Historical assistance sought

[Clembone]

Good day, gentlemen.

If this post is in the incorrect forum, please accept my apologies. I'm new and still navigating.

I am trying to find some history about a side-by-side 14-gauge percussion shotgun apparently crafted by David Lloyd of Leominster, Herefordshire, UK.

The only mention I can find of him is of being a watchmaker and clockmaker in the 1840s or prior.

If anyone has information on this craftsman or could direct me elsewhere to seek it, I would appreciate it very much.

Thank you and shoot straight!

 

[paulvallandigham]

How do you know that the gun was made by him?

 

[JV Puleo]

If that is the name that is on it, and it is the same person, it is probably a Birmingham trade product. By the percussion period there was relatively little actual gunmaking going on in provincial Britain. It was so much easier to order up a gun from one of the trade suppliers with the merchants name on it. Watchmaker / clockmaker / jeweler is not a stretch. In provincial towns there probably wasn't enough work in any one of those trades to prosper so it was common for a tradesman to supply other products he was familiar with. The line between watchmaking and gun repair is fairly thin in the 19th century so he may also have been repairing guns.

The name does not show up in Bailey & Nie's list of provincial English makers which means he was not listed in a local directory as a gunmaker. In fact,Leominster shows only two 19th century gunmakers. Remember also that "gunmaker" simply means the person sold guns. By the 19th century very few "gunmakers" actually made them.

Trade quality guns made for the British domestic market are almost always superior to the grade of gun that was exported to the United States regardless of who the "maker" was.

 

[Clembone]

The name was on the gun, which is why I said it was made by him ... obviously, as per the info in the second post, it may not have been crafted by him but only sold by Mr. Lloyd.

Thanks very much for the replies and assistance.

 

[ResearchPress]

I have references to David Lloyd and listed as a Watch & Clock Maker, Silversmith & Jeweller at Broad Street, Leominster 1835-1858.

He was born c1797 at Brecon in South Wales and died at Leominster 1873. His wife was Jane (born c1804 - possibly died c1872).

As has been suggested above, most likley a provincial retailer rather than gunmaker.

David