A number of my family members were pistol filers and related trades in West Bromwich. Does anyone have any information on this trade in West Bromwich, company names, employees etc.
I have a few pistol makers and filers in West Bromwich too. Here's some info off the top of my head...
Some of my Holland ancestors were pistol makers/filers at Virgins End, West Bromwich (near the present day hospital) in the mid 1800s. The name Holland appears frequently in the Birmingham gun trade and there is a famous present day firm of Holland & Holland though I don't know if either is in any way related to 'my lot'.
On Yates' 1775 map you can see a track from West Bromwich heath to Lindon (Virgins End) - the western most part of this became Guns Lane (I went to Guns Village school there) and at it's mid-point was the 'Cross Guns' pub.
There were families with the name Cashmore in the trade in the Virgins End area. They were later in the vicinity of Hollyhedge Road - a firearms factory was in existence in that area in the late 1800's (near the Royal Oak pub in Newton Street).
BSA (British small Arms) had a factory near The Hawthorns.
Hopefully some of this will be of general interest,
Paul
