Review of the Dublin Industrial Exhibition of 1853.
Venue: Leinster House, Kildare Street. Dublin.
12th May - 31st October.
1853.
Gun-Making
(From the “ Industrial Movement in Ireland”- by J.F. MAGUIRE,M.P)
In this sporting country of ours, the Gun trade ought to be
a prosperous one; and if a large consumption, or use, of the article could
ensure to it that prosperity, it would long since have been established, But
unhappily, in this as in many other instances to which we can refer, the whole
or greater part of the benefit of such extensive use of the article by the
Irish consumer, or purchaser, is enjoyed by the manufacturer and artisan of
another country.
The Irish gentleman dares not hope for a fortunate day and a
full bag, unless he shoulders a gun of London make – at least, a gun with the
magical brand of a London maker on its lock or barrel. Nay, it is much to be
questioned if he would venture to require the services of a “friend”, unless he
or his “friend” were duly provided with a Manton, a Purdy (sic), or a Moore.
Even his gamekeeper and wood ranger lawfully kill game , and officially warn
off trespassers with a weapon of genuine Birmingham origin. Of course, he is
quite prepared to “ pay for his whistle”, and that to a pretty high tune.
Juliet asked and answered too – “ What’s in a name? That which we call a
rose. By any other name would smell as sweet”.
Juliet was madly in love with Romeo, when she
failed to see the value of a name; but were that love-sick maid of Verona the
dowered daughter of a modern London gun maker, she might have answered her own
question differently. Everything is in a name in the gun trade- in the
possession of a name, or in the want of a name. I have been assured that there
are Irish gentlemen whose prejudice is so strong about this matter of a name,
that they could not bring themselves to the idea of using a gun with an Irish brand
upon it. And yet this prejudice is not shared in by strangers, to whom guns
made in this country are readily
acceptable, and by whom they are highly prized; for it is a fact that certain
of the Dublin makers do a large trade with England, and receive frequent orders
from English sportmen. Indeed, the success of Irish makers at the Great
Exhibition in London, ought to be sufficient to banish this unjust prejudice
from the minds of their countrymen, and do away with the silly notion that
there is everything in a name.
The only two Irish exhibitors of gun work at the Exhibition
of All Nations, obtained prize medals: which pre-eminent mark of distinction, I
may add, was awarded to but very few of the English gunmakers. I venture to
assert that the best guns now exhibited by Rigby or by Truelock of Dublin, or
by Allport, Richardson, or Moreton, of Cork, are as good , and as “true”, as
any similar articles from London or Birmingham; and that the best Dublin gun
can be sold, and is sold, fifty percent cheaper than the so called best London
gun that is branded with the name of the maker of the highest repute. Indeed I
hold that Irish gentleman not unworthy of a cell in our new Lunatic Asylum,
who, after having inspected the cases of gun – work exhibited by those Dublin
and Cork makers whose names I have mentioned, would be guilty of the folly of
sending to London for what he might get as good , and full fifty per cent
cheaper, almost at his own door.
Curiously enough, the policy of “discouragement “ so ably
and vigorously put into operation by King William, in reference to the Woollen
Trade of Ireland, has not been lost sight of by his Royal successors in
reference to the gun trade of Ireland, as I shall prove. Previous to the year
1816, large contracts for military arms were executed in Ireland. There were
then several factories in Dublin, where the manufacture flourished in all its
branches. But about the period mentioned, the contracts were gradually
withdrawn; and shortly afterwards the Board of Ordnance, and all the machinery
necessary for carrying on military contracts such as the staff of men called
“viewers” , who are appointed to superintend the work in every stage ,
disappeared from the country. In the year 1840, an eminent Dublin manufacturer,
whose name I have before mentioned applied for a share of the contacts
which were then being given out; and, in reply, he was offered a contract on
the terms that he should send his work in every stage to be viewed in London!-
which offer , it is needless to say, amounted to a direct refusal- a
prohibition as positive as William’s tax of twenty per cent on Irish
woollen-cloths. And, to make the matter less justifiable , there was an armoury
staff in the Pigeon House; which place could have been made a “viewing shop” at
a very little expense.
