the two directories we can now be certain this is the same gunmaker and add his full trading address details as Thomas Devine, Abbey Street 1768-1774; No 3 Abbey Street 1775-1783 and finally at 194 Abbey Street 1784-1803.
Trade Directory of 1768 showing “Divine” rather than the later “Devine.” Interestingly, this is the first trade directory where the merchants and traders are listed under profession rather than alphabetically by name. However, the following year they reverted to the alphabetical listing and it wasn’t until much later that directories were listed by profession. The British Government had introduced various gun licences in Ireland during the eighteen century in an effort to control private gun ownership, yet the markets for military and private weapons remained buoyant. Along with the gunmakers listed there were a whole array of ‘jobbing shops’ and material suppliers supporting the trade i.e. barrel makers, stockers, action filers, engravers, steel and wood suppliers. It should also be remembered that not all gunmakers were recorded in the Trade Directories and before 1750 many of the engineers of the day were known simply as ‘smiths’ i.e. Blacksmiths or Whitesmiths.
longest term between 1812 to 1824 was at 29 Capel Street. The entry for 1815 has him listed at number 20 Capel Street but this must have been a printing error. His final entry for 1825 found him trading at 33 Capel Street. Possibly a door number change rather than full move? Other gunmakers who utilised this style of label were Nicholas Clarke, 35, Capel St ( 1799-1804) and John Silk, Leinster Street and finally 195 Abbey Street (1800-1805). John Gray appears to have started business in 1783 at 21 Blind Quay. Blind Quay being the thoroughfare leading to the Royal Exchange and was ultimately renamed Upper and Lower Exchange Street in circa 1785. The Royal Dublin Society cited John Gray as the maker of a superimposed gun operated by two locks and a single trigger in this year. He remained at the renamed 21 Lower Exchange Street until 1793, thereafter being listed at 13 Lower Exchange Street. In 1795 while at this address he changed his title to Patent Gunmaker. By1796 his trading address had altered to 2 Bride Street and again changed to Darby Square for a two year period 1799 -1800. Thereafter 1801-1804 he returned to Bride Street which was now No 1. He now listed himself as ‘Gun and Jack maker.’ During the period 1804-1814 he doesn’t appear in any of the trade directories yet a John Gray reappears in 1815 through to 1830 at 46 Moore Street. John Langston emerges for the first time in the 1796 Directory, interestingly at an address also listed for Samuel Wallace, 22 Eustace Street. This begs the question what the connection was between these two makers. Were they merely utilising the same workshops, or was it that Langston was apprenticed to Wallace? Another later gunmaker Robert Willett also appears at 22 Eustace Street in 1799 and thereafter the address alters to 23 Eustace Street. Robert McCormick was the son of the Belfast gunmaker, John McCormick who, on 1st November 1794, moved his business from Belfast to 23 Abbey Street, Dublin. Robert McCormick was renowned for making fine quality duelling pistols and produced some ten pairs per year. These were invariably numbered and a list of known serial numbers and dates can be seen below.
Gunstocks Advertisement from the Dublin Evening Post, 25 July 1780 Thomas Fowler traded at 121 Capel Street from 1796 through to 1800 and at 14 Capel Street from 1801-1805. A trade label for this period can be seen below. From 1806 he would be found at 18 Capel Street where he remained until 1811. His
Underside of McCormick barrel showing date and serial number AD 1793 and No 69.
Trade label for Thomas Fowler. Period 1801-1805. Detailing Nocks Patent Breech and the fact that Fowler produced duelling pistols.
Farrell McDermott appears for the first time in this 1796 directory and therefore we can assume he began business around 1795 at 35 Mary’s Abbey. He traded from 1797 to 1811 at No 2 Abbey Street and at No 1 Abbey Street from 1811 to 1827. The change of address was likely to be merely a door number alteration due to development in Abbey Street. McDermott, produced saw handled duellers utilising the Countrysports and Country Life Summer 2012
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