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Jos. Lang Howdah in .577

From Atkin Grant & Lang Website

Joseph Lang

Until 1812 Joseph Lang worked for Alexander Wilson of 1 Vigo Lane, who subsequently moved to 14 Titchbourne St, Piccadilly. In 1821 he set up on his own and in 1825 was recorded as Joseph Lang Gun and Pistol Repository (from Wilson's Warehouse, Vigo La.) at 7 Haymarket and was to stay there for more than a quarter of a century. In 1826 he had something of a commercial coup, as he was able to advertise in the Morning Chronicle of 8 June the entire stock of guns of the bankrupt Joseph Manton after he had to leave his Oxford St premises. He opened a 21 yard shooting gallery adjoining the premises in early January 1827, one of the earliest recorded shooting schools.

In 1830-34 Joseph took delivery of 84 guns, rifles and pistols from James Purdey on sale or return, all of which were quickly sold. Joseph obviously got on well with Purdey; indeed he got on even better with one of his four daughters, whom he subsequently married, making the younger James Purdey his brother-in-law. Just before leaving his Haymarket premises he exhibited at the Great Exhibition and was very impressed with a French Lefaucheaux gun, so much so that in 1856 he introduced his own version using the Houillier pin-fire cartridge system. His marketing of this design and subsequent improvements to it have resulted in Lang's name being forever linked to the introduction of breech loading sporting firearms into Great Britain.

In 1853 he moved to 22 Cockspur St, Charing Cross, the last premises he personally was to occupy. I his life he not only brought us the breech loader, but he became a driving force in popularising lemon and white pointers and also the idea of field trials for dogs. After his death, his son, also Joseph, ran the business, although it appears that the name was not changed to Joseph Lang & Son until 1875. Young Joseph, perhaps as a result of the kinship through marriage, had been apprenticed to the younger James Purdey in 1845 and such expert training helped to ensure the continuing success of the firm.

After the move to 10 Pall Mall in 1890, Lang brought out the Vena Contracta gun, the brainchild of H Phillips (shooting editor of The Field magazine), which fired a 12 bore cartridge in a barrel which was contracted to a 20 bore gauge during the first third of its length. However it was not a great success, as the weight advantage gained was offset by increased recoil and indifferent performance and many of these guns were subsequently re-barrelled. Eight years later, the business of James Lang & Co. was to be taken over. This was the result of young Joseph's brother, having set up on his own in 1887 and that business now being returned to the fold. The business was briefly renamed Joseph Lang & Co Ltd and it moved to 102 New Bond St, which had been James Lang & Co.'s premises. With that move came the change of name on 28 June 1898 to Lang & Hussey Ltd which was retrained until 27 June 1901 when it reverted to Joseph Lang & Son Ltd.

On 14 January 1902 one the directors, a Capt. Bartle Grant, wrote from Malta to resign. He was in financial difficulties and the company had considerable problems recovering an outstanding account for a gun which he had pawned.

In February 1904 the company applied for a provisional patent for an armour piercing projectile in the joint names of Mr LM Ames and Joseph Lang & Son Ltd. In 1904 it sent 12 guns to the St Louis Exhibition in the USA. It also did work for the Automatic Rifle Syndicate Ltd, trying to improve the product without success and had difficulty in recovering the money since the syndicate was in financial trouble. In 1906, as a result of the need for more production space, it took over the three-storey building immediately behind the Bond St. shop. On 29 October 1913, Dryden & white's patent rights in their o/u gun were assigned to the company and formed the basis of the Lang 'Under and Over' gun. In February 1914, the company set up a five-year agreement with Abercrombie & Fitch of New York for it to be sole USA agent and this was hoped to improve Lang's indifferent trading performance. Interestingly, the rent of 102 New Bond St at that stage was renewed for a further six years, three years at £475 per annum and the following three at £500 per annum payable quarterly! The company remained under the name Joseph Lang & son Ltd at the Bond St address until 1925 amalgamation with the business of Stephen Grant & Sons. This formed the basis of the major London gunmaking combine of Stephen Grant & Joseph Lang Ltd at 7 Bury St, St James's under the guidance of succeeding generations of the Robson family. Surviving records show that in 1933 their joint customer list contained eight dukes, 254 lords, 206 ladies, 73 service personnel, 6,322 members of the British public and 151 overseas customers!

The history of Henry Atkin, Stephen Grant and Joseph Lang is shown by kind permission of Nigel Brown, taken from his book 'London Gunmakers'.

A word from the present owner, Ken Duglan

I served my apprenticeship with Atkin Grant & Lang over thirty years ago. In my wildest dreams I could never have imagined that one day I would be fortunate enough not only to be part of, but to run such an exceptional company. We make guns today the way they have always been made, by using fine craftsmen. I like to think that Henry, Stephen and Joseph would be content in the knowledge that their names still embellish very fine guns.

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John aka NitroX

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