Gun-Making in Cork.
Cork Examiner
1858.
Some three or four
years since, we drew public attention to the fact that a regular gun factory
had been established in this city by the firm of T.Richardson & Sons. We then described, in detail, the
information of the factory, and the manner in which the division-of-labour
principle was carried out in its various workshops; and we then anticipated the
success which, we felt convinced, was certain to follow from enterprise in the
right direction. Since then we have not lost sight of this interesting branch
of local industry; and have very lately renewed our enquiries as to its
progress, we are happy to state that the anticipations which we formed, upon a
first inspection of the establishment of the Messrs. Richardson,
have been far outstripped
by the reality. In fact, the Cork-made gun has already acquired a far more
European reputation; and at this moment, as we shall prove, it is as well known
in India as the guns of the
first houses in London.
Messrs Richardson began on the wisest and soundest principle,- they
resolved to make none but the best article, and to this determination they have
steadfastly adhered. And, in order to secure the best guns, they employ none
but first-class workmen- each workman being perfect in the execution of his
special task. It is interesting to follow the rude tube of metal, and the
shapeless piece of timber, through their progress and completion, until, after
having been submitted to a variety of processes more or less ingenious, the rude
tube of metal and the shapeless piece of timber are moulded into a beautiful
and highly-finished instrument, precious in the estimation of the sportsman.
The gun goes through
eight or nine hands before it is finished. In the first place, it is given to the
“break-off fitter”; then it passes to the “rough stocker”; next to the “screwer
–together” ; then to the “percussioner” ; then to the “polisher” ; after him
the “engraver” who sends it back to the polisher, to “case harden” and “blue”;
the polisher passes it to the “finisher”, who finally puts the gun together.
Nor do its travels stop with the finisher; for it has to pass through the hands
of the foreman, who inspects it with critical eye, and has lastly to be
submitted to the head of the establishment, Mr Richardson, himself. One would suppose that the vigilance of the
foreman and the master was sufficient to ensure the best work in each
department and in every process; but the system adopted is far more stringent
and comprehensive, inasmuch as each workman through whose hands the guns passes
has a direct and personal interest in scrutinising the work of the man who has
gone before him. The explanation is simple enough. The man that passes bad work
without notice, although that bad work has been done by another, is liable for
that bad work, and loses the amount paid for the labour expended upon it. For
instance, if the percussioner take the gun from the screwer, and there is a
defect in it owing to the fault of the screwer, and that the percussioner passes
it without notice, and the finisher afterwards finds out the defect,- in that
case the percussioner is held liable, and not the screwer- the man who
overlooked the bad work of his predecessor, and not the man whose bad work it
was. It is plain, therefore, that each man is cautious in scrutinising the work
of his fellow-workman, as he is in the perfection of his own. Of course, it is
not to be supposed that the practical testing of the gun is delayed until it
reaches its last stage. It is tried in its rough state, after being
percussioned; before much labour has been employed upon it, and therefore
before much expense has been incurred. There are, for instance, three classes
of double-barrelled guns—the “keeper” gun, the second class gun, and the best
gun. The first when finished always in a plain style, is valued at 9 guineas;
the second is valued at 16 guineas; the best reaches as high as 25 guineas.
Tried in their rough state, if the “keeper” gun do not shoot to 50 pages, in a
book used as a target it is rejected. The second must shoot 60, and the best
65.
The “keeper” may go,
and usually does go, to the 60 pages, and the second may go 70; but if either
do not penetrate the required number of pages, the barrel is at once laid
aside, and another selected and tried. Submitted to so severe an ordeal as that
which we have described, two useful results follow, - that the work is well
executed in all its details, and that the gun shoots well.
Indeed the Cork-made
gun of Messrs Richardson was
severely tested in the course of last year, when it came off with distinction.
A gallant officer of the 36th Regiment challenged Mr Richardson, the working head of the
firm, to try one of his best guns against a first-class Manton, possessed by the officer. Mr Richardson accepted the challenge, and the result was in favour
of the Cork-made gun, for penetration and close shooting. The Cork-gun went
through seven pages more than the London
gun.
The same Manton was tested on a subsequent
occasion with the Richardson, and
some eight or nine other guns, which their owners – officers of the garrison –
looked upon as first-class; and , although the Manton beat all the other guns, save the Richardson, the Richardson
thrashed the entire of its competitors, the Manton, included!
Now, lest any doubt
whatever may attach to this seemingly boastful statement, we quote a document
of very great value, as conclusive testimony of the superiority of guns of Messrs Richardson:-
“Cork
Barracks, May 8th 1857.
“We the undersigned Officers of the 36th
Regiment, beg to recommend Messrs
T.Richardson & Sons, Gun Manufacturers, they having made several guns
for us, each of which has given us much satisfaction, as to finish, price and
particularly the shooting qualities; in which latter we find them superior to
guns by other makers of the highest repute, after carefully testing both:-
“W.R Rainsford,
Captain, 36th Regt,
“C.Woodright,
Captain, 36th Regt.
“F .H.Orange Lieut.,
36th Regt.
“J.O.W. Scott,
Ensign, 36th Regt.
“Lyndhurst B. Towne, 36th Regt.
“R.L.Hawkes, Lieut,
36th Regt.
“Edwin Philips,
Captain, 36th Regt.
“Thos.M.LeMesurier,
36th Regt”
We cannot pretend to
say how far this important trial has been the means of spreading the fame of
the Cork-made gun; but we can state that which we know to be the fact- that Messrs Richardson have at this moment
orders from India alone, which cannot, by any possibility, and with utmost
effort, be executed in less than six months from this date. And if not a single
additional gun were ordered for the next twelve months, there would be ample
employment for that time in executing the orders now on their books. Every year
since its commencement in 1854, the establishment has been doubling its
business!
We do not say
anything of its trade for this year, which is not yet expired; but during last
year it turned out more than 600 guns, 150 of which were high class guns,
ranging from 16 to 25 guineas each. The remainder included rifles and single
barrels.
Curiously enough, the
best timber for the stocks is to be had in Ireland. English walnut is a fine
and showy timber, but it has not the close grain of the Irish, which is also
very often as handsome as the softer timber, of the sister country. A splendid
tree of this timber purchased some time since by Mr Richardson, from a gentleman residing on the borders of the county of Cork; and its cost, when cut up, was as
much as £100.
The cases, whether made
of leather, or of timber of various kinds, are also made up in Cork, the firm keeping men constantly at work
in their construction.
We may say a word as
to the employment afforded by this flourishing concern. It commenced in 1854
with some 11 or 12 hands, while now has constant work for 25- of whom 8 are
ordinarily paid an average of more than £2 a week, while some of them have frequently
earned and received as much as £3 and 10 shilling’s per week. The work is paid
for by the piece, and it depends upon the workman what he earns, and therefore
what he has to receive. Fully two-thirds of the hands are Irishmen; the others
are first-rate workmen from England.
The staff is a large and efficient one at the present moment; but it will be
increased in a short time, as additional ground has been taken to the rear, and
is about being added to the workshops, which will render the Cork Gun Factory
equal in efficiency to any in the trade. But taking it as it already is, it
reflects the highest honour on the enterprise and industry of its founders, and
no small credit upon the city in which it prospers and progresses.
Information courtesy of The British Newspaper Archive.
Cork Examiner 20th September 1858.
NB: The text has been re-written and highlighted in part but the integrity of the piece maintained.
Please refer to our older post with respect to this company of gunmakers dated: 5/10/2018, 7/9/2018 & 27/8/2015.
Dave Stroud
ramrodantiques.co.uk
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