

======= *87 May 1897: Closure of 16, New Oxford Street TEXT =======

*87 May 1897: Closure of 16, New Oxford Street

In early May 1897 the company closed 16 New Oxford Street where it had been located for 50 years; 277 Oxford Street remained open. The closure date can be illustrated by identical Reilly advertisements in the "Sporting Gazette." On 1 May 1997 the ad has both 16, New Oxford Street and 277, Oxford Street. On 8 May 1897 the identical ad has only the 277 address.*87a

What happened to the building and to the machinery is unknown. One supposes the furnishings and tools were sold at auction someplace. The building, however, was still intact in downtown London in the 1970's; Donald Dallas said he used to walk past it every day on his way to the London School of Economics and think about Reilly having been there for half a century.

Bespoke guns continued to be sold in the early 1890's at a goodly clip but as the decade advanced for some reason the demand for these hand-made and measured guns in a middling cost category seemed to decline. Reilly serial numbered gun production dwindled. The company's mangement after 1890 did not seem to have E.M.'s business sense or "touch” and his guns began to seem a bit old-fashioned.

With sales diminishing, closing the finishing facilities at 16 New Oxford street while retaining the smaller sales and manufacturing spaces at 277 Oxford Street would seem logical. (Reilly made about 400 serial numbered guns a year at 502, New Oxford Street in 1857; when 315 Oxford Street was opened production increased to about 650. Thus it looks like 277 had a maximum production capacity of 250 guns and once Reilly sales reached that point, there was no point keeping two workshops and retail stores open)

. . . . .SN 34723 - The last extant SN'd gun from 16 New Oxford Street is 34723, a 12 bore SxS, top-lever, Damascus-barrelled, hammer-gun, shotgun. Note: This quite elegant gun has Birmingham proofed barrels; It may be further evidence that as Reilly declined after EM's death, the company increasingly relied on out-sourced gun parts (as did most of London gunmakers).

For the record the Reilly shop manager at 277 at the time of this closure was James Curtis, no additional information.

===== *87 May 1897: Closure of 16, New Oxford Street END TEXT =====

======= *88 1890-97: label and presentation case changes TEXT =======

*88 1890-97: label and presentation case changes

As mentioned above within a couple of years after EM's death the company's descriptions on Reilly's presentation cases changed back to "Gun and Rifle makers" although the company was still "Gun and Rifle Manufacturers" in phone and business directories. The extant presentation cases for the most case are from 277. After the closure of 16, New Oxford Strip, the cases became pretty uniform. All have blue felt with the address and name printed either directly on the felt or on a black leather label affixed to the cloth.*88a
. . . . . . . . . ._____________________
. . . . . . . . . |. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
. . . . . . . . . |. . . .Reilly Label. . . . .|
. . . . . . . . . |. . . Presentation . . . . |
. . . . . . . . . |____________________|

After May 1897 the trade/case label changed. It was much modernized and appeared almost "carney-barker"-like.*88b 16 New Oxford Street was of course dropped as was the entire old format label used since 1860.



The new “modern” label displayed four sets of medals won in 1876 (Philadelphia), 1878 (Paris), 1884 (London) and 1873 (Vienna) (although there is no evidence that Reilly actually exhibited in Vienna)*88c It advertised “magazine guns” and emphasized "conversions, alterations and repairs" which perhaps at this point in the company history was an important revenue stream.

. . . . . . . . . ._____________________. . . . . . . . . ._____________________
. . . . . . . . . |. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |. . . . . . . . . |. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
. . . . . . . . . |. . . .Reilly Label. . . . .|. . . . . . . . . |. . . .Reilly Label. . . . .|
. . . . . . . . . |. . . . . .Medals . . . . . |. . . . . . . . . |. . .Ads/promotions . . |
. . . . . . . . . |____________________|. . . . . . . . . |____________________|

===== *88 1890-97: label and presentation case changes END TEXT =====

===== *89 1899: Death of Mary Ann Reilly; Bert takes over: TEXT =====

*89 1899: Death of Mary Ann Reilly; Bert takes over:

In January 1899 Mary Ann Reilly died - she was only 54.*89a No details of her death are known; no will has been uncovered. She died as she lived with much unknown about her except for her apparent formidable will.

It looks as if her two oldest surviving sons, Charles A. and Herber (Bert) assumed some sort of control over the firm after her death. The 1901 census lists them both at 277 Oxford Street and both said they were gunmakers.*89b However, it is pretty evident that the younger brother Bert was in charge.

