Cannon Made in Falkirk

The present location of ordnance made in Falkirk

The present location of ordnance made in Falkirk: smooth bore muzzle loading (SBML)

The attached table [Present location of Ordnance made in Falkirk]  presents the current known location of over 170 pieces of ordnance made at the either the Carron Iron Works or at the Falkirk Iron Works.  There will be many more out there and we would appreciate it if you could contact us to let us know the presence of any others – or to provide us with photographs.

Victoria Park, Kitchener, Ontario, Canada
Two cannons were loaned to the city in 1895 by A.R. Dickey, Depute-Minister of Militia and Defence. Photograph : Julia Chernushevich
Bermuda Carronade
32-pdr cannon no. 71362, cast in 1807, now  at gate to Warwick Camp, Hamilton in Bermuda. Photograph : Raymond Patrick Hayney of Royal Bermuda Regiment.
cannon 1
Carronades at Mombasa in Kenya. Photograph: Scott Melvin of Larbert
cannon 2
Carron Co 36-pdr at La Spezia in Italy, cast in 1819. Photograph : Scott Melvin of Larbert.
Pendennis Castle 1 small
Above: 6-pdr Carron made cannon of 1812 on display at Pendennis Castle, Cornwall. Photograph: Mark Malone, April 2019.

Above: Cannon made by Carron Company, found at Rothesay Pier in 1995 on display in Rothesay Castle. Photograph: Charles Taylor

Above: Cannon made by Carron, a 32-pdr Blomefield with serial number 85156. Believed to have been in Orkney since 1860, according to an article in the Orkney Herald. It was used by the local Artillery volunteers, and was first fired on Queen Victoria’s birthday in 1861. It has been on its present site since at least the late 1950s and its carriage had suffered from the passing of time. Rot was quite advanced and it was getting to the point that it was unsafe. Because of Covid restrictions, the Army Reserve troop had not been able to travel to the mainland for training, so in the spring of 2021 they rebuilt the cannon carriage, copying the dimensions off the old carriage, using the original cast wheels and as much of the metal hardware as possible. Information and Photographs: Laurence Tait.

Above: Two cannons on a closed US Navy base in Puerto Rico. Sabana Seca US Navy Base was closed in 2003 due to political issues in the island. The cannons may have been in display and may have been used to protect the island from invasions during the late 1700’s and 1800’s. Puerto Rico was owned by Spain, but now a commonwealth of the US. Photo: Wilfredo Algarin.

24-pdr cannon ex Carron Ironworks at Whitsand Bay Battery, Devonport, Cornwall, England. Photo : Brian Rayden
Quoin Patch of 18-pdr Carronade at Eagles Eyrie Battery, St Helena. Photo : courtesy Kevin Ryder
32-pdr Canon at Museum of St. Helena. Photo: Kevin Ryder

28 replies on “Cannon Made in Falkirk”

I have a hall marked medal with an inscription on the reverse ‘Presented to James Curlers for proficiency in ambulance work 1912’. Any information please?.

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Can you send us photographs of front and reverse of your medal please? Is there an inscription round the rim? Do you know anything about James Curlers? It would be good if you could send us a photo of the hallmark if that’s possible. From the hallmark we can tell the date of manufacture, where it was manufactured and the metal it is made of. email flhs.secretary@yahoo.co.uk

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Dear Sir,

I have a letter dated 1810 written by Joseph Stainton Manger, discussing wooden railway and Lord Elgin brick kilns.

Letter addressed to Robert Beaumont in Charleston.

John

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There is a carronade on display in the museum in Karonga (Malawi, formerly Nyasaland). It has no inscriptions on the trunnions, but a crown indicates that it is of british origin. In addition, there are initials which read CW&C or GW&C or CW&Co or GW&Co. Is this gun made by Carron Works? What does the abbreviation mean? If you want I can send you pictures.

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Thank you for telling us about this gun. However, our expert says that it was not made in Carron. He says, “The initials are probably SW & Co for Samuel Walker and Company of Rotherham, which was another very large manufacturer. Photos might help to check that and I assume it was a Blomefield pattern gun.”
If you would like to send us your pictures, he might be able to tell you more.

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Found a cannon in eastern Pennsylvania that might be a 6 pounder made in Carron or SW & Co. Recovered by a diver in the Delaware bay near Philadelphia. Has a raised crown on the top of the rear of the cannon. Can send you pics if you tell me how and are interested.

