Pics of Abandoned Parker-Hale Factory

[Bill Hollinger]

It is amazing it has lasted in that state as long as it has.

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[Mk VII]

AJP was a microcosm example of the British manufacturing industry in the West Midlands that kept on pushing the same old products, year in year out, and wondering why nobody was buying them any more. I went there once in Ma's day; it was like travelling back in time to the 1950s, nothing had changed (except the prices).

[Simon]

Ahhh yes, but who here remembers the delightful aroma and the dog with cardboard ears?

[muffett.2008]

Thanks Beerhunter, it always frustrates me when they link the two, but I like my forehead the way it is, so say nothing.
Young Alfred had a dislike for the Hales that his sister could never heal, I don't blame him either.
It is a pity his daughter ran the company down, but times change, at least now all his stuff is collectable and gaining in price every day.

[Hal O'Peridol]

Thanks Beerhunter, it always frustrates me when they link the two, but I like my forehead the way it is, so say nothing.
Young Alfred had a dislike for the Hales that his sister could never heal, I don't blame him either.
It is a pity his daughter ran the company down, but times change, at least now all his stuff is collectable and gaining in price every day.

Sorry for the frustration!!!

[Mk VII]

Ah, yes, Bremmer Arms. The fellow who bought P-H had a lot of ***** ideas about what it should be doing (such as reproducing 03A3 Springfields) and it was 'his way or the highway'. Consequently many key personnel took the highway, and not surprisingly the company folded soon afterwards.

[AlanD]

I used to call into the shop on my annual trip to the UK, most times I wouldn't buy anything but have a good chat to the bloke who served me. He would then nip upstairs and retrieve an old AJP catalog or bottle of 'Dead Black' or something for my collection as a gift. Nice people that's for sure.

It did get a bit Dickensian but photos I have seen of the old Sterling factory looked a bit grim as well.

Regards

AlanD
Sydney

[smith3006]

I used to call into the shop on my annual trip to the UK, most times I wouldn't buy anything but have a good chat to the bloke who served me. He would then nip upstairs and retrieve an old AJP catalog or bottle of 'Dead Black' or something for my collection as a gift. Nice people that's for sure.

It did get a bit Dickensian but photos I have seen of the old Sterling factory looked a bit grim as well.

Didn't know about the Sterling factory. Do you or anyone have photos or a link.

[Beerhunter]

Ah, yes, Bremmer Arms. The fellow who bought P-H had a lot of ***** ideas about what it should be doing (such as reproducing 03A3 Springfields) and it was 'his way or the highway'. Consequently many key personnel took the highway, and not surprisingly the company folded soon afterwards.

I never understood why the 1903A3s either. They were sodding expensive, as the the .22RF M16 lookalikes - the Bremmar SAR15. However, those of us with Bremmar guns like the SAR-15 now have very collectable rifles, there being very few made due to being so expensive, when the company was extant.

[Peter Laidler]

I searched for photos of the inside of the Sterling factory while writing the book but David Howroyd told me that for security reasons, interior photography - under orders from the UK MoD - was not permitted. There were phoitos taken of course but these were always under supervision of minders and even then had to be passed by the censors so to speak. Don't forget that this was in the days before small camera phones so it's unlikely that members of staff would have been able to sneak a camera-phone in