Double act
I read with interest the letter from John Harris in the October issue of Sporting Gun where he mentions Lord Harris of Belmont shooting with a pair of Woodward automatic guns. It may be of interest to Mr Harris that I was given the No 1 gun of this pair, No 3638, owned by Lord George Robert Canning Harris (4th Baron) and had it completely refurbished. Unfortunately, it had been sleeved (steel on damascus) but originally had 29in barrels, which Woodward was famed for. I attach a couple of photos of the gun before and after refurbishment, showing the beautiful grain of the woodwork. Coincidently, the metal parts of the No 2 gun, No 3639, were located in a Lincolnshire gunshop; I understand that this gun, too, is also in the process of being refurbished. I wonder if the writer of the letter ( John Harris) is any relation to Lord Harris of Belmont and, if so, if he requires any further photos or information on the No 1 gun?
Chris Skinner, via email