• Welcome to this forum . We are a worldwide group with a common interest in Birmingham and its history. While here, please follow a few simple rules. We ask that you respect other members, thank those who have helped you and please keep your contributions on-topic with the thread.

    We do hope you enjoy your visit. BHF Admin Team
  • HI folks the server that hosts the site completely died including the Hdd's and backups.
    Luckily i create an offsite backup once a week! this has now been restored so we have lost a few days posts.
    im still fixing things at the moment so bear with me and im still working on all images 90% are fine the others im working on now
    we are now using a backup solution

Webley Family of Webley Scott gun manufacturers...help

W

Wendy

Guest
Michael is starting to improve so am trying to get back in the saddle so to speak.

I am trying to find information on the Webley family of Webley Scott. I know the company was taken over by Phillip Webley from his father in law William Davies in 1834. Phillip was joined by his brother James. These are the only names I have no wives children etc. I would assume they lived near the factory but as yet I have found nothing any help would be great. Thanks Wendy.
 
I am cooking on gas tonight and think I have found Phillip and his wife Caroline Webley in Weaman Street in 1851...watch this space!!
 
My old nan said that she was related to the Webley gun manufacture, I have yet to make that connection, her grandmother on her mothers side was Eliza Webley, they were poor nail makers from the Bromsgrove area .......just wishful thinking I expect, due to sharing the same surname......
 
Wendy
I presume you know that no 84 Weaman st was the address listed for the factory. One other thing. In 1855 Phillip is listed as at that address , gun implement and bullet mold manufacturer, but James is listed as at 14 St Marys Row, gun & pistol maker
 
I have only just started with this tree but it seems they were from Birmingham. Phillip was born in 1812 and christened in St Phillips. I found a cousin staying with them in 1851 named Sarah Haywood from Ludlow. You never know Aston Lad....

Mike thank you I did assume it was the factory by the address but thanks for confirming it. James was at a different address. So the brothers had two different factories. Now it's getting interesting. Thanks again Mike..x
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Hi Wendy, I am glad to hear Michael is starting to get better.

I found the marriage between Phillip Webley and Caroline Davis
March quarter 1838 Ref volume 16 Page 245
 
Thanks Di will check it on the IGI for more info hopefully...
 
Here are the family in 1861 living at 386 Bristol Road The writing is hard to read so I'll put a ? if I can't read something. Sorry it is so long I used to be able to edit Census results but I can't now.

Philip Webley
48
abt 1813
Head
Male
Born Birmingham, Warwickshire, England
Address 386 Bristol Road Edgbaston
Birmingham
Occupation Gun Pistol ? Maker

Philip Webley
48 Head Born Birminhgham
Caroline Webley
43 Wife
Born Birmingham
Thomas W Webley
22 Son
Born Birmingham
Philip Webley
19 Son
Born Birmingham
James Webley
18 Son
Born Birmngham Merchant Clerk
Caroline Webley
6 dau
Born Birmingham
Mary Draper
3 niece
Born Warwickshire ?
Eliza Holland
28 Serv
Born Staffs ?
 
Last edited:
1861,1871 and 1881 living at 386 Bristol Rd,Edgbaston.
1891,Caroline is now a widow and at the time of the census appears to be staying at a
boarding house in Hastings.
 
At the time of his death,March 24 1888,Philip was living at 64 Bristol Rd (possibly same house as before,but Bristol Rd may have been renumbered?).
The will was proved by Caroline and his son Thomas Wiliam.
Total amount left was £13,609 7s 10 1/2d
 
Wow thank you all for your help, what a great bunch! I can now confirm as this is the right family, I have located the family grave at Key Hill cemetery. The only problem is that the memorial is buried like my own family grave was. I now only hope the stone is in tact and money can be raised to lift the stone. I think this is an important find for Birmingham as the company of Webley Scott is known throughout the world. First we need permission from Handsworth. I now need help from our Key Hill Brian.

I am now going on the search for James. The only info I have is his wife Harriet died aged 37 in 1847.

Wow this is so rewarding!
 
Looks like he remarried?
Marriages Dec 1849
Louisa Green Birmingham 16 478
James Webley Birmingham 16 478
By 1861 James appears to have died and 2nd wife Louisa is described as Gunmaker employer.
There are daughters Louisa aged 9 and Hannah aged 5.
Address was 14 St Mary's Row.
Deaths Jun 1856
James Webley Birmingham 6d 76
Deaths Sep 1868
Louisa Webley aged 53 Aston 6d 283
Louisa Webley formerley of 14 St Mary's Row,died on 28th August 1868 at Potters Hill.
Her will was proved by Philip Webley ,Gun Implement Manufacturer and one of the executors.
She left effects of under £1,500.
 
Thank you Linda I must collate all this info now, the best bit is from this is I now have James and Louisa's grave at Key Hill. I need to visit to find if it's visible. I wish I had done some searching earlier. We now have the two men who started Webley Scott in Key Hill this is very exciting! I wonder where Scott is...lol...Thanks again for all your help..x
 
Hi Wendy, just wondering if you have a library card for Birmingham, I've had a quick look on the online newspaper site, just with the search term "Philip Webley" and there are about 57 articles for the name..havent checked them all but many I think, refer to your Philip

Additional Info there is also a "Prospectus" for the amalgamation of the companies which made up Webley & Scott, printed in 1897 which has great detail in it. (under the search term Webley Scott)
 
