Gunmakers’ Coronation Thames Flotilla Shield retrieved after 66 years!

A series of painted shields with the arms of livery Companies appeared in a West Midlands auction website earlier this year including one for the Gunmakers. They had apparently been taken down from Spitafields. Despite the good efforts of the Honorary Curator David Williams and Liveryman Mark O’Dowd, the shields were sold off in groups and disappeared into the trade. Some months later a Liveryman of the Haberdashers’ kindly alerted the Clerk to say their own Company shield had turned up with a dealer in the Brighton Lanes, along with the Gunmakers’. This time the Gunmakers’ shield was successfully acquired.

The original purpose of the shield remained a mystery but it was taken along to the East India Club and shown at the Gunmakers apprentices’ on 9 April as part of the Company’s display as shown here with Clerk Adrian Mundin and Assistant Clerk Alex Palacios.

In August, David Williams while looking at photographs in the Keith Neal archives suddenly recognised the shield as the one on the front of the Gunmakers’ – and Stationers and Newspaper Printers’ – barge on the Thames, The Maid of Kent, which took part in the Livery Companies river procession to celebrate the Coronation of Her Majesty the Queen in 1953 as shown in the picture below.  

The London Proof House looking ready for the Christmas celebration.

Christmas Greetings 2025

December 21, 2025
A brief message from the Master of the Worshipful Company of Gunmakers to all Liverymen at Christmas.
Coat of arms with weapons, flags, and Latin inscription:

The Achievement of Arms

October 5, 2025
Our identity as the Worshipful Company of Gunmakers certainly transcends the words themselves. In fact, our particular style of Livery is a unique combination of our heritage, the work of the Proof House and the Clerk’s office, and the day-to-day contributions […] The post The Achievement of Arms appeared first on Worshipful Company of Gunmakers.

Gunmakers Master Made Fellow

October 2, 2025
Richard Hefford-Hobbs Awarded Fellowship of the Royal Academy of Engineering  Richard Hefford-Hobbs FREng has been awarded the esteemed Fellowship of the Royal Academy of Engineering, a prestigious honour recognising his exceptional contributions to the field of engineering.   The announcement was made on the 24th of September 2025, highlighting Richard as one of a select few […] The post Gunmakers Master Made Fellow appeared first on Worshipful Company of Gunmakers.
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