journey man gunmaker

[ward ancesters]

looking for places in birmingham that made guns in abt 1995 grandfather wasa gun maker

 

[Alf]

My Grandfather was a Gun Spring Maker Journeyman early 1900s, still haven't found out where he worked. in Birmingham

 

[barrie]

My Grandfather was a Gun Spring Maker Journeyman early 1900s, still haven't found out where he worked. in Birmingham

Its my understanding Alf, that a Journeyman had no regular place of employment, he just went wherever the work was.

Barrie.

 

[sylviasayers]

I have a number of ancestors who were in the gun trade, but I understand that there were numerous small workshops where various parts were made rather than large factories so it would be like looking for a needle in a haystack. My dad told me as a boy he would run errands for the workers and take parts from one workshop to another, I think a lot of workers were self employed, dad said one of his "employers" was very kind to him and would say Billy if I bought you a pair of boots would your mother mind if I took say 3d per week off you until they were paid for". Other times he would send dad who was only about 8 years old for food, then say he couldn't eat it all, and give him a sandwich or piece of cake etc. Dad never forgot this kindness to him, as he was one of seven children and the family was quite poor.

 

[BernardR]

I understood the term 'Journeyman' was simply the stage after apprenticeship - or it was when I was briefly in the printing the printing trade.

However it could certainly be interpreted as a self employed craftsman being as it simply means Day (Jour) Man.

 

[BernardR]

Right on Sylvia - very much like the jewellery trade with many specialist tradesmen doing parts of an item before passing it on to the next in the line.

 

[Alf]

Its my understanding Alf, that a Journeyman had no regular place of employment, he just went wherever the work was.

Barrie.

Yes my Gran and his last move was to Poplar London where he died May 1905. Three of my Aunts were born there and two died, hard times
Glad to say Gran and one Aunt came back to Aston where Gran lived for the rest of her long life. Aunt moving to Great Barr till she passed on.

 

[JAMESHDERITEND]

Parker Hale were a gunmakers and proof house in B/ham

 

[Morturn]

very much like the jewellery trade with many specialist tradesmen doing parts of an item before passing it on to the next in the line

Yes, I believe it’s the origin of the phrase ‘lock, stockand barrel’….

I did visit a Birmingham stock maker a few years back, one man in a small workshop, making custom made stocks for very expensive shotguns.

An amazing workshop did not have my camera with me at thetime.

 

[changinman1]

Hi ...ref to my last post George Field and Joseph Field , I would love to know who they worked for in the gun trade ???? how do I find out ??

 

[Shortie]

A journeyman was not self employed, he was employed by a master.

Once someone had passed the apprentice stage, journeyman was the next, which meant he was paid by the day (as were most people), and if you could get the money together and work for yourself, you then became a master. It had nothing whatsoever to do with travelling, the name comes from the French word for day. That's the offical line (as opposed to just my idea!).

I have a good example in my own family - my 2 xt gr grandfather was a plasterer, mostly a journeyman. His son moved to Birmingham (from Cheltenham) then became very ill, and his father moved up to Birmingham for a while - possibly to just be with his son whilst he was dying. Whilst my gt gt grandfather was living in Birmingham, he was a master plasterer - returning to Cheltenham later, he again became a journeyman. A daughter was born during his stay in Birmingha, that is how I became aware of his employment status.

Shortie