items of ordnance for the War Department during World War I. Athol's sons, James and Tom, both of whom had survived serious injuries whilst fighting in France, joined the firm in the 1920s, and took over from Athol Purdey on his retirement circa 1929. The Purdey "over & under" gun is a development of the Woodward patent of 1913 which was incorporated into the company on the purchase of J.Woodward & Sons by Purdey in 1949. Whilst James Purdey & Sons is best known as a maker of shotguns, it also produces rifles, both double-barrelled and bolt-action. The guns are custom-made, largely by hand. They are extremely expensive. Richard Purdey, the sixth generation of the family from the founder, retired as chairman in February 2007. Nigel Beaumont took over as chairman until his retirement in 2014. James Horne was chairman from 2014 to December 2019. The current Chairman is Dan Jago. Ownership changes In 1946, after 132 years of Purdey family ownership, Hugh Seely, 1st Baron Sherwood, purchased James Purdey & Sons Ltd. In 1994, The Hon Richard Beaumont, who had been chairman since 1970, upon deciding to retire, sold James Purdey & Sons Ltd to Compagnie Financière Richemont SA. Royal clientele As early as 1838, Queen Victoria is recorded as having bought a pair of Purdey pistols. During the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries the company supplied ornate guns and rifles to various Indian princes. Warrants The company was granted its first Royal Warrant in 1868 by The Prince of Wales, later King Edward VII; today the company holds warrants from King Charles III. The company also held warrant from The Duke of Edinburgh and Queen Elizabeth II until their deaths in 2021 and 2022. References External links Richemont brands British Royal Warrant holders Shotguns Firearm manufacturers of the United Kingdom Manufacturing companies established in 1814 1814 establishments in England British companies established in 1814 Mount Street, London