When did the London Armoury Company open its doors?
The London Armoury Company opened its doors on the 9th of February 1856. Robert Adams and James Kerr established the factory on a former railway site in Bermondsey.
Questions about London Armoury Company
Short answers, pulled from the story.
Why did Robert Adams leave the London Armoury Company?
Robert Adams left the London Armoury Company because he disagreed with the board's decision to expand rifle production instead of focusing on revolvers. He sold all his stock immediately after the vote in 1859 and departed from the firm shortly thereafter.
How many rifles and revolvers did the London Armoury Company ship to Confederate forces during the American Civil War?
More than 70,000 rifles and about 7,000 revolvers reached the South before the war ended. Major Caleb Huse and Captain James Bulloch contracted for all available rifles and revolvers in November 1863 through the company Willoughbe, Willoughbe & Ponsonby.
What caliber revolvers did James Kerr design after Robert Adams left the London Armoury Company?
James Kerr created a revolver in .36 and .44 (54 bore) caliber since Adams took his patents away. Production of the new revolver began in April 1859 under Kerr's direction but failed to obtain a contract from the British government.
When did the original London Armoury Company dissolve and what replaced it?
The original entity dissolved in 1866 following the end of the American Civil War. Most gunsmiths and staff members reorganized into the London Small Arms Company Ltd in Spring 1866.