A Family Affair

In the early 1800s the company’s Founder, Charles Lancaster, was a barrel maker for the famous gunmaker Joseph Manton. In 1811, having decided to go into business for himself, Lancaster opened his own premises in Drury Lane, from where he was able to supply barrels to much of the London Gun Trade, including his former employer and other emerging and famous gunmakers such as James Purdey.
As he outgrew his shop, Lancaster made the move to New Bond Street where, in 1826, he began making complete guns under his own name.

CHARLES LANCASTER, THE FOUNDER

CHARLES WILLIAM LANCASTER

Following his death in 1847, the business passed to his son, Charles William Lancaster (1820-1878), who was joined in 1855 by his brother, Charles the Founder’s second son, Alfred (1826-1890). Alfred left the business just 4 years later to start his own company, A. Lancaster Gun & Rifle Manufacturer. Alfred carried out his business in South Audley Street, near to where Purdey would eventually set up shop. Such a prestigious address clearly showed he was a successful gunmaker, as much so as his elder brother. Indeed both brothers worked together on their numerous patents, which related as much to guns and rifles as  they did to the projectiles they fired, though Charles William’s own 1850 patent for the ‘Oval Bore’ rifling system was arguably the most well-known of the Lancaster designs.

VIEW THE LANCASTER PATENTS

Lasting Innovations

Many hunting rifles were produced on the oval bore system. Furthermore, the company received funding from the government that ultimately resulted in oval bore cannon being used during the Crimean Campaign and the Lancaster Carbine being adopted as the principle firearm for the Royal Engineers.

Charles William would also famously go on to create, or certainly vastly improve and complete, the design of the modern centre fire cartridge and the design of the modern extractor and ejector mechanisms. Additionally, many of his gun and rifle barrel designs would be given over to rival gunmakers, where he allowed them to put their own name to his work, just like his father the Founder had done before him.
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After the death of Charles William in 1878, his own apprentice, gunsmith Henry A. A. Thorn, acquired the business. Alfred Lancaster died in 1890 and, following a few years where A. Lancaster guns were manufactured by W. J. Jeffery, Thorn acquired this business as well, and reunited the two brothers’ brands under the name Charles Lancaster & Co.

THE BACK ACTION "WRIST-BREAKER" SHOTGUN AND THE 4-BARREL HOWDAH PISTOL

The era beginning with the Founder, his sons and then under Henry Thorn saw the production of numerous models of guns and rifles that became synonymous with the Lancaster name. The company became famous for its Baker patent “Twelve-Twenty” shotgun, its Beesley patent back-action “Wrist-breaker”, its 4-barrelled shotgun and its 2-barrelled and 4-barrelled Howdah pistols, the latter of which was used extensively by British military officers due to its reliability, despite the fact that it was not standard Army issue. Along with these famous models, this era saw numerous other inventions, many of which were well ahead of their time.

Gunmaker to the Good and the Great

Throughout the 1800s and early 1900s, Lancaster made guns and rifles for several notable clients. One of the most famous clients was Annie Oakley, America’s famous trick shooter known as ‘Little Miss Sure Shot”. Oakley formed a strong bond with the company in 1887 after Charles William watched her shooting a tournament and spotted that her lack of gun fit was affecting her performance. Charles William was able to immediately put this right by building her a gun with a very specific set of measurements that she would go on to put on all of her guns, including a number of new ones produced by Lancaster. Oakley later returned to Britain to be a guest instructor at Lancaster’s shooting grounds, where she famously instructed British women in the art of shooting.

ANNIE OAKLEY, WITH LANCASTER 12-BORE

ANNIE INSTRUCTING A LADY IN THE ART OF SHOOTING (Bettmann Archive/Getty Images)

Celebrated author and war hero Colonel Peter Hawker, King Edward VII, Prince Albert and Denys Finch Hatton, noted for his role in Karen Blixen’s autobiography “Out of Africa”, were among other clients that chose Lancaster as their preferred gunmaker. Charles William travelled extensively in Russia, and the Czar even had a large gold medal struck in his honour. This was just one of the awards and warrants received by the company from numerous international Princes, Emperors and Sultans.

LANCASTER CASE LABEL FROM THE EARLY 1900s SHOWING MANY OF THE COMPANY'S AWARDS

The Twentieth Century and Beyond

In 1932 came the first significant change in the structure of the company. Charles Lancaster was purchased by Grant & Lang, subsequently Atkin Grant & Lang. The production of new Lancaster guns and rifles dwindled throughout the 1900s and by the late 20th Century, the company was privately sold.

​Lancaster had a series of owners throughout the early 2000s until it was purchased in 2007 by former Rigby riflemaker, Ronald Wharton, with the backing of his long time client and friend, Francis Beardsworth. Ron relaunched the brand as Charles Lancaster Gunmakers Ltd with the help of his wife, Margarita Booker. Following Ron's untimely death, the business remained with Margarita and Francis.

RON WHARTON

GEORGE JUER

In 2021, former long-term Purdey man, George Juer, also of William Evans and W. J. Jeffery & Co Big Game Rifle Manufacturers, joined forces with Margarita and Francis to relaunch the brand and begin an exciting journey that will see Charles Lancaster Gunmakers returned to its heyday heights and its rightful place amongst the best of British Gunmakers.

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