Wm & Jno Rigby Rifle.

Wm & Jn Rigby
Gun & Pistol Manufacturers
24 Suffolk Street
Dublin

                                      Wm & Jn Rigby letter dated 10th August 1857.
                                             Photography courtesy Leslie Martin.
Transcript:

August 10th 1857.

Albert H Knox Esq..
Sir, We thankfully acknowledge your favour enclosing half of £5.
On receipt of the balance of a/c we will forward stamped receipt.
The proper charge for the Rifle is 7/8 ths of a drahm or 24.900 avoir..of No 3 powder
(coarse grain).We are Sir your ob'd servants, Wm & Jno Rigby for Geo. Harris.

                                                   

                 This case being from the period in question (1838)... but made for gun No. 8148
                 a 12 bore shotgun with 29" barrels.*

The above letter is related to a percussion rifle originally sold by William & John Rigby to a Mr J. Wood in 1834. The gun being serial No 7585. A second best rifle with a 31" barrel. This gun
having retailed at £15-15-00*. During the guns life it acquired a second barrel which would have been interchangable. During the Registration Act of 1843 this rifle was registered in County Sligo. (S 6354).

This Rifle was, by the tenure of the above letter, being sold on from Geo Harris via the Rigby's to
Mr Albert H. Knox Esq..

The above letter kindly supplied by Leslie Martin.

                                                  Photography courtesy Leslie Martin

Details related to the Rigby Rifle No 7585 & Shotgun No 8148 courtesy of;-

* Great British Gunmakers Messrs Rigby 1760-1869 by D.H.L Back..


                                                   Dave Stroud. ramrodantiques.co.uk

Wimbledon: John Rigby.

Wimbledon Common

Shooting Range

1864

                           Courtesy The London Illustrated News July 1864.

This being the year John Rigby won " Wimbledon 1864 Prize" refer to:
Great British Gunmakers Messrs Rigby 1760-1869 by D.H.L.Back. pages 156-158.

      Three years later Ireland would send their first team to compete at this venue.

                                    Dave Stroud ramrodantiques.co.uk

John Rigby & Co:Advertisement/Target.

John Rigby & Co..

24 Suffolk Street & 72 St James' Street
Dublin                           London

Advertisement/Target.

                                Gallery Practice Target as sold and used by John Rigby & Co..
                                                                     1869-1898

                                  The above target mentions Wimbledon and 200yds and 1883?
                                       
                                         We are always looking to buy items like the above.

                                                   Dave Stroud. ramrodantiques.co.uk

Playing to the Gallery. Dublin.

Playing to the Gallery:

Shooting Galleries

of
Dublin.

With the decline of duelling and the duelling pistol came the hybrid target pistol and the growth of target shooting. Two Dublin gunmakers were one step ahead of the market and offered shooting ranges for their clients during this transitional period.


Both William & John Rigby and Trulock & Son were advertising their shooting galleries in 1830 and 1832 respectively. See below.

William & John Rigby advertising their new sixty feet Shooting Gallery. 

                  William Trulock & Son advertising their "extensive" Shooting Gallery. 1832

                      In France as late as 1910 the famous Gastine-Renette's on the Champs Elysees
                      were offering a shooting school where "heavy duelling pistols" were shot. The
                      targets being white painted steel life size silhouettes of a man.**    

                ** Wings over the Marshes by Robert Erskine Ross. published 1948. Pages 90-93.

                          We are always interested in any information related to the above.

                                                      Dave Stroud. ramrodantiques.co.uk

Anti-Duelling Association.Dublin.

Anti-Duelling Association
Society Offices
No.7 Lower Abbey Street
Dublin

The folly of the duel was for a long time a concern to the general public, yet the duel was seen
as a integral part of military life, especially for those of rank and of high society. Queen Victoria
had mooted that she was not over keen on her top military brass depleting their numbers on
home soil and her support assisted in the final abolition of the duel.

As can be seen from the above advertisement the public, prior to Queen Victoria's reign, were bringing the matter to the fore and calling for the abolition of the Anti- Christian practice of Duelling.

These protests would not have been music the ears of the gunmaker but the duel and duelling pistol were in decline and were to be superseded by the target pistol which were at this time in demand for use in the newly formed public shooting galleries.

In our next blog we will look at the two major shooting galleries in Dublin.

