doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com The pinfire game gun

How did one become a gun maker? There have been a small number of self-taught gunmakers, persons with an affinity towards guns and shooting, and who were inventive and skilled with tools, but these self-taught makers were the exception. In any case, these "gunmakers" might have been more concerned with the business side of things, rather than the actual making of guns or gun parts. Guns were generally built of parts made by specialist craftsmen, and assembled and finished by different specialists. These skills had to be learned, and this was usually done through apprenticeships.

A typical apprenticeship to learn a trade was for seven years, though in some cases could be longer. Such apprenticeships were bought and paid in advance, a welcome source of money for the master. Pay was minimal and might only be in the latter years of the training, a sum less than that for a journeyman (daily paid worker) [Note: a journeyman was a craftsman who although had successfully completed an apprenticeship, could not employ other workers; they were often called jack or knave, and this is where the expression "jack of all trades master of none" comes from]. Masters would be obliged to provide room and board, which is why so many gunmakers had an apprentice living with them at their work address. A typical age to start an apprenticeship was 14, but could be younger depending on the trade. During the 7-year period the apprenticeship could not gamble, or go to the theatre or a public house, and certainly could not marry. Some kept apprenticeships very much in the family, and in the gunmaking business, training their sons who were expected to learn and continue the business. There were other incentives for completing the apprenticeship, for instance an apprentice who had not completed his term would not legally be able to work in his trade for another master.

The first years would involve tedious, repetitive work until a sufficient level of skill was achieved. An apprentice would not be let anywhere near finished parts or a complete gun, lest he make a mistake that would require parts being discarded or work re-done! An apprentice would typically start by making the tools they would be using throughout their working lives. After completing an apprenticeship, the worker would usually continue as a journeyman for four or five years or more. They could then become a Master in their own right by applying to the Guild (The Worshipful Company of Gunmakers, a livery company of the City of London established by Royal Charter in 1637), a process involving a fee and the presentation of a "masterpiece" to be judged by the Guild (now you know where the word "masterpiece" came from).

The inter-linkage of master and apprentice, and apprentices becoming masters, means that the educational lineage of gunmakers can be traced through the apprenticeships they went through, and the apprentices they in turn trained. It can be said that British gunmaking as we know it started with Joseph and John Manton, in their style and pursuit of performance and quality. Apprentices of Joseph Manton include such names as James Purdey, Charles Lancaster, Joseph Lang, William Greener, and Thomas Boss. They in turn trained the next generation, and so on. When a former apprentice finally made it on their own, who they had trained under was proof of credentials and often emphasized in their advertising, and on the guns themselves. For instance, when James Purdey started out marking his guns with his name, he added "From Manton".

Frederick Gates was born in 1838. He was apprenticed to Harris J. Holland (of Holland & Holland fame) in about 1852. After his apprenticeship he continued working for Holland, and in the 1861 census Harris J. Holland and his wife Eliza were recorded living at 6 Harlesden Cottage, Willesden, London, and Frederick Gates lived next door at Rose Cottage. In 1863 Gates moved from London and bought the business of Orlando Smith at 14 London Street, in Derby. All of this follows the general practice described earlier, a 7-year apprenticeship, followed by a period of work under the Master, then setting out on their own. In 1868 the business moved to 4 Market Head. An advertisement in the Derby Ram dated October 10th 1868 stated "Frederick Gates, Gun and Rifle Manufacturer, 4 Market Head, Derby, (Late Mr Steel, Jeweller), begs to announce that he has removed his business to more convenient premises as above, where by attention to all orders entrusted to him, he hopes to continue to receive the support which has hitherto been so kindly accorded to him. Breech Loaders from £9 to £35. Every description of sporting apparatus". Shortly after the business was sold to R Dobson, who continued the business under the name Frederick Gates. In 1877 Charles Rosson joined as a partner and the firm became known as Dobson & Rosson. Frederick Gates meanwhile had emigrated to California, where he established a business at 37 Sutter Street, San Francisco. In 1878 he moved his business to Monterey, closing in about 1900.

Today's gun is a 12-bore double-bite screw grip rotary under-lever pinfire sporting gun by Frederick Gates of Derby, and it has no serial number. I am presuming it was sold in the latter years of Gates's business, made by him or the Birmingham trade, but it could also be a gun made or retailed by Dobson. Output could have been small enough that no serial numbers were assigned. The 30" damascus barrels have Birmingham proofs, and an indistinct maker's mark "M&P". The barrels are stamped "roses patent No. 20", so this is another set of machine-forged barrels coming from the Rose Brothers's Hales-Owen Mills & Forge. The top rib is indistinctly signed "F. Gates Derby," and the back-action locks signed "F. Gates". The foliate scroll engraving is quite worn, as is the chequering. From the advertisement information I would guess this would be a £9 gun, and not a more expensive offering. For a provincial gunmaker, a £35 gun would be of 'best' quality, not the standard trade gun like this one. The gun has been heavily used and the bores are quite pitted. It weighs a hefty 7 lb 9 oz.