LOCK, STOCK & BARREL a Brief History of the Gun Quarter
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IN & OUT OF THE LOCK, STOCK COMET WORKS & BARREL To ensure quality, the Birmingham Gun Barrel Proof house was set up by an Act of Velocipedes, STATIONERS’ SUNDRIES A Brief History of Parliament in 1813, proofing and testing ‘OLD MADE NEW, NOT NEW MADE OLD’ over six million arms between 1855 and 1861. It still operates to this day. In the middle of the nineteenth century it Bicycles and M. A. Lloyd & Son Ltd The Gun Quarter wasn't uncommon for the employers in the gun trade to pay their employees wages in the Bulls Head pub in Price St. Of course, this inevitably led to the quaffing of a couple Tricycles - How to Extracts from words written by John F. Lloyd Composed by the wordsmith Mark Lawrence of jars followed by brawling on the sawdust covered floor. At this time there was a strong Catholic community in the Gun Quarter and Once boasting some the biggest names in it wasn't uncommon for the landlord to British munitions, the historic Gun Quarter Make and Use Them The Princip Street site has been home to the The first floor was turned into a canteen, as a Fig. 2 The Link used to summon the local priest to sort out the Lloyd family since the late 1800s. Whilst all ration of food was provided for all industrial join the 20mm Cannon was the centre of the world's gun fighters while the resident fiddler continued numbers from 44-52 became the property of premises engaged on War work. The top Shells in a belt, as used manufacturing industry providing guns for playing, rather than enlist the services of the in the Hurricane and the Crimean War, the Wild West, the M.A. Lloyd & Son from 1938 to 1975, they floor was always considered unuseable. Spitfire fighter aircraft law. first moved into No 47 in 1888, listed as farthest outposts of the British Empire and The War brought many changes, and the in the 1939/45 War. Velox - 1869 [Extract from] ‘Hardware Manufacturers’. By 1894, M.A. it even made the muskets used by British Making a single weapon was a complex family immediately set about obtaining Lloyd & Son were listed as ‘Stationers’ soldiers fighting Napoleon at Waterloo. In business, with many skilled workers needed work to help the War effort. Initially an At the beginning of January it was Sundries Manufacturers’, a business that fact, during the Napoleonic wars between to complete each process. This led to a host order was placed for the manufacture of estimated that there were, in New York and was to be carried on for the next 100 years or 1803 and 1815, production reached of premises springing up to accommodate Hurricane Lamp parts, but after its immediate vicinity alone, no less than more, though items for other trades were ‘AT ITS HEIGHT, extraordinary levels with over three million them. The making of the guns was handled approaching the Ministry of Aircraft 5,000 persons who either knew how to ride added later. guns made, and Birmingham's gun makers by an army of folk including breechers, Production they secured a contract for the the velocipede or were learning, and it was supplying two thirds of the guns used by the borers, stock makers, barrel welders, The second oldest company book, dating production of cannon shell links in the new estimated that at least half that number M.A. LLOYD WERE British army. bayonet forgers, socket and ring stampers. from 1887, list such items as ‘Colgreaves ‘Oerlikon’ gun. The gun had a circular would be mounted during the Summer. These parts were then assembled by the Patent Stationery Cabinet’, the ‘Balance-Lid magazine with 20mm cannon shells on a 'setters up' who assembled the parts. Lastly In England we are supposed to be a Inkstand No 1515’, and the ‘Tidal Inkstand belt inside, joined by the hardened steel MAKING NEARLY the polishers, engravers, browners, sighters sensible people, neither effecting the No 4034’. The business continued profitably links. Four of these guns were ultimately and the like added those finishing touches. excitement of the French or the up to the start of the second World War in fitted to each Spitfire and Hurricane fighter ‘NEVER IN THE By the time it was complete, each gun would sensationalism of the Americans, yet in the 1939, despite very difficult times in the aircraft resulting in a great improvement in A QUARTER OF A have passed through about fifty different matter of velocipedes we have indulged in Depression of the 1930s, manufacturing the fire power. The links were difficult to make skilled hands. some strange vagaries. Manchester has same lines. Shortly before the War, No 44 initially, with various manufacturing FIELD OF HUMAN caught the fever, Birmingham