                                             Dave Stroud. ramrodantiques.co.uk


T

West Cork 1843 Registration Act.

The Irish Registration Act of 1843

  Schedule B.,6&7 Vic.,Cap.74,Sec 3.

                                   Licence to Keep Arms.

                                       County West Cork.

The following entries have been collected over a number years by myself, fellow collectors and dealers. In total over 1100 registrations from the 40 areas have been collated which is a very small sample of the 300.000 weapons the authorities had calculated were in circulation in private hands

at this time.

The list below gives all those weapons found registered in County West Cork between 1843-1846.

Listed are the county prefix, licence number, description of weapon/s and where possible the maker/retailer.

WC 468	Flk Light Dragoon Pistol. Crowned GR.	Ketland & Co
WC 615	Percussion Backaction Pistol	Bowls
WC 629	Flk Overcoat Pistol. Cock replaced.	Bryan
WC 717/718	Pair Flk Silver Mounted Holster Pistols	Joseph Griffin
WC 719/720	Pair Flk Duellers. Stepped Bolted Locks.	Wogdon
WC 967	40 Bore Boxlock Travelling Pistol
WC 1008	Bronze Cannon. 13" Overall. Barrel 11.5"
WC 1181	Percussion Turnover Pocket Pistol	W & J Rigby
WC 1312	Perc' Travelling Pistol.Captive Ramrod.	Crispin
WC 1468	Pair Flk Trav' Pistols
WC 1621	Pocket Pistol.	Crispin
WC 1789	Flk Travelling Pistol.	Clark
WC 1911	Military Musket converted to Perc' French. Napoleonic
WC 1935	Percussion Musket
WC 2360	Perc' Belt Pistol. .50 Cal..	Allport
WC 2520	4 bore B/action long barrelled sporting gun
WC 3051/3052	Cased Pair D/B Pistols	Bird & Ashmore

Flintlock Light Dragoon Pistol registered (WC 468).
Photography courtesy Steve Collward

Official House of Commons Returns 8th May 1846. 

We are always pleased to know of weapons registered in this county or any of the other 39 areas

within this Act.

Dave Stroud.ramrodantiques.co.uk

Joseph Braddell & Son

Joseph Braddell & Son
Gun & Rifle Manufacturers
Mayfair
Arthur Square
Belfast.

                                                  Trade card/label for JB&S.  
                         Showing their monogrammed trademark within the red hand of Ulster.


William J. Clarke can be seen standing outside the above premises in our earlier blog of:- 31/12/2015.

The company at this time in their history having dropped the mention to revolver manufacture,
a trade in which they had excelled when producing the "Bulldog" revolver.

Dave Stroud. ramrodantiques.co.uk

Farrell McDermott. Gunmaker.

Farrell McDermott

Gunmaker

2 Abbey Street.

                                                 Dublin

Remnants of a small pot lid label for Farrell Mc Dermott. 2 Abbey Street, Dublin. 

Farrell McDermott was one of the most prolific manufacturers of duelling pistols of the 18th and early 19th centuries.

       Farrell Mc Dermott trading dates:

       St Mary's Abbey     1795 - 1796

     2 Abbey Street          1797 - 1810

       1 Abbey Street        1811 - 1827

Mc Dermott sideplate with only one "T". This is a spelling often found. Speculation has arisen that this form of spelling is attributed to Henry Mc Dermot, gunmaker. (circa 1800)?
Research ongoing.

Farrell McDermott's first trades directory entry for 1796

Clarke	Nicholas		35 Capel Street
Devereux	Michael		3 Blackall Row
Devine	Thomas		194 Abbey Street
Dobson	James		32 Skinner Row
Eames	Elizabeth		1 Duke Street
Edwards	William		1 Palace Street
Fowler	Thomas		121 Capel Street
Gray	John		2 Bride Street
Guinness	Richard		107 James's Street
Hutchinson	Michael		8 Dame Street
Kinder	Matthew		81 Camden Street
Langston	John		22 Eustace Street
Mc Cormick	Robert		23 Abbey Street
Mc Dermott	Farrell		35 Mary's Abbey
Meredith	Charles		45 Fishamble Street
Morton	William		28 Castle Street
Muley	Daniel		28 Parliament Street
Phillips	Thomas		43 Gt Ship Street
Powell	Benjamin		159 Abbey Street
Rigby	John		19 Suffolk Street
Tomlinson	Robert		123 Capel Street
Trulock	Thomas		50 Barrack Street
Wallace	Samuel		22 Eustace Street

We are always pleased to discuss pistols/guns manufactured by Mc Dermott or Mc Dermot!

