William Powell

Founded in 1802 when William Powell and Joseph Simmons established gunmaking partnership. Partnership lasted until about 1812, after which independent Powell first located business on Birmingham's High Street then moved to Bartholomew Row and finally early in 1830s to High Street and Carrs Lane. For more than two centuries first William Powell (d.1849) and descendants built bespoke sporting arms for clients around world. Company became known as Purdey of Birmingham due to quality of firearms. Always been family run business, consistently influential in progression of gunmaking and development of shotguns we know today, played active role in creation of Birmingham Proof House, one of only two in country. In 2008 firm sold to Mark and Christine Osborne of J.M. Osborne & Co, partner in Churchill Gunmakers, operations moved from Carrs Lane to modern building in Banbury.