William Tranter was born in 1816 and baptised in March of that year. He was
the eldest son of Thomas Tranter, a blacksmith of Oldbury Salop, a village near
Birmingham in the Midlands of England and Mary Ann Lees. William had four
brothers and four sisters and in 1830 at the age of 14 was apprenticed to the
gunsmithing firm of Hollis Bros in Birmingham. He left Hollis Bros in 1839 and
bought out the business of Robert Dugard at 29.5 Whittall Street, Birmingham
with a small legacy left to him by his uncle William. An advertisement in 1841
read
"William Tranter (successor to R. Dugard), Gun and Pistol maker, for
home and exportation, No.29.5 Whittall Street, Birmingham. Percussion caps,
waddings, implements, barrels, locks, and furniture of every description."
In 1846 he took his younger brother David on as an apprentice. He stayed at
the Whittall St address a short time and in 1844 once again teamed up with the
hollis Brothers. This was made a formal partnership with John and Isaac Hollis
in Hollis Brothers and Co. at 10-11 Weaman Row in 1844 and also with Isaac
Brentnall Sheath in 1845. In March 1849 Tranter returned to independant
operation, possibly for the manufacture of military weapons, and by 1851
Tranter's factory was at 13 St Mary's Row in the heart of Birmingham's Gun Quarter.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. In July the London Proof Master was directed "not to prove
the cylinders of the new pattern revolving pistols unless same be accompanied by
the barrels".
Following this directive Tranter wrote the following letter to the Court of
Assistants of the Gunmakers Company.
"I beg to request you will give your
consideration again to the rules you have laid down for my guidance for having
revolving chamber pistols proved. You are perhaps not aware that a considerable
number of the pistols I make have extra cylinders. It will therefore be
necessary to prove two cylinders to one pistol for such as require it. As
practical men I think you will also be aware that it will be a considerable tie
to be sending just the number of bodies as cylinders and must cause some of my
men to be occasionally standing still. In Birmingham some pistols are made by
having only the barrel proved without the cylinders. Still Ihave no wish to
avoid the proof and I hope no obstacle will be thrown in my way which will have
the effect of preventing me execute such orders I have been accustomed to
execute."
The result of this application was that the Court of Assistants decided that
the London Proof Master would be at liberty to prove cylinders only, provided
that he had a letter from the manufacturer. At this time Tranter was a major
maker of the 1851 Adams self cocking revolver.
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. At the same time production
began on a single trigger double action revolver based on the same frame, now
referred to as the fourth model. The production of percussion revolvers
continued well after the introduction of the cartridge revolver as many
customers preferred the old system thinking this new fangled cartridge system
would not last. Tranter also produced percussion revolving rifles in various
configurations including both single and double trigger mechanisms.
In America both single and double trigger percussion revolvers were popular
in the Confederate States. A. B. Griswold & Co and messrs Hyde &
Goodrich, both from New Orleans, were importers. Allan Pinkerton, the Scottish
born founder of the most famous detective agency in America carried two Tranters
and is said to have armed his men with Tranter double trigger revolvers. In 1868
Pinkerton and another detective were taking a prisoner by steamer from
Galveston, Texas to Cheyene when he tried to escape by jumping overboard.
Pinkerton started firing into the water in close proximity to the escapee with
his Tranter revolvers and the prisoner promptly surrendered. A nickel plated and
engraved model 1879 Tranter made by Thomas Tranter after William retired in 1885
and marked "Made for W.A. Pinkerton by Thos M. Tranter. 16 Weaman St.,
Birmingham." is thought to have belonged to Wm. A. Pinkerton, one of Allan’s
sons.
During this period it was normal practice to describe the diameter of the
bore in bore size rather than calibre. The bore size being the number of round
lead balls of that diameter needed to weigh one pound. The most common ones used
by Tranter were 120 bore (.320"), 80 bore (.380"), 54 bore (.442"), 38 bore
(.500") and 24 bore (.577").
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. This revolver was fitted with a powerful lever extractor which
acted on the rim of the spent cartridge, this proved more effective as the
cartridges of the time were prone to jamming in the chamber and a normal
extractor could break the base of the cartridge away, leaving the rest still in
the chamber.
