doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Another H&H Question

I’m researching a man who made classic sporting rifles in American circa 1923-1932. His name is John R. Wright, he was born in England in 1873 his wife also born in England was named Oda and was the same age. He said that he worked for seventeen years for Holland & Holland before coming to America. He disappeared off the radar around 1932 so he may have returned to England. I do not have any of the H&H books so don’t know if there is a list of employees or not. He also had two sons’ that were gunmakers, they lived in the USA but I have no names on them. Any new information on Wright(s) would be most welcome.

Mike, no Wright in the Dallas'book. Are you thinking of the Wright from Kansas City ?

Thanks Daryl, yes he was last seen in Kansas City circa 1932.

Mike,

John R. Wright is listed in the 1901 England census as residing with his wife, Ada, in Willesden, Middlesex. His sons names were John R. (5 y.o.) and Samuel G. (2 y.o.) and Mr. Wrigtht's occupation is listed as "Gunmaker". Mr. Wright, Ada and the eldest son were all born in Birmingham. Samuel was born in Willesden, Middlesex.

Mike,

Here's a bit more. Ada and Samuel G. Wright (mother and son) arrived in the USA from Southampton, UK aboard the S.S. President Roosevelt on February 6, 1926. Ada'a age was 53 and Samuel was 26. Samuel's occupation was listed as Gunsmith. Their last permanent residence was London but they listed their nearest living relative as Ada's sister, Mrs. F.H. Mason at 305 Witten Rd in Ashton, Birmingham. Their final destination was to be Ardmore, OK where, I would assume, they were to meet Ada's husband, John. According to the 1930 US census John (senior) arrived in the USA the year before Ada but I've not yet found him on the passenger manifests.

Still more. Samuel G Wright, Gunsmith, his wife, Lily G., and their 3 children traveled (returned?) to England aboard the Steamship 'Majestic' in August 1932. Their proposed address in the UK was Hillside Dow, Brickhill, Bletchley, Buckinghamshire.

And more. In 1958 John's son, Samuel G., visited the USA with his wife, Lillian G. They returned to the UK aboard the Queen Elizabeth. Their address was listed as 141 Exeter Road, Harrow. At that time Samuel's occupation was shown as 'Engineer'. Samuel's birth date is given as September 3, 1899.

Bob, Thanks, that's a lot of good information. I have a copy of the 1930 Census where it shows John arriving in 1925 and if that's true I need to rethink a lot of things. I have been looking for the ship as well with little luck but now that I know where he was living before that might help. I just paid my Ancestry yearly fee the other day and it looks like I might have to upgrade to overseas as well. Is this what you are using? Thanks again for you help.

The Majestic was Bob Owen's ship that he worked on. 1932 is when I've lost all trace of them so this fits right in.

I'll tell ya, for an Englishman to wind up in Ardmore in 1926 took some doin'.