Edward Paton was born in 1819 in Dublin, Ireland. In 1843 he took over the business of Robert Ancell of 44 George Street, Perth, this business had been founded in 1833.
Edward married in about 1846, the name of his wife is unknown. They had a son in 1847, Edward L Paton (Edward II) (b.1847 in Malta, and a daughter, Emma (b.1849 in England and notably not in Scotland!). No other children have been traced. It seems likely that Edward (I)'s wife died soon after 1949.
Reportedly, in 1854 Edward (I) made Charles Frederick Walsh a partner in the business and the firm became Paton & Walsh. This has not been confirmed, but on 12 September 1856 Paton & Walsh patented a type of rifling for a winged or ribbed bullet. On 12 December 1856 they patented an apparatus for charging and capping the nipples of firearms, this consisted of a metal tube containing another metal tube with a needle actuated by a spring. It injected powder into the touch-hole after a miss-fire.
Reportedly, Walsh left the partnership in 1858 and the firm again traded as Edward Paton.
In the 1861 census Edward (I) was recorded at an unspecified address in Perth with Edward (II) and Emma. At the time he employed 7 men and 2 boys. The firm became known for their conversions of muzzle-loaders to breech-loaders.
In about 1865, if not before, in addition to the main shop at 44 George Street, Perth, Edward opened a branch at Highland Club Buildings, Inverness. How long this branch remained open is not known.
In about 1870, Edward (I) was appointed Gunmaker to His Royal Highness The Prince Consort.
By 1870 the firm had been re-named Edward Paton & Son; it seems that Edward (II), ran the Inverness business while Edward (I) moved to London to open a new shop at 108 Mount Street, Grosvenor Square. At this time the firm finished guns for Boss & Co. This London shop may later have been managed by W H Watts, formerly a gunmaker in Winchester, Hampshire, and later a gunmaker at 54a Marshall Street, London. In the 1871 census Edward (II) was recorded in Inverness, he described himself as a master gun maker employing 6 men and 3 boys.
In the 1881 census Edward (II)'s address was given as 13 Athole Street, Perth. By this time he was married to Mary (b.1855) and their children were, Edward L (Edward (III) (b.1873), Mary E (b.1875), Robert M (b.1876), George S (b.1878), and Harry A (b.1879). All were born in Perth. The same census records Edward (I) as a widower living at 10 Argyle Road, Ealing, London. He described himself as a gunmaker employing 7 men and 3 boys (presumably one of the men was employed in London and the remainder and the boys were a duplication of the employees in Scotland).
In 1882 in Inverness, the firm opened a branch at 37 Church Street (one report states 38 Church Street). In about 1886 the Church Street branch moved to High Street (no number stated), Inverness.
The London gunmaker, Stephen Grant, was recorded in about 1883 at 39 High Street, Inverness. This branch of the firm was reportedly managed in the late 1880s by Richard Henry Grant who, in 1889 would have been only 17 years old. The branch probably closed in about 1890. It would appear that either at the same time or shortly after the branch was established, Stephen Grant and James Woodward formed the Grant & Woodward shooting agency. In doing this Grant & Woodward would have been in direct competition with Edward Paton, this would not have pleased the Patons.
In 1884 in London, Edward Paton's shooting agency and gun making business moved to 99 Mount Street. In 1885 they moved to 88 St James's Street.
In 1890 David Crockart of Perth bought Edward Paton's business at 44 George Street, Inverness. The Inverness branch appears to have closed at this time.
In the 1891 census Edward (I) was recorded as an estate agent (not retired estate agent) aged 72, he was living in lodgings. There appears to be no census or other record of Edward (II) or his wife, Mary, in Scotland or elsewhere.
It would seem that Edward (I) retired or died in the 1890s or early in the 1900s, possibly in 1902 because in that year the business moved to 35a St James's Place, and an additional office was recorded at 5 St James's Place. It seems that Robert Michael Paton took over the business. In 1902 Stephen Woodward retired, at some time he had taken over from Charles Woodward.
In 1929 the firm moved to 37 Bury Street.
In December 1943 the firm was sold by Robert Michael Paton for £250 to Stephen Grant & Joseph Lang Ltd, they amalgamated it with their own Grant & Woodward shooting agency which was re-named Paton Grant & Woodward.
In 1959 Strutt & Parker, Lofts & Warner (estate agents) bought the business.
Pete
