Westley Richards is one of the oldest surviving traditional English gunmakers. It was founded in 1812 by William Westley Richards. Their inventions included the Anson & Deeley boxlock action and the Droplock, which equals in status James Purdey's self opening and Holland & Holland's removable locks. They were the producers of the Enfield rifles, the British Army standard for many generations.
It still thrives as a family-run business, occupying the purpose-built gunmaking factory built around the turn of last century.
The firm's original factory in Bournbrook, Birmingham was recently demolished to make way for the Selly Oak Relief Road. The firm now has a new factory at 130 Pritchett Street, just outside the city centre of Birmingham. Its double rifles are popular in the United States among safari hunters.
Famous quotes containing the word richards:
“...some sort of false logic has crept into our schools, for the people whom I have seen doing housework or cooking know nothing of botany or chemistry, and the people who know botany and chemistry do not cook or sweep. The conclusion seems to be, if one knows chemistry she must not cook or do housework.”
—Ellen Henrietta Swallow Richards (1842–1911)