Just a follow up to say that Holland & Holland were kind enough to locate this serial number against the rifle's calibre .295 in their 1893 records for the "new pattern hammerless". The 'buyer' is shown as "Brain". However, my suspicion is that this supposed buyer might in fact be the supplier. Of the 12 rifles shown on the page, 3 are credited simply to "Brain" and the remaining 9 to "N and Son". (The N could also be a W or an M).

Thomas Brain co-patented with Thomas Webley in 1882 the well known Webley screw-grip top fastener. If Webley were one of the suppliers of rook rifles to the trade, then this explanation would seem to fit. Brain may have set up independently by 1893 or he may have been in charge of supplying these from Webley. That is, he may have been the H&H point of contact, hence his name in their records. Whatever the true explanation, the rifle is still in good original condition and when dies and mould arrives, there's no reason why it shouldn't shoot again.