For whatever reason, there was a noticable change in newspaper advertisements very soon after Mary’s death.
. . . . .-- Reilly went back from having tiny ads in the late 1890’s to large format ads in “The Field” and “The Sporting Gazette.”*89c
. . . . .-- Reilly began re-using “Gun & Rifle Makers” vice “Gun Manufacturers” in his advertisements.*89d
. . . . .-- Reilly began for the first time to advertise Eley cartridges in 1899 perhaps giving up his cartridge making revenue stream.*89e (Reilly cartridges may have been made by Eley anyway for some time). Note: Reilly since the early-mid 1990's had been advertising several different types of smokeless power one could have loaded in his shells including “E.C., Schultz or Walsrode” and included instructions attached to his gun cases on loads for these powders. However, for Reilly to finally actually advertise Eley was quite a step indicating that as production and revenue fell, reality had to be faced by selling others' ammunition; And this reality probably intruded to include outsourcing gun components).
. . . . .-- And Reilly for the first time advertised using a '"try-gun" to fit customers to their bespoke guns.*89f

And yet the bleeding continued. Serial numbered gun production numbers declined steadily:
-- 250 in 1897,
-- 160 in 1898,
-- 100 in 1899,
--. 75 in 1900,
--. 70 in 1901.
Clearly management could not keep a full complement of skilled workers in-house building such a small number of guns.

=== *89 1899: Death of Mary Ann Reilly; Bert takes over: END TEXT ===

===== *90 Move to 295 Oxford-Street, 1903-4; Trade Label Update TEXT =====

*90 Move to 295 Oxford-Street, 1903-4; Trade Label Update

In March 1903 the Company vacated 277 Oxford-Street where they had been quartered for 44 years while the building was being renovated and moved 300 yards down the street to 295 Oxford-Street. It appears to have come as something of a surprise to some people. “The Field” editor was in the Reilly showroom in early February looking at rook rifles.*90a

Attached photos and maps:
. . . . .Map of Oxford Street*90b
. . . . .Contemporary photo of the area; 295 looks to be a considerably smaller building than 277 and much smaller than the current building on the site.*90c
. . . . .Google Map photo of the current building at 295.*90d

Note: Newspaper ads for Reilly stopped in late February or early March 1903 while Reilly was still at 277, and did not resume again until May 1904 with the shop located at 295 Oxford Street.*90e Thus it appears that Reilly closed down completely for 14 months. Reilly only made about 175 guns from the time of the move from 277 to bankruptcy in June 1912, a sad commentary on the end of a storied firm.

For 1903, the chart has Reilly making only 10 guns in an 8 week period before closing (and that might be optimistic). When gun making resumed in May 1904, the chart has him making 40 guns for 1904:

. . . . . SN 3539435394 (1903): The last extant gun made at 277 Oxford Street should be 35394 a 12 gauge SxS BLE shotgun with steel sleeved barrels (thus no address).*90f

. . . . .SN 35398 (1904): The first extant gun with 295 Oxford Street, London on the rib is 35398, a 12 ga. SxS BLE shotgun, dated by the below chart to May 1904.*90g

The trade label continued to be the 1897 “4 medal” label but with “277” crossed out and “295” stamped above.*90h



=== *90 Move to 295 Oxford-Street, 1903-4; Trade Label Update END TEXT ===

===== *91 1904-1912: Reilly finishing guns bought in the white? TEXT =====

*91 1904-1912: Reilly reduced to finishing guns bought in the white?

With this possible shutdown of the company for 14 months, it is doubtful that young Bert Reilly could have kept his gunsmiths employed. In addition, from the time the company reopened until bankruptcy eight years later, only a very small number of guns were serial numbered by Reilly, less than 25 a year. Thus it is hard to imagine Reilly after May 1904 as a complete gun-making firm as it was in the heady days of JC and EM. Bert Reilly probably resorted to finishing guns provided by outworkers in the white and concentrated on repairing and updating guns.

There are Reilly guns serial numbered n the 1880’s that bear the 295 address on the barrel or case placed after they had obviously been brought in for new barrels or for service.*90a His case labels and advertisements seem to confirm this.*91b .

Reportedly during this period (per IGC) at least one gun was built with "J.C. Reilly" and the old "Holborn Bars" address on the rib (photos not located- additional information not provided by IGC which did not footnote its history.).

