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William Tranter’s Gun and Pistol Factory, Aston Cross, Birmingham, England. History: William Tranter (William (I)) was born in 1816; he was the eldest son (of five sons and four daughters) of Thomas, a blacksmith, and Mary Ann Tranter (nee Lees) of Oldbury, Shropshire, near Birmingham. There are reports that he was apprenticed to either John Adams or Robert Dugard (the Tranter and Adams families were apparently related) but there was no John Adams in business in the 1830s, but Robert Dugard was in business at 29 Whittall Street between 1826 and 1839. Other reports say that he was apprenticed in 1830 at Hollis Brothers but they did not exist at that time and Isaac Hollis was born in 1816 so would only have been starting his own apprenticeship in 1830. The fact that William Tranter bought the business of Robert Dugard at 29 1/2 Whittall Street in 1839 seems conclusive proof that he was apprenticed to Robert Dugard. In 1841 William (I) was recorded in the census living in John Street West, Birmingham, he gave his occupation as gun maker. He was living with Walter Grosvenor (aged 50 b.1891 occupation given as agent later as house agent) and his wife Elizabeth (b.1894), and their daughter Amelia Elizabeth (b.1826). One of William (I)'s advertisements in 1841 stated "WILLIAM TRANTER (Successor to R. Dugard), GUN AND PISTOL MAKER, For Home and Exportation, No. 29 1/2 Whitall St. Birmingham. Percussion Caps, Waddings, Implements, Barrels, Locks, and Furniture of Every Description." In 1844 he entered into a short-term partnership with Isaac Hollis at 10 & 11 Weaman Row, presumably to complete a particular government contract. This partnership lasted until 1849. From 1845 he was also in a short-term partnership with Isaac Brentnall Sheath in another contract. In 1846 William (I) took his brother, David Tranter, into the business as an apprentice. David was later to have two sons, Walter and Thomas Musgrove Tranter who were both in business on their own account, and later together as Tranter Brothers. On 13 October 1849 William (I) registered a design for a pepperbox pistol lock and lever catch (No. 2054). From 1849 to 1875 he was recorded in business on his own account at 13 St Mary's Row, the address sometimes given as 13 St Mary's Square, but an address at 13 St Mary's Row was also used in 1849 by yet another short term partnership named Hollis, Sheath & Tranter. William (I) also had premises at 50 Loveday Street from 1854 to 1860. The 1851 census records William (I) was living as a lodger at 98 New John Street West with the Grosvenor family. Another lodger was David Lant (b.1829 in West Bromwich), also a gun maker probably working for William (I). In the 1850s William (I) made about 8,000 of the 1851 Adams self-cocking revolvers under licence, and a large number of Beaumont Adams revolvers with his modifications (the Tranter/Adams Kerr revolvers), but on 28 January 1853 he registered patent No. 212 for two of his own self-cocking revolver actions and a safety catch. On 16 December 1853 patent No. 2921 covered a breech loader, a double action revolving mechanism (an improvement on 212/1853) and lubricated bullets and wadding. His 5 shot double action revolver cocking mechanism had a trigger and a lever; the trigger was contained in the trigger guard and a longer lever projected through it. Pressure on the latter with the middle finger turned the cylinder and locked it in position, and also cocked the hammer. The trigger inside the trigger guard was then pulled lightly with the first finger to release the hammer and fire the pistol. A safety device on the left hand side of the frame was released only when the mainspring was fully compressed which prevented premature striking of the percussion cap. From 1854 to 1860 if not 1863 William (I) was also occupied premises at 50 Loveday Street. In 1854 he became a partner with 19 other Birmingham gun makers in the Birmingham Small Arms Trade, a partnership founded to gain military contracts available due to the Crimean War. On 16 August 1856 Tranter patented his famous double trigger revolver together with six other mechanisms, two rammers, and a technique for shaping revolver frames on a lathe (No. 1913). This patent referred to 212/1853. On 17 May 1859 William (I) married Amelia Elizabeth Grosvenor and in 1860 they had a daughter named Mary Louisa. The 1861 census records William (I), Amelia and Maria Louisa living at 3 Colmore Terrace with William (I)'s brother