If King William had been alive in 1840, he could not have
more effectually “discouraged” the Irish gun-makers, than by ““removing the
“viewers”” from Ireland, and insisting that the work should be sent in every
stage to be “viewed” in London. Happily, there was sufficient vitality in the
trade to outlive, not only this paltry discouragement, but the far worse
discouragement of native prejudice ; for whilst in most parts of England and
Scotland, and even in London, the gunmakers procure their barrels, and even
their locks , in Birmingham , every portion of the gun is now manufactured in
Dublin. However, the trade is not anything like what if there were proper
encouragement afforded, or common justice done, by the gentry of this country
to the work of Irish hands in Ireland, it might be; and yet it is a fact, that
many parts of those guns which are purchased by Irish gentlemen in England, at
such enormous cost have been made by Irish workmen, who from want of that home
encouragement which their skill deserved, and ought to have ensured, have
compelled to seek employment out of their own country. I shall be much
disappointed, indeed, if the present display of highly finished and beautiful
fire-arms of all kinds, from the pocket pistol, to the fowling-piece and the
newest invented rifle, which must have arrested the attention of so many of our
gentry, has not given native prejudice a knock-down blow, however stubborn it
might have been before. If this prejudice be removed , which condemns
everything Irish; if this prejudice which is so disheartening to the
manufacturer, so ruinous to the workmen. And so detrimental to the country, be
put an end to , then the National Exhibition will have achieved its noblest
result.
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The above statement indicates the level of control the British Government held over the Irish gunmakers. The "Viewing" of military weapons only being sanctioned by those deemed totally loyal to the crown and having some "superior" training!! With respect to commercial proof and view of civilian owned weapons there was no legislation covering Ireland or Scotland for the need for view or proof of gun barrels.
The Irish gunmakers exploited this and it was not until 1712 that any form of "voluntary" proof was thought necessary in Ireland. At this time the Master Gunsmiths of Dublin nominated Robert Symes as their Proof Master. Symes at this time being located in Big Ship Street, Dublin.
This venture appears to have been short lived as the main proof mark which was to be adopted, a harp, was challenged by the Dublin Corporation of Goldsmiths who were already using symbol.
When we consider the viewing and proofing of guns/pistols in Ireland it is with the above backdrop that we have to work. Moreover, the evidence found on weapons indicates that from the period 1712 through to 1801 (The Act of Union) the gunmakers of Ireland adopted primarily the crowned "V" and crowned "P" symbols from Birmingham. In certain instances using only a single "P" or double "P" and in both the aforementioned cases adding their own monogram with the marks. Many of these so marked barrels would have been stamped in the private proof houses in Birmingham and then bought into Ireland prior to assembly. However, it would also appear that the gunmakers of Ireland were making their own punches and prooving the locally made "Irish" barrels themselves for expediency.
The above action mirrors the measures taken by the gunmakers of Birmingham when so much hostility arose between them and the London Gunmakers Company over commercial private proofing of weapons. The crowned cross sceptres struck twice being the commercial or Tower private proof mark issued by the Tower Board of Ordnance from 1751. These symbols being adopted by the Birmingham Proof House in 1813 with the addition of the recognised "BPC" and "V" lettering.
refer to: Question of Proof by Brian Godwin and John Evans. Classic Arms Dec,2010-Jan,2011.
What is evident is the fact that from 1712 the Irish gunmakers could see the value of adding proof to gun barrels yet by the turn of the century John Rigby had started using uncrowned "V" and "P" symbols showing independence from the British Establishment and this would untimately resolve in the none use of proof marks in Ireland.
As late as the 1856 Thomas Richardson of Cork was offering the private proof of gun barrels but as we find on so many Irish guns/pistols the makers name and his location were deemed proof enough of quality and assurance.
Dave Stroud. ramrodantiques.co.uk
The Maguire review first appeared in our blog on 1st December 2018 but thought it worthy of running again due to the ongoing research related to the viewing and proofing of gun barrels within Ireland.
NB: We are always interested to know of barrel markings related to Irish made weapons.
Paragraph 4 corrected 31/7/2020. My appreciation to John Evans.
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