Last edited:
The Webley company was founded in the early 18th century by William Davies, who made bullet moulds.
It was taken over in 1834 by his son-in-law, Philip Webley, who began producing percussion sporting guns.
The manufacture of revolvers, for which the firm became famous. At that time the company was named P. Webley & Son.
In 1897 Webley amalgamated with W & C Scott and Sons to become The Webley and Scott Revolver and Arms Company Ltd of Birmingham.
In 1861 William Middleditch Scott and wife Caroline lived in Victoria Rd Aston and he was described as a gun finisher.
By 1871 William Middleditch Scott and wife Caroline lived in Sharmans Cross Solihull.
His occupation was Gun Manufacturer.
In 1881,William Scott lived at 14 Greenfield Crescent,Edgbaston, with wife Caroline.
William Scott lived at 2 Augustus Rd Edgbaston,in 1891 with wife Caroline.
By this time he was described as a retired gun manufacturer.
Marriages Mar 1859
Caroline Ann Osborne Aston 6d 273
William Middleditch Scott Aston 6d 273
William died on 4th February 1916.
Probate was granted to Richard Burton Earle,chartered accountant and James Charles Scott gentleman.
Effects of £33,283 13s were left.
 
I don't have a library card I must get to Brum and get one have been a bit tied up this year. Thank you for the information.

Linda this is just what I need to go further thank you so much you have saved me a lot of time which I don't have much of at the moment.
 
Deaths Mar 1916
William M Scott aged 80 Kings N. 6d 112
Deaths Jun 1912
Caroline A Scott aged 76 King's N 6c 432
Caroline died on 20th May 1912.
Probate was granted to Richard Burton Earle,chartered accountant.
Effects of £2,302 17s 5d were left.
 
Last edited:
James Charles Scott,mentioned in William's probate records was also a gun manufacturer.
In 1911 he was living at "Rowanleigh",St Bernard's Rd,Olton with his daughter Ellen.
He appears to be the younger brother of William,living in Walsall Road, Aston, in 1851.
Their father William Scott born 1806 Bradfield Suffolk,was a gun maker employing 18 men and 2 boys in 1861.
Their uncle Charles Scott born 1806 Bradfield Suffolk,gun manufacturer,had been listed with the family since 1841.
Then he and his 2nd wife and sons lived at Bolton Street, Handsworth in 1861,moving to Sycamore Rd,Handsworth before his death in 1883.
His son Martin,(1853) was an executor of his estate when he died 18th december 1883,leaving an estate of £9,371 0s 1d.
Martin was then living at 32 Booth Street Handsworth.
Is this where the W&C Scott and Sons name came from?
 
Thank you so much for all the info and the prospectus you sent me Ladylinda. I am now putting it together for the Key Hill records.

I am mainly concentrating on the Webley family in Key Hill cemetery for obvious reasons but, the Scott family is also so interesting as is the history of such an important Birmingham company and employer.

I haven't found the resting place of William Middleditch Scott d 1916. I would think there is a large memorial somewhere in Birmingham.
 
A little off-topic but might be of passing interest...

Eliza Holland, the domestic servant recorded on the 1861 census was my greatx2 grandfathers sister. Her father and other brother were pistol makers who lived at Virgins End (near present day Lyndon), West Bromwich. There were numerous gun makers in the area at that time and later a small arms factory near Wigmore. Cashmore is another prominent name associated with the gun trade in the area - a couple are buried near the entrance to All Saints ('old church').

There is of course the world famous shotgun maker Holland & Holland based in London and I've often wondered if there was some link to them and whether there was any connection between my pistol-making Hollands and the Webleys that resulted in Eliza being employed by them. As my Hollands were skilled manual workers (pistol lock filers) perhaps they were employed in some way by Webley?

Paul.
 
  • Appreciate
Reactions: Anj
Caroline Davis who married Philip Webley was daughter of William Davis who was originally Philip Webley's apprentice master.
William Davis was brother of my 3xgreat grandfather John Sanders Davis who also owned a gunmaking business in Birmingham.
Both men fought at Waterloo & were awarded medals. John Sanders married a frenchwoman Mary Margaret Rosalie Dubois in France in 1816. They returned to England around 18
As I understand it, William Davis's wife was called Sarah & Philip Webley bought the business from her after William's death in around 1834.
 
  • Appreciate
Reactions: Anj
Sorry I have been so busy I missed your post. What a great account and history of the Webley family. I am thrilled we have found their final resting place at Key Hill cemetery. I have made up a brief account of their history for the Key Hill archive so any extra info would be wonderful thank you for this.
 
Wendy said:
Sorry I have been so busy I missed your post. What a great account and history of the Webley family. I am thrilled we have found their final resting place at Key Hill cemetery. I have made up a brief account of their history for the Key Hill archive so any extra info would be wonderful thank you for this.
Click to expand...

Hi Wendy.
have your e mail address via Ancestry & will be in touch.
Have a bit of info on Ancestry about the Webleys but most of it is about the Davis family.Only recently discovered the connection between my 3xg uncle & Webley & Scott, so am still working on it, but if I can help, please just ask.
Marion
 
Thank you Marion I have done a little on the Davis family but would love to learn more.
 
You may already know this.
James Webley b 16.3.1808.
Married 1. Harriet (maiden nane unknown) b abt 1810 d 1847. Dau Emma b 1838.
Married 2. Louisa Green Oct 1849. (b 1815 d 1868) Daughters Louisa b 1852 & Hannah b 1856.
James died 1856.
Will send you some info on the Davis family over the weekend.
Marion
 
Hi Wendy.
Hope you are OK.
Please could you confirm you have got the info I e mailed to you at the weekend because I´m having problems with my e mails not being recieved.
Just a yes or no will do.
If you haven´t got it, I can re send it to you.
Marion
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top