has the came on the market and was acquired by the problems being overcome to achieve a MILLION PER Disappointingly, the Gun Quarter was all symptoms. London is talking over the new family, but was in a very dilapidated satisfactory result. Subsequently, they were but destroyed during the 1960’s when the ‘WORDS SUCH AS LUXURY AND excitement. The watering places are condition with only the ground floor spaces widely regarded as the most successful CONFLICT HAS SO Inner Ring Road was built, which passed thankful for this excitement... Fig. 1 — The ‘DANDY HORSE’ ever being used for manufacturing. production by the company at that time. WEEK’ right through its heart. Today, what remains are pockets of Georgian frontages that hide MUCH BEEN OWED spaces forgotten by time. Run down and SUPERIOR ARE SURELY BETTER WESTLEY RICHARDS & CO. raggedy, they were seen as prime for has been making unique and redevelopment. And now, Javelin Block is SUITED WHEN REFERRING TO A BAR BY SO MANY TO reanimating one such space on Princip especially good shotguns and Street:- COMET WORKS. Each separate A Bumpy Ride rifles for over 200 years. building has a history as rich and diverse as OF SOAP, NOT A BUILDING’ SO FEW’ the Gun Quarter itself. Every detail, light, Unfortunately they are the floorboard and door handle that can be retained, will be. Whatever the expense. Javelin Block Written by Donald Haden — Winston Churchill only remaining gun maker in Like every development we've ever done, it of the pilots who flew the Spitfires Birmingham. will be forged from history. Consideration Character Collaboration The A.H. Haden Motorcycle Company was & The Hurricanes founded in Birmingham, England by Alfred H. Haden and was a well known British manufacturer from 1912 until 2002. The 1767 Sketchley's Directory of Originally started as a bicycle manufacturer Birmingham lists a total of sixty two X X in Hockley, Birmingham, Haden was first workshops involved in gunmaking. There A JAVELIN BLOCK PRODUCT listed in 1882 in the Kelly's Directory, just were thirty five gun and pistol makers, eight prior to the introduction of the safety gun barrel makers and filers, five gun barrel bicycle. Originally the business was owned polishers and finishers, eleven gun lock Javelin by Haden's father, G.J. Haden who then makers forgers and finishers, and three gun passed it to him, though he continued to swivel and stock makers. henriettaBlock ‘PROPER COFFEE’ make bicycles until 1912. gym mfg Co. By the 1820s there were several thousand BIRmingham Haden Motorcycles first introduced a Fig. 3 — Sidney Haden astride the works Fig. 4 — Motorcycle side-cars being people employed in the gun trade, with most HANDCRAFTED UPSTAIRS motorcycle in 1906, but it would not be until entered ‘New Comet’ 293cc two-stroke loaded for delivery at Comet Works for working in an area lying between the foot of just shortly before the First World War that ready for the 1920 Junior TT Race. delivery to the railway station by horse- Steelhouse Lane and Aston and around St sreet We have single origin beans of the Ue drawn flat wagon A.H. Haden Motorcycles would move to a Mary's church in Whittall St. This area Coffee Roasters variety, plenty of It used parts from Villiers, PeCo, JAP, more extensive production of motorcycles became known as the Gun Quarter. It was beauteous looking reclaimed wood, Precision, and Climax, and was entered in The A.H. Haden Motorcycle Company THERE'S AN HONOUR YOU CAN EARN AND DEFEND HERE due to their recent purchase of Regal close and cramped with early Victorian the Isle of Man TT races in 1920 (10th place) changed its name that year and became WHEN YOU DO SEE THE CROWN, YOU'RE A KING NOT A CLOWN and baked goods care of Peel & Stone. Motorcycles Company. In 1919 Haden was tenement buildings pushing in between and 1921. They used "NEW" before their known to the world as Haden Bros. Under forced to stop production of his motorcycles buildings of an earlier time and use. Upstairs is open Monday to Friday, Comet model to distinguish it from a the new name ‘The A.H. Haden Motorcycle JAV 79 • BIRMINGHAM BORN & BRED due to the war but shortly after the end of motorcycle produced from 1902 until 1907 Company’ they produced tank parts for the from 7.30am until 4pm. the war they would start production of his by the Comet Motor Works, which the A.H. British military. They were able to return to motorcycles for the consumer market again. Haden Motorcycle Company bought out motorcycle production after the Second By 1921 the A.H. Haden Motorcycle shortly after their own production line had World War and sold their motorcycles and +++++ Company cleared a new world record for ceased operations.