doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Any info on Cross Brothers, Birmingham ?

I just purchased a 2 1/2 inch chambered 12ga SxS with Damascus barrels, ivory bead, 27 1/2 inch barrels, round body action and an underlever. Unfortunatly the action has been polished, and the seller told me there is engraving on the gun but it is fairly light due to the polishing. I am waiting to recieve it for my inspection. Below are a few photos, unfortunately they are blurry but they are the best I have for now. If anyone has any information on the maker or gun, I would appreciate it. I purchased the gun to shoot for fun and to have an underlever in my collection. Thanks for any help.

CROSS BROTHERS, Armsmakers, Ct 14 Price Street, Birmingham c. 1870-1874, 55/56 Price Street c. 1878-1890, JAMES W. CROSS s.a. c. 1894-1901, CROSS & CO., 4 Price Street c. 1905-1913. From BRITISH GUNMAKERS VOL II - Nigel Brown.

Best Regards, George

Your Cross gun fits into the category, "Lever-cocked Hammerless gun." It is a very early example of this type of action. Records show that; Thomas Danby Cross, James Wheeler Cross & William Wheeler Cross, were granted British patent No,126 of 1879 covering the action of your gun.The Cross partners [perhaps brothers] named in the patent are described as gun action-filers.One might speculate that on the basis of this patent, that the partners went on to establish the gun making business, described by others.

I had one just like your. I sold it long ago.

Battle, what is the lever on the tang for? Is it a safety or decocker? kind of odd looking for a safety slide.
Thanks everyone for the information. I will post better pictures when I receive it.

Cross brothers were recorded as action makers at 14 Price Street, Birmingham from about 1870 to about 1874.
By about 1878 they had moved to 55-56 Price Street. In 1878 Joseph Cross was recorded trading at Back of 55-56 Price Street. He may have been one of the brothers (or a son or a more distant relative).

In about 1894 the firm became James W Cross, and between 1901 and about 1905 it became Cross & Co at 4 Price Street. The firm closed in about 1913.

Thomas Denby Cross of Vesey Street, Birmingham, may have been the brother of James W Cross. There was also a J W Cross of Leamington, Ontario, Canada, circa 1860, who may have been related.

Pete

Hope you didn't invest much money in it.

It is the safety, and the underlever not only breechs the gun but cocks the hammers too. Yours is in better condition than mine, i think i sold mine for 700 five or better years ago. I do like round frames, thats why i was attracted to it.

Being a round body was also another incentive for me to buy it. I did not pay much for it, actually a fair bit less than you sold yours for, so I think I did fine. Should be an interesting gun to have around.

Hi All,

Sorry to bring up an old thread but I just wanted to say thank you to all those who contributed in this thread. I am researching my family tree and found the above information very useful.

I believe my wife�s 3rd great grandfather is William Wheeler Cross born about 1843c in Staffordshire.
He had four brothers: Joseph Wheeler (1838c), Thomas Danby (1839c), James Wheeler (1841c) and Charles (1856c). Their parents were Charles Cross (1805c) and Charlotte Wheeler (1806c).

I believe William went on to become a shop manager for Richard Henry Bate, before his son George and grandson Conrad went onto buy the store in Price Street. There is another thread here which I believe may be related: http://doublegunshop.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=216559&gonew=1

And the following London gazette article from 1872 may also be of interest to some:
http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/23925/pages/6120/page.pdf

Many Thanks

Hue