During the 1830s Charles also worked
alongside his brother, John. Both are
cited in The London Journal of Arts and
Sciences, and Repertory of Patents, Vol II in respect of a patent sealed 31
August 1837, ‘for their invention of certain improvements in machinery or
apparatus for making or manufacturing pipes, tubes, and various other articles,
from metallic and other substances.' For
whatever it was that John utilised pipework, Charles will have been interested
in its role as the fundamental component (barrel) of a gun.
For
Charles Hanson had already been recorded as an Air Gun Maker at 1 King Street,
Huddersfield in 1829. Here we come to
the beginning of my uncertainty about Charles’s possible dual career as both a
gunmaker and a watchmaker. From this
point I am basing this narrative on the premise that various references to the
two crafts relate to the same person.
Perhaps the strongest indication is the following 1843 newspaper report
in which Hanson’s trade is referred to as a horological one, but records a gun
incident, all the more notable since it implies that the gun involved was of
his own design/manufacture:
Wednesday last Mr Charles Hanson, watch &
clock maker, Buxton Road, trying a newly invented air pistol, the air pump
burst and shattered his right hand -2 fingers amputated. A most ingenious
mechanic, lately obtained with another a patent for important improvements in
guns and other fire arms.
I
believe that as a result of the accident and loss of fingers, Hanson’s facility
for working with smaller mechanisms was greatly reduced. He therefore reordered his craft and business
activities, devoting more time and attention to gun making. But in the immediate aftermath of the maiming
of his hand, there was the first (1845) horological patent to be
registered. Ten years on and his
innovative nature and increasing involvement in gun making led to his
application for another patent, this time to protect his invention of
improvements to the revolving mechanism of firearms. The patent is numbered 2497, dated 7 November
1855. It is outlined in this description
of one of his guns recently offered for sale:
A rare 28 bore Charles Hanson Patent ten shot
revolving percussion rifle, serial no. 2120, with 23 in. octagonal re-browned
sighted barrel rifled with three grooves (rear-sight missing), large border
engraved cylinder, scroll engraved action with indistinct signature on the
top-strap and marked 'C. HANSON'S PATENT NO. 100' on the right side, patent
rammer, the lower tang with safety-catch locking the trigger-mechanism, walnut
butt with chequered grip, and scroll engraved butt-plate (heavily pitted and
cleaned throughout), London proof marks to the cylinder. Other Notes: This
revolving rifle is made using Charles Hanson's patent No. 2497 of 7th November
1855 for an improved revolving firearm. The firing mechanism requires a lever
to be raised and the trigger pulled at the same time. The patent also incorporated
the reciprocating rammer present on this piece.
During
the period of Hanson’s presence in London, he formed a brief partnership with
Theophilus Murcott, a well-established gunmaker with premises at 68 Haymarket
in central London. Murcott became famous
for his ‘Mousetrap’ sidelock gun. This
was highly innovative, being hammerless, a unique feature, protected by patent
#1003, April 1871. But ten years
previously Hanson and Murcott had jointly taken out a patent for a novel hinged
chamber and, Hanson alone, a patent for improvements to firearms ignition
processes. In 1862 Murcott and Hanson
participated in the International Exhibition in London. The catalogue indicates that the Partnership
exhibited samples related to four patents for breech-loaders and the firing of
explosive compounds. It would appear
that at this time Murcott provided considerable stimulus to Hanson’s creativity
in gunmaking. However, the partnership
seems to have lapsed by 1866.
After
the Murcott partnership, Hanson apparently ‘rediscovered’ his interest in
horological innovation and, recognising the United States as both a now-significant
maker/exporter of watches and a rapidly expanding consumer market, sought
patent protection there for his simplified version of the English-traditional fusee. In outline it was summarised:
United States Patent Office. Charles Hanson, of Huddersfield,
England.
Specification forming part of Letters Patent
No. 161,957, dated April 13, 1875; application filed February 24, 1875. To all whom it may concern, be it known that
I, CHARLES HANSON, of Huddersfield, Yorkshire, England, have invented an
Improvement in Watch Spring Equalizing Mechanism, of which the following is a
specification:
When a watch-spring is wound up its power is
the greatest, and as the same runs down its power lessens. Efforts have been made to equalize the action
of the spring, and for this purpose a chain and conical fusee have been
employed.
My invention is made for equalizing the
action of the spring without the use of a chain; and consists in a detaining-lever
acting against the spring-barrel to lessen the effective force thereof, said
detaining-lever being operated by the force of the spring itself, acting
through the arbor of the spring-barrel and the ratchet wheel and pawl upon a
spring arm that yields more or less according to the force exerted by the
mainspring, and in so doing causes the detaining-lever to press upon the spring
barrel and neutralize the excess of the power thereof, so as to render the
action of the spring barrel as nearly uniform as possible.
I claim as my invention- The detaining-lever,
acting against the spring barrel, in combination with the spring arm, pawl, and
stud, substantially as set forth.
Signed by me this 28th day of January, A. D.
1875.
There
is no evidence of the commercial success of this invention. Its prospects would always have been limited
since the mass market, as satisfied so successfully by the Swiss and American
makers, readily accepted watches equipped with the simple going-barrel, and the
incorporation of a fusee progressively declined.
The
last ten years of Hanson’s life, during which he fell back on his watchmaking
business, were challenging. There was
plenty of competition in a town of Huddersfield’s modest size, for example:
J N E Hardy
8 King Street. Watch and Clock
Manufacturer, Goldsmith and Jeweller
A J Hoyle 10
Kirkgate. Watchmaker, Silversmith and
working Jeweller
Alfred Smith Kirkgate. Gold and Silver watches, guards, Alberts
James Sykes 50
New Street. Practical Watchmaker. Gold and Silver watches made on the most
improved principles at the lowest possible prices
George Russell Watchmaker, Jeweller etc.
Corner of Cross Church Street and King Street.
No
records have been found relating to Alfred (son) after the death of Charles and it is
likely that he never carried on a watchmaking business in his own name as had
his father. With no legacy in terms of
business continuance and a relative lack of information available currently,
Charles Hanson’s considerable inventiveness across two technological crafts is
today little recognised.
