The Gunmakers Trust principal purpose is to provide bursaries to British gunmaking companies and individual independent gunmakers for the training of apprentices in the art of gunmaking. The objective for these apprentices once fully trained is that they will then go on to train the next generation of British gunmakers. Moreover, that they will become accredited by the Certification Panel of the Worshipful Company of Gunmakers. Hence conserving these potentially at-risk heritage craft skills for future generations.

The Gunmakers Company Charitable Trust was founded in 2007 and has funded 22 apprentices to the year 2022, having invested more than £500,000. The term of the bursary is normally for 4 years, and the Trust provides £5,000 per year to each recipient. To date, the Trust has relied on decreet individual donations and fundraising events that have enabled us to sponsor a maximum of 5 apprentices in any one year. There is sufficient demand within the British gun trade to enable the Trust to aspire to increase this number to 10 apprentices per year.

To achieve this aim, the Trust has created a unique and exclusive Patrons Club, the ‘1637 Club’ named in recognition of the date of the Worshipful Companies Charter as granted by King Charles 1st in 1637. The Club is composed of select individuals who have invested heavily in British guns in terms of collecting, conserving and the commissioning of new guns. Individuals who are passionate about the art, craft, and heritage of gunmaking in Britain and wish to be part of its future. The initial cohort are cordially styled ‘Founder Patrons’ and, in the opinion of the Trust, moreover, the wider gun trade, are recognised as the most influential people in the gun making world within the last 25 years.

Patrons of the 1637 Club will be provided unique access to the London Proof House and events such as the Companies Nomination Dinner, a time-served ceremony where the new Master of the Company is installed, through to special tours and other such exclusive activities and gifts befitting of such an exclusive Club. Perhaps the most exclusive Club in the known World!

To ensure that all money donated to the Gunmakers Trust, whether through the more normal routes of donation or the prestigious 1637 Club, is used to its full potential, the Trust has appointed several highly qualified Mentors to maintain oversight of the structure, quality, and progress of the training that the financial bursary from the Trust supports. This oversight includes quarterly phone calls, one or two annual visits, as well as ensuring a training log is written up to ensure all the relevant skills are recorded and conveyed. At the end of the 4-year period, there is a formal certification panel that reviews a portfolio of work submitted by the candidate, and an actual piece of work produced by the apprentice, both presented for peer group review with the apprentice present. If the panel of experts are satisfied that the applicant has reached the required standard, then they award a ‘Gunmakers Certificate’ in recognition of their craft and achievement.

The Trust is passionate about ensuring the retention and preservation of gun craft skills within Britain. The Trust would be delighted if you are interested in becoming one of our founder Patrons or perhaps a regular donor. Our medium-term aim is to establish a formal training programme that provides all the apprentices with some collective training, including spending time at the London Proof House and in the longer term, we would like to run some structured courses akin to a further education college.

The Gunmakers Company Charitable Trust is the charitable arm of the Worshipful Company of Gunmakers which was incorporated by Royal Charter in 1637 to promote and regulate gunmaking, a role it still fulfils today.

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