Gallyon Gun & Rifle Makers
Gallyon Gun & Rifle Makers Ltd (formerly known as Gallyon & Sons) is a British gunmaker currently based in St Neots, Cambridgeshire, England, which offers bespoke sporting shotguns and rifles.[4][5]
| Type | Private |
|---|---|
| Gallyon Guns | |
| Industry | Gun manufacturer |
| Fate | Active[1] |
| Predecessor | Gallyon & Sons |
| Founded | 1784[2] |
| Founder | William Gallyon (1758-1838)[2] |
| Headquarters | |
| Products | Shotguns & Rifles |
| Website | www |
The company was established by William Gallyon in Cambridge, in 1784.[2] Gallyon Gun & Rifle Makers is a member of the Heritage Crafts Association[3] and has held several Royal Warrant.[2][6]
History
Gun making by the Gallyon family began in the late 1700s when William Gallyon [1758-1838], a descendant of a family of glaziers,[6] was apprenticed to John Henshaw, a well-known London trained gun maker. Henshaw completed his training and became a member of the gun makers Guild and a Freeman of the City of London, working and trading in London before moving to Cambridge around 1746. In 1784 William Gallyon had left John Henshaw and had established his own gun making business in Cambridge. John Henshaw died on 7 February 1796 and within his will and testament, he directed his kinsman, James Henshaw, an ironmonger from London, to sell and dispose of the business, along with all the stock in trade and working goods; these were bought by William Gallyon.
In 1939 Gallyon & Sons bought the business of Lionel Clough based in King's Lynn, a business which had its origins in 1800 with M. Spencer, gun maker.[5] In 1955, Gallyon & Sons of Kings Lynn was granted a Royal Warrant [2] of appointment to Queen Elizabeth II, having previously held those for their majesties Edward VII, George V and George the VI.
On the 1st of April 1951, Gallyon & Sons purchased the business of Charles Francis, gun maker of Peterborough. Charles Francis established his gun making business in long causeway, Peterborough, during the early 1800s. The business traded as Charles Francis & Son from 1951 until 1 March 1964, when the company was incorporated and became Gallyon & Sons (Peterborough) Ltd, The business retailed guns, fishing tackle and sports equipment.
In 1964, Gallyon & Sons acquired another British gunmaker, C.S.Rosson, from its founder, Charles Stanley Rosson.[4][5][2][7][8]
More than 26 000 hand-made bespoke sporting guns have been manufactured by Gallyon & Sons of East Anglia from the companies foundation in 1784 until 2017.
In 2017, Quiller Press published a limited edition of "Gallyon and Sons: Gunmakers of East Anglia", a book written by Richard Gallyon and Wendy Trott about the history of Gallyon Guns.[4][6][9] The company was incorporated in November, 2019.[1][10]
References
- Companies House: Gallyon Gun and Rifle Makers Limited
- "1940 – 1982 (Gallyon & Sons Ltd.)". King's Lynn History. Retrieved July 9, 2020.
- Heritage Crafts Association: About Gallyon Fun & Rifle Makers
- Gunmakers: “Gallyons – Gunmakers of East Anglia” – a book review by Derek Stimpson
- Trott, Wendy; Gallyon, Richard (2017). Gallyon and Sons: Gunmakers of East Anglia. London, UK: Quiller Press. ISBN 978-1-84689-257-8.
- Eastern Daily Press: Gun lore and the dynasty still going strong today
- Guns International: Historical Information
- Internet Listings: Gallyon & Sons Ltd
- Gunmakers: Past Master Richard Gallyon wins book award
- American Rifleman: The Keefe Report: “Please Hang in a Prominent Place
Further reading
- Trott, Wendy; Gallyon, Richard (2017). Gallyon and Sons: Gunmakers of East Anglia. London, UK: Quiller Press. ISBN 978-1-84689-257-8.
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