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W.w.greener Sporting Guns.

W

Wendy

Guest
I have at last persuaded Michael to write down his memories of the time he worked for Greener's 1963-65. I am going to send his piece to Carl for his Brummagem magazine. Sadly we don't have any photo's of Greener's to go with the article does anyone have any please?:):)
 
Hi Wendy, When I first started with Royal Mail in Birmingham one of my best mates was called Harry Kyte, Im not sure how it was speelt, but his
Dad worked at WW Greeners for many years, Harry lived in Small Heath I
think, we lost touch when I moved out to Burton on the overspill scheme, bye for now Bernard67Arnold
 
I don't think Michael knew the men in the workshops as he was the delivery lad. He remembers Chris who was in charge of the range.......well as a lad he would wouldn't he.:)
 
Bernard67Arnold said:
Hi Wendy, When I first started with Royal Mail in Birmingham one of my best mates was called Harry Kyte, Im not sure how it was speelt, but his
Dad worked at WW Greeners for many years, Harry lived in Small Heath I
think, we lost touch when I moved out to Burton on the overspill scheme, bye for now Bernard67Arnold
Click to expand...

Hi Bernard

In the late 1960s a Mr Kyte (or Kite?) had the off licence near the corner
of Templefield Street and Garrison Lane. I wonder if he was related.

Kind regards

Dave
 
David Williams' book "The Birmingham Gun Trade" show a series of pictures from the birmingham museum & art gallery of the workshop of a Robert Kyte, but this seems to be separate from Greeners. The trade probably came down in the family
Mike
 
Hello Wendy,my Dad George Clayton worked for Greeners till it closed,also his brother Bill and his brother-in -law Jack Knight.Does anyone remember them.Mary
 
Hi Mary, Michael remembers the name Clayton he said he thinks one or both of them went to work at Potter's in Aston.
 
Hi Wendy,

I think I have some off another site, but won't be able to dig them out until tomorrow. My uncle and aunt were caretakers for Greeners mansion near Barmouth during the war and I have had correspondence with the current MD - I think they're based in Cheltenham now. The mansion eventually became a hotel, not sure whether it still is.

Maurice :cool:
 
Hello Maurice,I read the story about the Mansion, apparently They were in a carriage and the wheel broke Mr Greener had to walk to the nearest town to get help. Mrs Greener waited and was captivated by the area so he built the house there. We went past a couple of years ago, it is a hotel and it looked lovely it's on the road to Aberdovey overlooking the sea. I am hoping Carl might have some pictures. But if you have any we would love to see them. What a job your Aunt and Uncle must have had it's a massive building but in a beautiful place!:)
 
Hi Wendy,

Here's the four pictures that I have. The problem is that I can't remember which site they came from, neither do I have any idea to whom the copyright belongs. They were originally captured for use in my own private records.

I'm posting them here, with apologies to the original copyright holder, whoeever he/she may be, and I quite understand that the mods will remove them if we get a complaint!

I can't remember a lot about the TY’R CRAIG CASTLE, as the mansion was called, as I was about five years old at the time. My aunt and uncle used to occupy the lodge - I'm not sure whether that is still standing - and I can remember being carried on my uncle's shoulders along the beach towards Llanaber. At one point we went into a cave that had clear water and some weed in it. This would be in 1942 and in the intervening years I have tried several times to find that cave, to no avail. It is certainly not marked on any of the OS maps of the area.

But I've rambled on enough - here's the pics.

Maurice :cool:
 
OK, thanks Mike. I collected them several years ago. If Wendy/Carl want to use them, they will have to seek permission from whoever currently owns the copyright then.

Maurice :cool:
 
Thanks Maurice. I have just sent Michaels article to Carl. I will contact the site about using the photo's. I will keep some for my own use anyway.
Thank you for all your help.:):):)
 
Hello Wendy thankyou for your reply,I would have loved to ask my Dad more about his time at Greener's and Potters but he died last year.He always said he enjoyed working for Greener's infact he loved his work all his life.
 
Michael worked as the van driver at Potter's when Greener's closed. He said last night he remebered Bill Clayton a nice character in overalls!:)
 
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hi all
did you know that "greener's" supplied all the escort guards arms for the "OVERLAND STAGE Co" in the USA in the 1840's/50's, their shot guns were regarded as the finest in the world.
regards
paul stacey
 
Hello Paul,you have just reminded me of a John Wayne film in which he asks his son to pass him his Greeners rifle.Mary
 
edgbaston said:
Hello Paul,you have just reminded me of a John Wayne film in which he asks his son to pass him his Greeners rifle.Mary
Click to expand...

Mary, I can't forget that one Michael jumped up and shouted.......did you hear that a greener's rifle! Then I got all the info on the rifle and how he had shot one on the range at Greeners. :sleepy::)
 
hi mary
I'm not sure but I think they were '8 gauge' shot guns with short barrels (SAWN OFF) I also think they supplied these "man stoppers" for the British army and other organisations.
regards
paul stacey
 
Hello Wendy and Paul I was amazed to hear Greener's mentioned in an American film,then I thought perhaps it was an American made rifle.I went on the internet and realized what a history Greener's had and realised Greener's probably did export to America.Thankyou Paul for this information I did wonder.Does anyone know if it was at Greener's that a gun tester committed suicide as I vaguely remember my Dad telling Mom.Mary
 
Hi Mary
Greener's exported all over the world. They made a 'crocodile gun' which was a short shot gun for use in canoes. They also made Elephant Guns which Michael tells me were massive. The Shar's who used them would send them back to Greener's to be serviced. It would have been difficult for anyone to take their life at Greeners as the range was under very strict control.The range was used to test guns that came in for service and could only be accessed through the engineers workshop. All new barrels were sent to the Proof House for testing as Michael used to take them there. Michael has written a piece for Carl' Brummagem magazine which should be in the August issue.
 
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Hello Wendy,thankyou very much for your reply.What a history Greeners have,I am not into hunting or killing of any kind but the manufacturing side of their business is so interesting.The suicide could have been at an earlier firm,when Dad worked in Kidderminster.Thankyou once again.Mary
 
We took these photo's of WW Greeners home Ty'r Craig Castle in Llanaber Wales a village just outside Barmouth. The chimney reminds me of a gun barrel well I suppose that was intentional. It's now a hotel looking over the bay........lovely. The first photo is the back of the hotel.:)
 
Thanks for those pictures, Wendy. I gather that quite a number alterations were made when it became a hotel, including the removal of the castellations/battlements [whatever the correct word is]. It's nice to see it again after probably 15 years or so since I was last down that way. :)

Maurice :cool:
 
And here's a section of a pic borrowed from the Hotel's website, believed to date from about 1900 and showing the former castellations.

Maurice :cool:
 
The house was as how I remembered it but that was only about five years ago. I suppose things get altered with fashions.
We took a walk around the local churchyard it was a bit overgrown but we did manage to find these. The headstones of the Greener family graves.:)
 
Here are some photo's of the Church and a memorial to W.W. Greener's son who was killed in WW1.

The last photo is a plaque in the church but it didn't say where the people were from. I found it very sad.
 
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