Master Certificates and City & Guilds Professional Recognition Awards 2025
For only the second time the Gunmakers attended the Mansion House on Monday 3 Martch for this spectacular awards ceremony. The Lord Mayor, Alderman Alastair King DL, presented the awards and was accompanied by Sheriffs David Chalk and Gregory Jones, clearly showing the level of interest and support in the schemes.
On the initiative of The Worshipful Company of Plumbers, the awards started in 2001 and with publicity and interest the number of participating companies have grown. This necessitated the move to Mansion House in 2020, a wise move as this year a record 19 companies with their Masters, recipients and guests filled the hall.
The Lord Mayor and other speakers emphasised that the recipients were, ‘The Guardians of our trades, misteries and professions. To learn and master their business and then in turn to teach and support our future apprentices.’ And another, ‘It is so important to continue these skills.’ The message was clear.
The Certification Panel had chosen three recipients. Their citations, as listed in the official programme, are reproduced below.
Master Certificate
Jason Craddock MAsR.G began his career in 1984 as an apprentice Actioner at James Purdey & Sons where he completed his apprenticeship, remaining there for 8 years. In 1992 he joined Boss & Co and since that time he has been actioning, doing single trigger work as well as ejector work. He spearheaded the Boss and Company Gunmaking Team that produced the 1812 range of ambidextrous sidelever shotguns and rifles. He has also trained 3 apprentices, and for the last nine years has designed new guns. Jason is a very modest chap who demands and builds to the very highest engineering standards.
Master Certificate
Charles Taylor MAsR.G has had a distinguished career spanning 22 years as a military armourer. All this time was spent amongst guns, working on them or adapting them for elite soldiers to undertake difficult and specific roles. He has travelled the world acquiring a vast knowledge of foreign and historic weapons. He has also advised film crews, and enjoyed an attachment at the Royal Armouries in Leeds. Charles joined The London Proof House in 2013 to test firearms. He passed on his knowledge, experience and wisdom not only to the old team but also the new members, and is held in high esteem by all in the Company.
Journeyman Certificate
Louis Hart studied engineering at UTC Swindon, then joined Holland and Holland in 2017 as an apprentice stocker. He went on to join James Purdey & Sons where he completed his apprenticeship. In 2024 he was awarded Gunmakers’ Certification where the panel remarked that the work presented were fine examples of his craftsmanship, and that his passion for the trade and his enthusiasm for gun stocking came across in volumes. His ability and results were most impressive. Louis’s skill and craftsmanship were of such outstanding quality the Certification Panel also awarded him the McMillan Trophy for Excellence in Gunmaking.
The photograph shows (l-r ) Charles Taylor, Jason Craddock, The Master and Louis Hart.
The post Master Certificates and City & Guilds Professional Recognition Awards 2025 appeared first on Worshipful Company of Gunmakers.
