Celebrating craftsmanship and sharing skills is integral to Purdey and has been from the start; even James Purdey the Younger joined as an apprentice stockmaker in 1843, before inheriting the business from his father. Today, our apprenticeship scheme is the best of the best, highly respected, extremely thorough and enjoyable too.
It takes place over a five-year period, in which the apprentice specialises meticulously in one area of gun craft – whether stockmaking, finishing, engraving, actioning, or elsewhere in the factory – before presenting their work to the judging panel and, if all goes to plan, getting their certification papers. From there, many of those who start out as apprentices with Purdey go on to become masters, showing the quality of training and potential for longevity in the industry.
James Bryan started as an apprentice at the age of 16 and is now production manager in our West London factory. “I remember, the first couple of weeks, I just complained to my dad that I was so tired standing up on my feet for that long,” he laughs. “It’s unique. And the expectation of it is perhaps different to the reality. You have to have a certain mindset to do well here. In the 1960s and 70s, a trade was a trade – from bricklaying to gunmaking, it was all about handcraft and skills that didn’t need tech.” Now, the landscape is changing, presenting new challenges and pushing both apprentices, masters and everyone in between to strike a balance between evolution and tradition.
“It’s a highly skilled craft, requiring excellent hand-eye coordination to make a product that’s very high in value,” Bryan explains. “What we find with apprentices right through to masters, is that the more experienced you get, the less you think about the product – you have to, because otherwise the cost of it will overwhelm you.” Once you’ve got used to that, and standing at the bench for eight to 10 hours a day, it’s about finding enjoyment and honing your technique, so that the job gets better and better with each gun.
There are between 25 to 30 people on the Purdey factory floor, following a traditional set up of gaffers and apprentices. “A collaborative nature is something we encourage, those who will actively hunt down new opportunities to learn and use some of their own initiative,” says Bryan. “If you figure out where your talent and interest lies and apply yourself well, anyone could be a great Purdey apprentice. Each person’s apprenticeship is unique to them, it’s never really mapped out, but that’s what makes it special.”
Though gunmaking is not necessarily an obvious career path for today’s teenagers, it’s certainly one that has lifelong potential. “It’s quite unique in that you can start at 16 and end at 65, working in the same area of gunmaking. You become an expert, but in the past it was a very one-track experience – now there tend to be more projects to be invested in, more models to work on, and a lot more opportunity. To spend your career at Purdey today is definitely better than ever before.”
“It’s a nice trade to be in, but it’s getting smaller, so it’s a big deal when a new apprentice qualifies and when a craftsman retires,” Bryan acknowledges. “We have a master craftsman in each area and their role is about teaching and imparting as much knowledge as possible to the younger generation. (They’re the ones that we hit with the factory tours too!) While a lot of skills go out of the door with those who retire, for me, figuring out what works for you is just as important as being taught directly, because that’s the way the masters did it.”
2024 saw a momentous celebration of these master craftsmen by the Worshipful Company of Gunmakers, which has been responsible for promoting and regulating gunmaking since 1637. The ceremony recognised the dedication and contribution of 14 master gunmakers, each with more than 25 years in the trade and a combined experience of over 800 years of British gunmaking practice. What was particularly striking is that more than half of those presented with a certificate started their careers with Purdey.
“Purdey has been such a significant player in bringing on these masters,” notes Daryl Greatrex, a member of the certification panel and court of the Livery of the Worshipful Company of Gunmakers. “Celebrating them is also a motivation for new apprentices. It’s all about keeping tradition alive, keeping the craft alive. These experienced guys who are passing on the knowledge to the younger generation are like the ‘grandfathers’ of the industry.”
Honouring this exchange of skills and the trajectory from apprentice to master is at the heart of British gunmaking. It’s these craftspeople from the youngest to the retirees who keep the industry alive, ensuring that the UK continues to lead the way and, for Purdey in particular, underlining our reputation for making the absolute best guns – past, present and future.
To find out more about our apprenticeship or to apply, please get in touch here.