Please refer to our earlier blog of 11/1/2016

Henry & Farrell McDermott originally listed by M.S. Dudley Westropp, M.R.I.A.. 

Journal Arms & Armour Society, 1957.

Vol.11. No 1.

Dave Stroud. R.A..

William & John Brown. Belfast.

William & John Brown
Merchants

Belfast

Advertisement Belfast 13th December 1773.

Barrels and Kegs of Gunpowder and Shot sold at the lowest prices!

Dave Stroud. ramrodantiques.co.uk 

George Turner. Gunmaker.

George Turner
Gunmaker
Dublin

Duelling pistol lockplate with "French Cock", Sliding Safety, Rainproof pan,Gold touch hole, Roller frizzen spring. c.1815

                                  Pair of saw-handled duelling pistols by George Turner c.1815


George Turner was one of the most prolific manufacturers of duelling pistols in Dublin.

George Turner first trades directory entry for 1811.

Calderwood	Thomas		22 Little Mary Street
Clarke	Nicholas		35 Capel Street
Edwards	Thomas		13 Abbey Street
Fowler	Thomas		18 Capel Street
Hutchinson	Michael		8 Dame street
Meredith	Charles		5 Smock Alley
Muley	Daniel		28 Parliament Street
Murphy	John		190 Gt Britain Street.
Pattison	Thomas		154 Capel Street
Rigby	John		13 Suffolk Street
Trulock	Thomas		53 Barrack Street
Turner	George		137 Capel Street

Known trading dates and addresses.

1810-1813	137 Capel Street     Turner,George
1814-1826	154 Capel Street     Turner, George
1848-1849	84 Capel Street       G. Turner & Son.
1862	.................................................................... Lower Dominick Street. (Abode) Listed in Irish Times, 28th May 1862 as insolvent.

George Turner originally listed by M.S. Dudley Westropp, MRIA. 

Journal Arms & Armour Society, 1957.

Vol.11. No 1.

                                                 Dave Stroud. ramrodantiques.co.uk

Benjamin Lord. Gunsmith

Benjamin Lord

Gunsmith

Dame Street.
Dublin

Flintlock brass barrelled holster pistol

engraved "B. Lord". c. 1760

Photography courtesy Jim Horne.

               Benjamin Lords only trades directory entry for 1761

	Collins	Matthew		Dame St
	Govers	John		Dame St
	Lord	Benjamin		Dame st
	Lord	Francis		Dame St
	Rainsford	James		Castle Lane
	Thorp	Thomas		Darby Sq
	Trulock	Thomas		Castle Yard

M.S. Dudley Westropp lists Benjamin Lord for both 1755 & 1758.


Benjamin Lord became a Freeman of Dublin in Midsummer 1749. He is noted to be the son of
 a Francis Lord? Whether this is the gunmaker Francis Lord it is not clear. Gunmakers Benjamin and Francis could both be sons of this Francis Lord mentioned in the Dublin City Library and Archive Ancient Freemen of Dublin.

Benjamin Lord originally listed by M.S. Dudley Westropp, MRIA. 

Journal Arms & Armour Society, 1957.

Vol.11. No 1.

         Dave Stroud ramrodantiques.co.uk

East Cork: 1843 Registration Act.

The Irish Registration Act of 1843

  Schedule B.,6&7 Vic.,Cap.74,Sec 3.

                                   Licence to Keep Arms.

                                       County East Cork.

The following entries have been collected over a number years by myself, fellow collectors and dealers. In total over 1100 registrations from the 40 areas have been collated which is a very small sample of the 300.000 weapons the authorities had calculated were in circulation in private hands

at this time.

The list below gives all those weapons found registered in County East Cork between 1843-1846.

Listed are the county prefix, licence number, description of weapon/s and where possible the maker/retailer.

