Bozard & Co - History

Company History

Philip Henniker Bozard Bedingfield shared a passion for fine hand made guns.

He, Merrick Plunkett and Andrew Kelso started the business in 1888 at 33 New Bond Street.

This soon saw the birth of his premier model "The Simplissimus". This was apparently to do with their patented ejector system.

Bozard also made a 28 bore called "The Little Wonder", the "Hurlingham" Pigeon Gun, the "Zephyr" Light Gun in 12, 16, and 20 bore.

The firm then moved to 8 Bennett Street (formerly occupied by J.D. Dougall Gunmakers) in 1895 where along with John Bree formed Bozard & Co. into a limited company.

There were 20 shareholders which included a one John Wilkes who had a nominal 20 shares. Incidently, Wilkes ran the Dougall outfit at 8 Bennett Street.

In a short period of time the company sadly was wound up in 1897. They then moved to Panton Street in 1898 and traded as Bozard, Bedingfield, Philip & Co. Such was Philips determination to carry on making fine guns. In 1899 the company reverted back to Bozard & Co. until it finally ceased trading in 1901.

Over the short period of time they were in business they made some very high quality guns, quite a few of which I have had the honour of handling, shooting and restoring. I have seen .410 double hammer guns, 28 bores, numerous 12 bore side locks and even the odd double rifle.

Unfortunatley we do not have the gun records but we do have some information that will help to roughly date guns. We are compiling our own register and would like to know from anyone who has a Bozard & Co. gun to let us know. We would especially like the calibre, serial number and the address on the top rib.

Original Bozard Advert

Original adverts from Bozard & Co.

The Bozard & Co. of Today

Growing up on a farm in Canada fuelled my interest in guns and how they work. I had my first shotgun, a Remington .410 at the age of eleven that my father bought me from Canadian Tire. (I still enjoy it today) Then a few years later I got my first rifle, a Winchester Cooey .22 bolt action. Those early shooting days with my father at my side gave me the directions for the path that I was to follow.

I moved back to England in 1984 and started my career in the London gun trade in 1985 with Purdey as a barrel-making apprentice. For a short while I was under Bill Blacker then with Dave Symes. Having fully completed my five-year apprenticeship I stayed with Purdey for a further four years making side-by-side, shotgun and rifle barrels as well as the Purdey over and under barrels of all calibres.

Soon after I was honoured to have earned by servitude the freedom of the city of London and became a member of the Worshipful Company of Gunmakers.

To further my ambitions in the gun trade, I moved to Holland & Holland in 1994 where I stayed for a further six years. During that time I was promoted to foreman of the barrel shop, over seeing production and to ensure that the barrels were made to the highest possible standards.

It was January 2001 when my life long ambition was realised. To have my own business and workshop making shotgun and rifle barrels for former employers and other famous makers to the highest possible standards.

I have made shotgun and rifle barrels of all calibres. My most memorable works were a pair of Purdey 20 bore side lock over and unders for Tom Selleck and making one of the Holland & Holland .700 nitro express double rifles.

We are now trading as Bozard & Co. Making best quality hand made guns and rifles to your exacting specifications and our exacting standards. Please click on our other pages to see what kind of hand made gun we can build for you.

Member of the Worshipful Company of Gunmakers and Freeman of the City of London