A List of English and Welsh Provincial Gunsmiths and Gunmakers from 1550 to 1850
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Research Press Library English and Welsh Gunsmiths and Gunmakers, 1550 – 1850 A List of English and Welsh Provincial Gunsmiths and Gunmakers from 1550 to 1850 by Brian Godwin The following pages contain a list of English and Welsh gunsmiths and gunmakers from around 1550 to about 1850*. The list has been compiled from free on-line sources such as County Record and Archive Offices and The National Archives, but it must not be considered a definitive list, as new information is added from time to time. The availability of on-line sources from English and Welsh County Record and Archive Offices varies enormously, some as yet having no searchable digitised records, while in other Offices the digitalisation of records can vary from 20% to 80%. In the tables each County is listed alphabetically in a PINK banner, although this may cause some confusion as Yorkshire and Sussex, for instance, are split into east and west regions. For those searching for the gunmakers of “Birmingham and its environs” you will need to search the three principal sections of the list, “Birmingham and the West Midlands”, “Staffordshire Record Office” and “Warwickshire Record Office”. The Record Office document reference is shown on the right hand side and the date of the document on the left. A copy of the document can usually be obtained from the appropriate Record Office quoting the reference, although there is no guarantee that the document will provide additional information. However, the vast majority of Wills do give an insight into a particular gunmaker and sometimes provide details of his wealth, family and workshop. The PDF is searchable via “Edit” on the drop-down menu, select “Find” and enter the search word. Alternatively the search facility can be accessed by pressing ‘ctrl-F’ on a keyboard. * excluding LONDON gunsmiths/gunmakers - these can be found in the 2 volumes of A Dictionary of London Gunmakers 1350 - 1850 by Howard Blackmore, London 1986 & 1999 May 2017 www.researchpress.co.uk RPL004 1 English & Welsh gunmakers & gunsmiths from the mid 16th century EXCLUDING LONDON A record of names, dates and places compiled from free on-line sources - Spring 2017 Version 1 DATE NAME EVENT LOCATION SOURCE Record City/Town Office Reference Number See NOTES at the end of this list BEDFORDSHIRE Bedfordshire Record Office 1651 John Adames Conveyance (Feoffment): John Butler, labourer, to John Lidlington CH609 Adames, gunsmith, both of Lidlington -- 1 ac. in Windmill Fd 20 Jun 1664 Thomas Peobody Marriage Settlement (Feoffment): £30. (i) Maurice Bailden HI98 Sharley of Loddington, tailor.(ii) Thomas Peobody of Bailden parva, gunsmith 1684 Samuel Browne PRESENTMENTS OF RECUSANTS - includes Salford HSA1684/W/61-62 Samuel Browne of Salford, gunsmith 11 Jun 1695 Francis Reynardson Assignment of Mortgage Parties: mortgage by demise for London WB/WF5/1/2 60 years of 8 Dec 1656 in which Richard Loton, Abraham Jeson of Whitechapel, gentleman, Francis Reynardson of Whitechapel, gunsmith and John Wells of Whitechapel, brewer 1695 Humphrey Pickfatt Settlement on marriage of Edward Turvey, gunmaker, & London WG129 Mabel Howell (widow of John Howell) all of London 1698 Christopher Christopher Watford’s receipted bill to the Earl of ?? J428 Watford Bolingbroke for gunsmith’s work and clock cleaning. 22 Jun 1698 John Gillam Feoffment Parties: (i) Sarah Gillam of Luton, widow; (ii) Luton Z660/D/3/2/3 John Gillam of Luton, gunsmith, son of Sarah Gillam 12 Dec 1717 John Gillam Covenant Luton Z660/D/3/1/4 Parties: (i) John Ewer of Luton, gentleman and Sarah, his wife; Edward Ewer of Luton, gentleman, father of John Ewer; John Gillam of Luton, gunsmith, and Sarah, his wife Bedfordshire - Wills available for download from National Archives, London 12 December John Drage Will of John Drage, Gunsmith of Leighton Buzzard , Leighton Buzzard PROB 11/2182 1853 Bedfordshire BERKSHIRE Berkshire - Wills available for download from National Archives, London 19 May 1653 James Wallice Will of James Wallice, Gunsmith of Wantage, Berkshire Wantage PROB 11/226 30 May 1771 Robert Bennett Will of Robert Bennett, Gunmaker of Cookham, Cookham PROB 11/967 Berkshire 09 May 1834 William Abnett Will of William Abnett, Gunmaker of New Windsor, New Windsor PROB 11/1831 Berkshire 29 January Edward Woodham Will of Edward Woodham, Gunsmith of Hungerford, Hungerford PROB 11/2245 1857 Berkshire BIRMINGHAM & THE WEST MIDLANDS Birmingham Archives and Heritage online catalogue 6 September William Aston Abstract of grant of letters of administration of the estate Comets End, Birmingham City 1672 of William Aston of Comets End in the parish of Berkswell Archives MS 3615/Acc Berkswell, co. War., gunsmith, to Anne Aston of 1937-039/468853 Cometts End, Comets End, his widow. 30 September John Greene Indenture between John Greene of Solihull, co. War., Solihull Birmingham City (11 Will. III) gunsmith, and Thomas Greene, the younger of Coleshill, Archives MS 3197/ACC 1699 co. War., yeoman, and Richard Bates of Solihull, 1919-025/280367 yeoman, concerning land in Yardley. 