EC 72	Pair Duelling Pistols	Wogdon
EC 91	Pocket pistol. Converted to Perc'	Bryan
EC 112	Pair Flk Duelling Pistols	Whitney
EC 175	Converted Boarding Pistol.Spring Bayonet.	Bennett
EC 177	Flk Pistol	Griffin
EC 184	Flk Blunderbuss. Brass barrel	Henry Nock
EC 220	Flk Blunderbuss. 3 stage barrel.	T Hughes
EC 262	Flk Brass Barrelled Blunderbuss	Ketland & Co
EC 286	Flk Blunderbuss. Brass barrel	Whitney
EC 336	Perc' 4 Barrelled. Rotary Hammer Pistol.	M & J Pattison
EC 423	Flk 16 bore Duelling Pistols	P Whitney
EC 423	Dutch/Irish Brass Barrelled Blunderbuss
EC 482	Flk Duelling Pistols. 24 Bore.	Blackwell
EC 508	Percussion Officers Pistol	D.Egg
EC 641	Perc' Travelling Pistol. No Lock. PCBassett.
EC 736	40 bore perc'boxlock sidehammer pistol
EC 792	Percussion Pistol	Bachman
EC 884	Perc' Trav' Pistol	Hutchinson
EC 914	Converted Pkt Pistol.	Bryan
EC 945	Pair Silver Mounted Holster Pistols	Edwards
EC 947	Flk 18 bore Pocket Pistol.	Bryan
EC 1001	Cased Pair Duelling/Holster Pistols	Mc Dermott
EC 1069	Flk Duelling /Holster Pistols.Cased	Theo Richards
EC 1150	Flk Pistol.	Prosser
EC 1166/1167	Flk Cannon Barrelled Pistols	T Hughes
EC 1207	Flk Travelling Pistol	Fowler
EC 1211	Flk Cannon Barrelled Holster Pistol	T. Hughes
EC 1216	Flk Duelling Pistol. With shortened barrel.	Mills
EC 1220	Brass Barrelled Blunderbuss	Whitney
EC 1225	Flk Duelling Pistol. 10.5/8" barrel. TH on barrel.	P.Whitney
EC 1225	25 Bore Duelling Pistol. H.Hayes. Vernon mt JR. 54 Strand.	J Richards
EC 1242	Flk Brass Barrelled Blunderbuss. Cork No2 Mail.	Bryan
EC 1260	Flk Blunderbuss..	Hall
EC 1272	Flk Blunderbuss. Brass lock. 2 stage barrel.	Westerman
EC 1273	Flk Repeating Pistol	Lorenzoni
EC 1282	Flk Blunderbuss	Ketland
EC 1282	Flk Brass Barrelled Blunderbuss..	Edwards
EC 1332	Flk Heavy Calvary Pistol. 10 Bore. Birmingham Proof 1813.	Tower
EC 1536	Percussion Pistol.	Connel & Co
EC 1621	Perc' Travelling Pistol. ( Conversion). 16 bore. 4.5" Barrel	Tyner?
EC 1717	Pair Perc' Turnover Pocket Pistols. Birm.Proof.	Allport
EC 1717	Flk Light Dragoon Pistol. 9" Barrel.
EC 2057	28 Bore Miquelet Rifle
EC 2210	Flk Pistol . Silver Mounts.	Bourdiec
EC 2339	Flk Converted Caplock. D/B Shotgun	Manton
EC 2344	Flk Converted Caplock. D/B Shotgun	J Manton & Son
EC 2399	Cased Pair Perc' Duelling Pistols 1988. Now reconverted	Durs Egg
EC 2416	Pair Flk Holster Pistols	Harrison
EC 2466	Flk Light Dragoon Pistol.	Ketland
EC 2789	Flk Blunderbuss pistol. Steel Barrel. 10"	T.Hughes
EC 2925	Flk Silver Mounted Holster Pistol. 1777	Wilson
EC 2892	Pair Flk Belt Pistols.	Bass
EC 3675	Perc'Boxlock Pkt Pistol	Westley Richards
	A pair of Bass belt pistols both marked  EC- 2892                              Authors photography

As will be seen through these lists the majority of pairs of pistols are consecutively numbered. 

There was considerable confusion and many anomalies exist within the marking of weapons but these are normally easily explained.  County Louth did appear to have a number of issues and weapons  have been found marked "DR" (Drogheda). In another instance four different weapons were issued with the same licence number viz.  LH 1257. We will deal with other instances in later blogs.
                                          
                                   Official House of Commons Returns 8th May 1846. 

We are always pleased to know of other weapons registered in East Cork or any of the other 39 areas

under this Act.

Dave Stroud. ramrodantiques.co.uk