There is an extant Reilly rifle converted to a shotgun which is a pair with a new four digit serial number code. What this means is unclear. This gun very much resembles Reilly rifle SN 35554:

. . . . .SN .1833 (Outlier which in the chronology should date to late 1830's) - E.M. Reilly & Co., (rebarrelled by John Harper). 12 gauge SxS Shotgun. BLE. Repurposed from a big bore rifle. 26" barrels, pistol grip. #2 of pair*91c

. . . . .SN 35554 (1907): E.M. Reilly & Co., 295, Oxford Street, London. .500/.465 SxS Nitro Express rifle, BLE. (This cartridge was introduced by Holland&Holland in spring 1907.*91d

There is one Reilly SN 35614 which has a serial number on the barrel for Holloway sent by Marc Crudrungton. This is one of the very few serial numbered Reilly’s, which appear to have been built definitively by a firm other than Reilly himself. The Holloway SN would date the gun to 1911. This in and of itself is significant since it skews the “numbered guns built chart” per below.
. . . . . . . . . .-- (At the same time there is something odd about this gun; the engraving seems to revert to pre-1860 Reilly engraving and looks nothing at all like the other surviving Reilly’s from that time period. The differences are so striking as to call into question the authenticity of the gun, its serial number and address).

. . . . .SN 35614 (1911 - per Holloway records): E.M. Reilly & Co. 295 Oxford Street, London. 12 bore SxS Shotgun; self-cocking, Side-lock, ejector built by Holloway SN "H8113" (1911) *91e

This said, there are other Reilly’s from 1911 including an extant pair, which have no outside-worker marks on them as far as can be determined from auction house advertisements and which look like proper Reilly's.*91f

. . . . .SN 35673 (1911): E.M. Reilly & Co., Oxford Street, London. 12 bore. Shotgun SxS. Sidelock. #1 of pair.
. . . . .SN 35674 (1911): E.M. Reilly & Co., Oxford Street, London. 12 bore. Shotgun SxS. Sidelock. #2 of pair.

=== *91 1904-1912: Reilly finishing guns bought in the white? END TEXT ===

========== *92 June 1912: Bankruptcy TEXT ==========

*92 June 1912: Bankruptcy

Per advertisements in September 1911 the company announced it was for sale or in need of new partners with cash. Its stock of guns was advertised at reduced prices for cash only.*92a

In December 1911 the company was changed to a limited liability company with "CW Roberts" (probably G. Watkinson Roberts - liquidator specialist) as one of the directors. Roberts was a bankruptcy lawyer. Reilly's continued advertising 295 for sale in Spring 1912 per newspaper advertisements. It appears Bert Reilly knew bankruptcy was coming and changed the company to protect his personal assets. He retained his separate homes after bankruptcy.

Bankruptcy was declared on 06 June 1912 (publicized on 08 June 1912 in the London Monday morning papers).*92b

. . . . .—SN 35678 (1911?): The last extant gun with 295 on the rib is 35678, a 12 bore SxS BLE shotgun.*92c

Note: Per the 1911 census Bert Reilly no longer lived on the premises of his workshop at 295 Oxford Street, a first for a Reilly owner.*92d Reilly's had lived in their shops since at least 1835.

========== *92 June 1912: Bankruptcy END TEXT ==========

===== *93 1912-1918: 13 High Street, Marylebone TEXT =====

*93 1912-1918: 13 High Street, Marylebone

Bert Reilly opened a small gun repair shop, "E.M Reilly & Co., Gun Maker," at 13 High Street, Marylebone in 1912 after the bankruptcy.
. . . . .—Attached map of Marylebone*93a
. . . . .—Attached googe.map photo of 13 High Street.*93b

No advertisements can be found for the shop though per London postal address, telephone and business directories they identified themselves as "gunmakers."
. . . . .—attached 1912 Post Office Directory – Reilly, E.M. & CO., Gun & Rifle mfrs, still at 295*93c.
. . . . .—attached 1915 Street Directory – Reilly, E.M & Co. Gunmakers, 13 High St Mrlebne*93d
. . . . .—attached 1916 Street Directory – Reilly, E.M., Gun Maker 13 High St Mrlebne*93e

No guns with this address on the rib have been found. The date of its closure is not noted although it is listed in the London telephone directory in 1918 (but not in 1919).
. . . . .—attached 1918 Street directory – Reilly E.M., Gun Maker 13 High St. Mrlebne*93f
. . . . .—attached 1918 phone directory - Mayfair 406 Reilly E.M., Gun Maker, 13 High St Mrlebne*93g
. . . . .—attached 1919 directory – E.M. Reilly not found.*93h

(Note: IGC claims that 13 High Street was occupied by Reilly as early as December of 1911 while 295 was for sale; no footnotes or validation of this claim were published. It has not been verified. London directories and telephone directories do not seem to support this assertion.)

=== *93 1912-1918: 13 High Street, Marylebone END TEXT ===