Celebrating Young Craftspeople

Those jobs are based on skills and knowledge which have been passed down the generations and which have ensured the continuity of, in particular, the ‘best’ gunmaking ethos, which started in the era of Joseph Manton in the late 1700s, was continued by the likes of William Westley Richards, James Purdey, Stephen Grant and Thomas Boss and is practised today by our talented team at Pritchett Street in Birmingham.

The gunmakers of tomorrow are here today in the form of Westley Richards apprentices and, alongside the practical skills they are learning at the bench, they are being educated in the history of their craft and that of the firm for which they work by Diggory Hadoke, who has specialised in the history of British gunmakers and their output for more than three decades.

The education of our young gunmakers in the history of the company, and of the wider gun trade, is an on-going part of their development into accomplished gun trade professionals.

Among the subjects covered are the history of Westley Richards as a gunmaker, the development of the sporting gun from flintlock to the modern breech-loader, the evolution of barrel materials and construction, and the merits of new actions at the time they were introduced, including comparative study of sidelock, boxlock and trigger-plate actions.

They also learn about the traditions of gunmaker apprenticeships, the origins and development of the proof laws and proof houses, the recognition of historic proof marks and their use in dating and assessing used guns, the effect of choke on shot patterns, the work of engravers and the characteristics of different engraving styles, as well as the evaluation of gun types, repairs and modifications.

The programme remains flexible, and the young gunmakers are encouraged to request sessions on any aspect of the craft that has become of particular interest to them. To become a modern gunmaker, Westley Richards believes apprentices should be trained not only in manual skill, technical development and engineering principle, but in the wider context of the trade itself.

We also believe that giving them a sense of Westley Richards as a company with more than two hundred years of continuous production, together with a broader understanding of the development of the sporting gun, helps make them more rounded and more valuable members of the team. That same awareness is equally important across our leather making, marketing and retail departments, and courses are being prepared for each.

As Westley Richards expands its leather department and employs more local people to become the leather craftspeople of the future, we expect similar educational programmes to become an integral part of their training.

The scale of that expansion is exciting to witness. It reflects strong year-on-year growth in the leather department and underlines the value of the contribution local people have already made to its development.

Sharing the same Birmingham factory as our gunmakers, the leather department is now producing goods of such heirloom quality that they will, no doubt, be passed from one generation to the next, much like our guns and rifles before them.

We are committed to creating new opportunities for young people and look forward to seeing their skills and careers flourish as we continue to expand our range and output in pursuit of our ambition to become a major name in the luxury sporting leather goods and luggage sectors.

While AI may be taking the jobs of paralegals, credit analysts, translators and book-keepers, our plumbers, carpenters, leatherworkers and gun makers have that magic combination of know-how and can-do that a computer will never be flexible or agile enough to replace.

No AI programme is ever going to be able to look at a broken mainspring on a 1900 side-lock and make a new one that fits and holds the same tension as its twin on the other lock plate. For as long as sportsmen want to buy, collect and shoot handmade guns, rifles and leather goods, those who can make and repair them will have as much work as they care to accept.

Some trained gunmakers eventually leave their old master and set up a workshop at home. For the majority, the collegiate environment of a factory provides the support, regularity and stability of a solid employer and a team of co-workers dedicated to producing superlative work. It is a crucible of excellence and, for many gunmakers, provides a way of life.

Westley Richards currently has five young gunmakers at various stages of their apprenticeships. They join Diggory for hour-long sessions to explore notable people, patents, events and narratives which have been influential in shaping the gun trade and the guns which now form the focus of their everyday work.

We believe that by understanding the past and appreciating the work others have done before them, our young makers will become more rounded and impressive members of the gun and leather trade, wherever their skills and inclinations lead them.

They, truly, represent our future, for without them to make the products we hope to sell in twenty years’ time, there will be no guns or leather goods to sell. Their future success is necessary to ensure our future existence and, for that to be assured, we need to invest time in them, and money in their education, today.

History is not a frippery to add to the core skills our people learn; it is crucial to them gaining a sense of place and time, and appreciating the company, its origins, its history and its importance in forging the modern gun trade in Britain.

It is a proud history and one that our young gunmakers and leatherworkers should understand, appreciate and continue to contribute towards. Westley Richards welcomes applications from potential apprentices, especially those from the Birmingham area, looking for rewarding careers in our gun, rifle and leather departments.

To here of our latest opportunities, please send your CV to applications@westleyrichards.co.uk

The Explora Blog is the world’s premier online journal for field sports enthusiasts, outdoor adventurers, conservationists and admirers of bespoke gunmaking, fine leather goods and timeless safari clothes. Each month Westley Richards publishes up to 8 blog posts on a range of topics with an avid readership totalling 500,000+ page views per year.

Blog post topics include: Finished custom rifles and bespoke guns leaving the Westley Richards factory; examples of heritage firearms with unique designs and celebrated owners like James Sutherland and Frederick Courteney Selous; the latest from the company pre-owned guns and rifles collection; interviews with the makers from the gun and leather factory; new season safari wear and country clothing; recent additions to our luxury travel bags and sporting leather goods range; time well spent out in the field; latest news in the sporting world; and key international conservation stories.