Having purchased the land in 1864, he completed construction of a new factory
in late 1867 at 31 Lichfield Road, Aston cross which spread over an area of
about four acres. Facing the road there was a three story blue brick warehouse
which measured 90 feet by 29 feet. Behind this were the filing shops arranged in
a collection of buildings 110 feet long and three stories high. At the rear was
the main factory This building was one open room measuring 240 feet long by 81
feet wide with a height of about 40 feet. The engine house contained a large
horizontal engine which powered the whole factory. The introduction of steam
machinery to such a great extent by a private gunmaker was a first for the
Birmingham gun trade. The architect for the factory was William Jenkins of 34
Bennetts Hill, who was registered as starting his practice in 1868 and listed at
19 Bennetts Hill in 1910. The Tranter factory must have been one of his first
commissions. The factory at Aston Cross was called "The Tranter Gun and Pistol
Factory" and business was conducted at both addresses for some time, retaining
the St Mary's Square property until circa 1875.
During this time his was the most extensive pistol making business in the
Midlands producing over 20 different cartridge revolvers and pistols of his own
design, he also had government contracts for Snider rifles and also supplied
weapons of every kind to the gun trade in general including overseas markets.
His own patented mechanisms would have had preference but he made special
production runs under the patents of firms or individuals lacking manufacturing
facilities of their own. In 1877 the Lancers reputedly carried out trials on
Tranter double barrel pistols.
Tranter was a substantial property owner, a founder/shareholder in the
Birmingham Small Arms Co. Ltd. (a director in its early years) and a prominent
member of the Birmingham small arms trade. In 1854 he was called as a witness
before the parliamentary committee on small arms. The Braendlin Armoury
premisies and other businesses associated with Augustus Braendlin at 1,2,3 Lower
Loveday Street were owned by Tranter. The firms of Bently & Playfair and
Charles Reeves were tenants of William Tranter.
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. He also made single action single shot
saloon pistols and rook rifles in various calibres. One of the last weapons he
made was an excellent hinged frame, self extracting revolver called the model
1879.
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.
When Tranter retired in 1885, he gave each of his four nephews a gilt and
engraved double action revolver as a keepsake. The factory was leased by George
Kynoch, a friend of Williams, and it was renamed The Kynoch Gun Factory. One of
the weapons manufactured was a self cocking hinged frame self ejecting revolver
under Henry Schlund's Br Patent No.9084 of July 28th 1885. This revolver used
the double trigger principle but with both triggers inside the trigger guard.
Kynoch was M.P. for Aston as well as president of the Aston Villa Football Club.
In 1888 he yielded to pressure and resigned leaving his works manager Henry A
Schlund in control. The name was changed to the Aston Arms Factory but ran into
financial trouble in 1891. By 1900 business had ceased and the factory was
occupied by the Clipper Automatic Tyre Co. and then by Dunlop Rubber making
motor vehicle tyres. In 1926 it was sold to Hercules Cycle Co. The factory was
ultimately demolished in 1961.William Tranter died on January 7th, 1890, the
executors were his son William Grosvenor Tranter, his son in law Thomas william
Watson and his nephew Alfred William Thompson MRCS (Member of the Royal College
of Surgeons, England).
Williams son in law, Thomas William Watson was connected with the London gun
trade but his own son, William Grosvener Tranter was apparently only slightly
interested in the industry although it appears that he registered at least two
firearms patents. Thomas William Watson commenced business circa 1875 and about
1878 took over the business of Durs Egg at 4 Pall Mall, London after the death
of JohnEgg. His younger brother Arthur Henry Watson joined him circa 1881
forming the company of Watson Bros. William's nephews, Walter Tranter, Alfred
William Thompson and Thomas Musgrove Tranter were raised in the gun trade.
Thomas was listed as a gun action filer at Dean Buildings, Weaman Street in 1890
and is known to have made complete weapons. Walter started business in 1896 at
31.5 Whittall Street and in 1897 was joined by Thomas, In 1900 they moved to 18
Sand Street, Birmingham forming the firm of Tranter Bros. Gunmakers. The firm
moved to Steelhouse lane in the 1920s and closed in 1957.
Walter Tranter sold bicycles in the 1890's during the cycle "boom", they were
called "The Tranter" and were assembled from parts bought in. The badge was made
of pressed brass in the form of a bicycle wheel surrounded by a crown, across
the centre of the wheel "TRANTER" on a red enamel band with "The Maker" above
and below. Under the wheel was a scroll with "W. Tranter 32A Whittal St,
Birmingham" on blue enamel. During this time there were hundreds of makers in
and around Birmingham with a large number of firms already in the engineering
area like gunsmiths, blacksmiths, wheelwrights, locksmiths etc., assembling
machines from imported parts.
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