26 December William Eachell Indenture between 1 Mary Cooke of Sheldon, widow and Birmingham Birmingham City 1699 executrix of John Cooke late of Sheldon, yeoman, Archives MS 3888/A deceased, and Ralph Cooke of Sheldon, yeoman, their 1717 son, 2 John Cooke of Moseley, yeoman, and Margarett Eachell of Birmingham, spinster, and 3 William Eachell of Birmingham, gunsmith, and Robert Whatcock of Marston Culey Marston Green in the parish of Church Bickenhill Bickenhill, co. War., gent., being a settlement previous to the marriage of the said John and Margarett, of a messuage and land with appurtenances in Sheldon. Consideration: £140. 1710 Samuel Vaughton Leases of Pinfold Leasow, the Upper and Lower Birmingham Birmingham Record Hinckleys, Clempson's Croft and Bettridge's Croft, Office MS 1098/2/1/12 adjoining Edgbaston Street, Birmingham; (Samuel Smalbroke of Birmingham, gent.; Robert Mansell of Birmingham, cutler; Samuel Vaughton of Birmingham, gunsmith). Old Style year: 1676/77-1709/10 1710 John Mucklow Deeds relating to West Riddings farm in Warley - 1710 Birmingham Birmingham Record lease and release, Richard Mucklow of Halesowen, Office MS 3101/A/B/7/6 Salop, yeoman and John Mucklow the younger of Birmingham, gunsmith to John Mucklow the elder of Halesowen, Worcestershire, blacksmith. 13 October Jacob Pemberton Lease for six months from John Groves of Bosall Balsall Deritend Birmingham City 1718 Heath, blacksmith, Eleanor, his wife, and Benjamin Archives MS 3449/Acc Dolphin of Deretend Deritend, to Sarah Dolphin of 1947-025/5 Deretend, spinster, and Jacob Pemberton of Deretend, gunsmith, of messuages with appurtenances in Deretend. Consideration: 5s. 14 October Jacob Pemberton Release from John Groves of Bosall Balsall Heath, Deritend Birmingham City 1718 blacksmith, Eleanor, his wife, and Benjamin Dolphin, Archives MS 3449/Acc son of the said Eleanor, to Sarah Dolphin, of Deretend 1947-025/6 Deritend, spinster, and Jacob Pemberton of Deretend, gunsmith, of messuages with appurtenances in Deretend. Consideration: £25. 28 September William Moor Feoffment - William Moor the younger of Handsworth, Handsworth Birmingham Record 1733 gunsmith Office MS 5/5 1 January John Whately Indenture between 1; John Whately the elder of Birmingham Birmingham City 1735/6 Birmingham, gunsmith, 2; Joseph Porter of Birmingham, Archives MS 3602/434 toymaker, and Edmund Scotton of Shustock Shustoke co. War., gent., and 3; John Whately the younger of Birmingham, gunsmith, Henry Croxall the younger of Shustock, gent., and Mary Croxall, his daughter, being a settlement previous to the marriage of the said John Whately the younger and the said Mary Croxall of messuages with appurtenances in Smalbroke Street Smallbrook Street Birmingham. 3 June 1740 Thomas Oughton Bond from John Henn of Birmingham, ironmonger, to Birmingham Birmingham City Thomas Oughton of the same, gunsmith. Archives MS 3069/Acc1926- 021/329428 25 January John Whately Lease from Judd Harding of Birmingham, gent., to John Birmingham Birmingham City 1743[/4] Whateley the younger of Birmingham, gunsmith, of Archives MS 3602/242 garden land with appurtenances lying behind houses in Smallbrooke Street, Birmingham, to hold from 25 December [1743] for a term of sixty three years and then from 25 March [1807] for a further term of nineteen years. Rent: £1. 4 June 1745 William Moor Feoffment - William Moor the younger of Handsworth, Handsworth Birmingham Record gunsmith Office MS 5/5 1 August Thomas Welch Counterpart of lease for one hundred and twenty years Birmingham Birmingham City 1747 from Ann Colmore of Colney Hatch, co. Middx., widow, Archives MS to Thomas Welch of Birmingham, gun lock maker, of 3375/409135 land and premises in Colmore Row. 2 April 1748 Thomas Welch Counterpart of lease for one hundred and nineteen years Birmingham Birmingham City from Ann Colmore of Colney Hatch, co. Middx., to Archives MS Thomas Welch of Birmingham, gun lock maker, of land 3375/409313 in Little Charles Street afterwards Edmund Street. 17 April 1752 Samuel Whitehouse Indenture of mortgage from Samuel Whitehouse of Birmingham Birmingham City Birmingham, gun stocker, and John Clay Hallen of the Archives MS same place, gent., trustee for the said Samuel 3375/571813 Whitehouse, to David Hallen of the same place, frying pann maker, of lands and appurtenances in Yardley. 1754 Rich. Heely Leases, assignments and mortgages of two houses in Hill Birmingham Birmingham Record Street, Birmingham; Rich. Heely of Birmingham, Office MS 28/1007 gunsmith 13 August Richard Healey Lease for a term of 112 years - 1. Ann Colmore of Birmingham Birmingham Record 1755 Colney Hatch, Midds., widow Office MS 28/439 2. Richard Healey of Birmingham, Warws., gunmaker Reciting Act of Parliament of 1746 20 George II Empowering 1 and assignees to make building leases of lands in Birmingham during the life of Thomas Colmore, merchant Property in Holloway Head Lane, Birmingham described Consideration: Annual Rent of £3 6s.