David (b.1828), Walter and Elizabeth Grosvenor, and two of William (I)'s sisters, Sarah Butler (b.1822) and her son Joseph, and Mary Horton (b.1826). The family employed two servants. In 1861 William (I) and Amelia had a son, William Grosvenor William (II). In 1861 William (I) became a founding shareholder with 11 others in the Birmingham Small Arms Company. The company was formed to supply arms to both sides in the American Civil War. Over the years, William (I) made a considerable amount of money investing in commercial property in the Birmingham gun quarter. On 19 July 1862 William (I) patented a revolver chamber action, a lubricating rammer and rifling which was hyperbolic in cross section (No. 2067). In 1863, there was something of a gun making slump, due to the cancellation of US contracts, but due to the popularity of revolvers and unlike many other Birmingham gun makers, Tranter was able to buy land and commence the building of a new factory. The Tranter Gun and Pistol Factory at 31 Lichfield Road, Aston Cross, was to be equipped with steam-driven machinery, it opened in 1863. The main purpose of the factory was the manufacture of revolvers and other arms with interchangeable parts also Snider rifles, rook rifles and single shot saloon pistols and, later, machine guns. Tranter revolvers at the time were very high quality and superior to Colt and all other revolvers. On 27 July 1863 patent No. 1862 covered an extractor for revolvers. In 1863, William (I) reportedly patented (No. ???) rimfire single and double action revolvers, and his 1863 model. These patents have not been traced. On 20 July 1865 patent No. 1889 was for a drop-down breech loader, sliding breech bolts and a conversion method for percussion revolvers. On 17 August 1866 patent No. 2113 was for a rotating bolt single bite snap action mostly used for rook and rabbit rifles. The under-lever pivoted in the action bar and a hook at the top locked into the front of the lump. The patent was also for an improved revolver extractor. The patent referred to 1889/1865. On 1 August 1867 Tranter's patent No. 2228 was for improvements to 1889/1865 and 2113/1866. On 28 January 1868 patent No. 285 was for revolver improvements referring to 1913/1856 and 1862/1863. On 28 November 1868 he patented a falling block action and a side hinged breech block for pistols and a revolver extractor (No. 3622). On 9 December 1869 patent No. 3557 was for improvements to his patents 2113/1866 and 3622/1868. In 1870 the firm made Krnka rifles for the Russian Government, Alexander Henry’s 1873 .450 Cavalry rifle and his 1876 .577/.450 Infantry rifle. The 1871 census records William (I) staying in London in a boarding house at 20 Thavies Inn. Amelia was living at Colmore Lodge in Birmingham with Mary Louisa, William (II) and two servants. On 23 September 1871 patent No. 2509 covered a hinged breech action and an extractor rod for revolvers, it referred to 3557/1869 and 3622/1868. On 10 December 1875 patent No. 3171 covered a bolt locked by a hammer on drop-down guns, a vertical bolt and pistol actions for over and under barrels and four barrelled pistols. William Grosvenor was apprenticed with the firm in 1875 and worked for it until 1885, but in his later years was an alcoholic. On 14 July 1879 patent No. 2855 was for a self-extracting revolver (the 1879 model). This patent referred to 1913/1856 and 1862/1863. The 1881 census records William (I) and Amelia holidaying with the Bignell family at Granville House, Ryde, Isle of Wight. Mary Louisa, their daughter, was with them as was Thomas William Watson the London gun maker who in 1882 married Mary Louisa. On 1 July 1881 William (I) registered patent No. 2871 for an opening cocking action with a grip safety which locked the tumblers. The patent describes a lever which on opening the gun is acted upon by the top limb of the mainspring to cock the tumbler. On closing the gun the lever is depressed so tensioning the lower limb to fire the gun. On 9 December 1881 provisional patent No. 5395 covered a trigger plate action which was the precursor of the Carlton shotgun which was patented in the following year. On 19 April 1882 patent No. 1881 covered a cocking mechanism and top strap safety for the trigger-plate action which was to become the Carlton model gun which is easi8ly recognised by the box in front of the trigger guard which houses the cocking lever work. The L shaped cocking lever was operated by a hook cut into the rear lump. The lever was pivoted under the tumbler