For the past year, the Purdey team has been working on a special new gun to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Purdey-Woodward – which launched discreetly at The World Gunmaker's Evening in London at the end of May.
As with all things in the Purdey factory, the finer details have been kept largely under wraps, though there are a few we can now share. The design, naming and numbering of the new gun draws on the work of both Woodward and Purdey, honouring our combined heritage. The calibre is a 12-bore, none of which have been produced since 1995; with 29in barrels, known to be favoured among Woodward collectors. The shape itself is inspired by that very first Purdey-Woodward, No. 26,113.
The history of the classic Woodward
To set the new gun in context, it’s worth going back in time. The robust design of the Woodward Over-and-Under is without doubt one of the best-known British gun silhouettes of the 20th century. Patented on the eve of WWI, its distinctively low profile has remained virtually unchanged for over 100 years. Its story begins with another gun manufacturer, James Woodward & Sons, which was incorporated into Purdey at the beginning of 1949. The first Purdey-Woodward Over-and-Under went into production almost immediately and we haven’t stopped making them since.
When Charles Woodward approached Tom Purdey to purchase his company in May 1948, the action was a key factor in their negotiations. The main challenge was that Woodward had never committed the finer points of producing it to paper. Instead, the knowledge was kept in the head of their actioner, Frank Banister, who was due to retire at the end of that year. So, during the second half of 1948, he agreed to train up Purdey craftsman Ernest (‘Ernie’) Lawrence Jr. Ernie then took the baton, actioning the first Purdey-Woodward, No. 26,113.
This initial gun commission was placed by the famous game shot, Sir Joseph Nickerson, with Woodward themselves shortly before their shop closed. He wanted them to match a very unusual second-hand pair he already owned, Nos. 7084/5. Their original owner, Abbas Djelal Bey, had requested a special ‘streamline’-shaped action from Woodward. As the name suggests, the raised edges and large, oval bolster that characterised the traditional Woodward action shape were all removed and replaced with a ‘hidden’ bolster and a rounded action shape.
Unbeknownst to Nickerson, Purdey had already seen this pair 10 years earlier, when Bey had sent one to Purdey to develop their Over-and-Under actions. Lawrence adopted this much more modern shape as the standard for the early Purdey-Woodwards, going on to make only minor modifications, such as changing the toplever to the Purdey pattern, to bring these new guns into the fold.
Lawrence was responsible for actioning virtually all Purdey Over-and-Unders until his retirement in 1986. By 1991, it became clear that there was a growing demand for these guns, so all six actioners at the time were then trained up. This was also a good opportunity for the action to undergo two tweaks: the lock mechanism was altered to make cocking the gun easier; and the ‘hidden’ bolster was replaced with the current stepped design.
Unlike the action, the Woodward name itself remained dormant for nearly half a century; it was only in 1995 that Purdey decided to reintroduce it, along with the original action shape, numbering these guns in continuation of the sequence that had been suspended in 1948.
The finer details of the new Woodward
Building the new Woodward has not been without its challenges. While the design is very close to the rounded action bar shape that Purdey builds today, the ‘hidden’ bolster had not been produced in nearly 30 years. Thankfully, a collector loaned one of Lawrence’s early Purdey-Woodward actions to the factory, allowing the shape to be replicated as closely as possible.
For the stock, a boldly-figured exhibition grade walnut blank, which most closely resembles the figuring that Woodward preferred. This is finished with the distinctive Woodward grip, a very open semi-pistolgrip shape, and a horn cap that lies parallel to the line of the top rib. The single-trigger mechanism is all Purdey – a modern Salter bob-weight single-trigger – rather than seeking to replicate Woodward’s design, which was less robust and unsuited to modern cartridges.
When it comes to engraving, the late Woodward actions had used a very similar pattern to the traditional Purdey rose and scroll; but Bey commissioned his pair with fine scroll engraving, modified to fit the streamlined action-shape, making it perfect for this homage. On the underside, a simple three-line inscription is inlaid in gold, with both the Woodward and Purdey name either side of three important dates for Over-and-Under design: 1913, when the design was patented; 1949, when it was sold to Purdey; and 2024, to mark the 75th anniversary.
The completed gun is joined by a very special, traditional brass-mounted oak and leather case, designed for presentation. The interior is lined in Woodward scarlet goatskin, rather than the Purdey burgundy, while accessories are engraved with the Woodward name and French-fitted into the case. And, given the significance of its story that we have only touched the surface of here, the gun is accompanied by a limited-edition history of James Woodward & Sons, written and signed by Purdey Gunroom Manager, Dr. Nicholas Harlow.
For more details, including exact specifications, please get in touch here.