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W.w.greener Sporting Guns.

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.
 
Thank you once again, Wendy, for those pictures. Happily the church has survived, unlike so many in that area. Last time I was there, a chapel in the main street had closed and had been taken over by a cheapjack retailer, who had vandalised all the beautiful wooden panelling in his efforts to adapt the building to his uses. So sad.

It's very tempting to start researching your last picture, but I think I already have enough projects on the go at the moment! :D

Maurice :cool:
 
Maurice I found it very interesting looking into the family. I am glad we had success in our search with your help I might add.:)

I did wonder where the people were from commemorated in the last plaque. As you say it's never ending looking into these things.:)
 
Hmm, first two appear to have been born in Durham, but some of the other's deaths do not appear. I'm going to resist temptation and leave it to someone else. :p

Maurice :cool:
 
Hi


Gun maker W.W.Greener, Being a toolmaker (Engineer) I have been interested in shooting and gun making for most of my life, I have a number of books on gun making and one that you may find very useful is called The Greener Story.
I have a copy of this book and it is full of information on the Greener family and pictures of the factory, guns and people who worked there.
I did notice at the being of the book that all the copyrights belong to Graham Greener
But I am sure that he would allow you to use some of the pictures if you wrote to him.
 
Hello Premo thanks for the information, yes I think Maurice mentioned the book it sounds facinating. I have only a mild interest as my husband worked for Greener's in their closing days. He has written a small piece for Carl's magazine. I have emailed Carl and he tells me he has some Greener photo's. We did find some of Phylis Nicklin's. My husband is sure some of the untitled photo's are of the back of Greener's factory.
 
Hi Wendy

Greeners still make guns under the direction of Graham Greener who is the fifth generation. They are based in Wiltshire and only produce a small number of shotguns each year. Graham wrote an excellent book called The Greener Story which is still available.

Hope this helps.

Bill
 
My first ever shot-gun was a single-barrel Greener G.P (general purpose) 12 bore, with a Martini-type rolling breach-block (I think that was what it was called? The chamber was opened by a lever beneath the stock, a bit like a Winchester rifle.). It was very plain, but beautifully made. It was also amazingly heavy for a single barrel gun; but had hardly any kick-back, when fired. The barrel length was 31 inches, which was quite long. I have no idea as to it's age. Does anyone recognise the model?
 
W.W. Greener was also one of the first operators of motor buses in Birmingham - post 279 and a few subsequently in the 'Early days of Midland Red' board have the details.
 
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, think I told you before about my mate Harry Kite, his dad was a master craftsman at Greeners
also whenIi was stationed in Libya, our CO, Col; Ian Gore Langton had a pair of WW Greeners 12 bore shot
guns I heard him mention £250 not sure if that was one or the pair. They were beautiflly engineered, all
engraved and everything. The thing is he only had one arm, he lost one in France in 1944, he also had the
biggest black stallion you have ever seen, wonderful man, he wrote me a glowing reference in my discharge
book when I left the army, Bernard
 
W.W. Greener was also one of the first operators of motor buses in Birmingham - post 279 and a few subsequently in the 'Early days of Midland Red' board have the details.

Thanks Lloyd I missed that post how interesting we both had no idea there was a bus connection.
 
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