pivot and cocked the tumblers against the lower limb of the mainspring as the gun was opened. As the barrels were closed the rear lump pushed down on the L shaped cocking lever moving the cross piece so that the tumblers could fall and compressing the upper limb of the mainspring which was connected to the L shaped lever by a short lever pivoted just in front of the L shaped lever pivot. The patent included a top strap "Treble" safety (promoted as the "Jar Check" safety which would not allow the gun to discharge if dropped) which locked the tumblers, sears and trigger blades. The locking bolt was in a Y shape the ends of the Y engaging in slots in the rear of the tumblers. The shaft had cut-outs which engaged the triggers and sears. Not many guns were made using this patent but T W Watson sold them as his "Carlton" model. The patent appears to have included "Patent Concentric" barrels which "give better shooting than any hitherto attained" and were "bored to shoot with ordinary paper cases and Kynoch's perfect metallic cases". Some guns, those made after Tranter leased the factory to Kynoch (see below), were marked Kynoch Gun Factory. Amelia Tranter died on 24 August 1882. On 25 April 1884 patent No. 6787 covered another drop-down barrel action and a trigger safety mechanism. William (I) retired in 1885 aged 69, the business was sold and all the equipment was leased to his friend George Kynoch who traded as the Kynoch Gun Factory. On 28 February 1887 William (I) registered his final patent, No. 3049 for a bolt action magazine rifle with a bayonet and cleaning rod attachment facility. On 6 June 1885 William (II) married Amila Shelvington, they had a daughter Amina Grosvenor in 1886 and a son William (III) was born on 13 June 1888. William (I) died aged 73 on 7 January 1890 at Colmore Terrace, 318 Summer Lane, Birmingham. His executors were William (II), Thomas William Watson, and Alfred William Thompson MRCS (nephew). William (III) was recorded in the 1891 census living at The Shrubberies, Erdington with a housekeeper, housemaid, cook and coachman but he died on 6 August 1893 in Birmingham aged 33. William (William (III) b.1888) inherited all William (I)'s property but sold it at auction in 1909 and emigrated to Australia aged 21. In 1863 Tranter secured patents for some of the first rim fire revolvers in Britain. Revolvers based on these patents included small calibre single and double action revolvers as well as the model 1863, a large solid frame revolver in .442" calibre. In 1868 he began manufacturing a revolver to take the .450 boxer cartridge and in 1878 was granted a government contract for a solid frame .450 centre fire revolver to be used by the British army. Tranter was very patent conscious and between 1849 and 1888 lodged 24 patent applications. The 19 patents for cartridge weapons included bolt action rifles and machine guns as well as his revolvers. Tranter was involved in the design of the Enfield Mk1 service revolver although he received little or no credit for his efforts. Tranter retired in 1885 Tranter had shops, sheds and steam machinery, yard and premises at 50 Loveday Street between 1854 and 1860. As early as 1852 Tranter was known to and it appears well respected by the London gun trade. Up until, and possibly after 1853 he manufactured over 8000 1851 Adams revolvers under license. About 1853 he started making the first of his double trigger, double action revolvers. This model was built on the Adams frame and had a detachable rammer which fitted onto a peg attached to the frame. Circa 1854/5 production began on a new model, the rammer being secured by a keyed peg on the frame and a hook on the barrel. This rammer could still be removed by turning it around to the appropriate position. He also manufactured his own version of the Beaumont Adams revolver, known as the Tranter/Adams/Kerr. Some time after 1856 production began on what is now commonly referred to as the third model double trigger revolver. This had a more streamlined frame and the rammer was secured to the frame with a screw. . 1878 This solid frame revolver is like the original Adams. The trigger mechanism is double action and some models have the firing pin fitted to the frame according to a Tranter patent. Pin for clearing cases is of the swing pin type and there is a trigger stop on the trigger. It is classified as an antique in the USA. (Ref. ‘Pistols of the world’ by Hogg and Weeks p242, Internet Gun Club)

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