sakmyk:
Regarding Wal Winfer's books on British Single-Shot Rifles, I had occasion to look something up in Volume 3 'Jeffery and the Trade Farquharsons', and found a 2-page chapter on the firm of R.B.Rodda (pages 162-163).

I quote:
"A retailer who had offices both in England and India."

"This is another of the companies who were strictly retailers, they did no manufacturing themselves."

Wal adds that the company must have been substantial as their firearms are seen fairly often, and this is certainly the impression we get in Australia.

Regarding the possibility of Purdey's making guns for others, there may be a few clues in Richard Beaumont's book "...the Guns and the Family", but a re-read is not on my short-term list of things to do! I'll leave it to others...