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I have come across a 12 pounder sponge/rammer stamped with Carronade 12 P .. (12 pounder) M G 5. (Another 5 or possibly a 3) and WD with a mark underneath the WD… I was enquiring where I could sell or value the item and help with the Markings Etc I would be very grateful Thankyou

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We have a Carron Cannon from 1826 in Kirkwall, Orkney. I think it’s a 24 pounder. There’s a serial number on the left hand side above “Carron” and the year. Do you have, or know of anyone who would have details of what serial numbers went where? I can also send you some photos if you don’t have it in your records.

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Thank you, we would be delighted if you can send photos. Please email them to our Secretary at flhs.secretary@yahoo.co.uk. Unfortunately there does not seem to anyone keeping a full list and that is the reason why Falkirk Local History Society are collecting information. What is the serial number of the Carron Cannon in Kirkwall?

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A friend has a cauldron with the markings Falkirk 50. No handles or pouring lip, presume the 50 relates to 50 gals. Does anyone know what the intended use was? thanks

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Hi, I came across two cannons (dated 1776) on a closed US Navy base in Puerto Rico. I have pictures that I would like to share. Let me know if interested and where I can send them. Please contact me at: walgarin@gmail.com

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Because they mark on the trunnions with the name of the company (Carron) dated and I guess the serial number. I just sent the pictures to the email above.

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Hello, I found a carronade at a park in Ohio, U.S.A. I have some pictures I’d like to share to help figure out when it was made and where it came from. Appears to be a 24pounder.

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Hello, Our local museum has been offered a cannon/carronade by a local hotel. As the hotel company know nothing about teh background of the gun I approached the Royal Artillery at Woolwich who helped identify the gun as manufactured by Carron in Falkirk in 1790. Is there anything else that can be learnt from its serial number 17734? Thank you. Kevin

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Hello, Kevin. I passed your question to Geoff Bailey, who is collecting information about Falkirk cannon. Geoff says, “One immediate problem is that the serial number 17734 would place it in the year 1777 and not 1790. This is early. So perhaps the number is actually 47734?
Are you able to take photographs of both trunnions and email them to me so he can make a more informed assessment? My email address is flhs.secretary@yahoo.co uk

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Can’t help with actual guns or photos but just a bit of history from my research into the career of William Bligh. Only two Naval ships were fitted out entirely with the carronade, HMS Rainbow (unable to trace any detail) and HMS Glatton. Captain Henry Trollope served as captain of the Rainbow in 1787. Not yet clear if he arranged for this unusual step or not. When HMS Glatton was being built, he was appointed to commission her and arranged for her to be fitted with 24 32 pound and 24 64 pound carronades. Effectively she outgunned HMS Victory for sheer weight of her broadside. Bligh was only in command for a month but was present with her in the Battle of. Copenhagen in 1802.
Whatever his faults as a man, Bligh was a fearless and highly skilled seaman. There are no details of his actions at the battle but Nelson commended his seamanship in his dispatches after the battle. Glatton saw a huge amount of action under Trollop and a number of other captains. As an experiment it was obviously not a great success and Glatton remained the only other ship so equipped. She was eventually refitted with standard armament and sadly ended up being sunk off Harwich to make a breakwater. No idea what happened to her carronades, but probably used in more limited numbers on other ships.
Hope this is of some interest.

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Thank you for the information from everyone which is much appreciated. Sadly the museum floor was not structurally able to take the weight of the cannonade and the local council did not want it placed elsewhere. Consequently it is likely that it will pass to a neighbouring council who plan to place it alongside a memorial of Sir John Moore, facing the English Channel. If this happens I will take a photo and pass it to you.
Kevin

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Are you aware of the cannons in Fort James, Antigua?
I did not check them all but have photos of two and the trunnion of 69128 dated 1805 if you are interested

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Hello and thank you. It’s always good to get another message about cannons. We do have a note of the following:

1805 69133 32-pdr cannon Fort James, Antigua

But not of the serial number you mention. If you can provide photos we would be grateful. Please send them to me, the Falkirk Local History Society Secretary at flhs.secretray@yahoo.co.uk Can you please advise me when you write if you are willing to allow us to use your photo(s) on this webpage.

Thank you very much again.

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Hi I have tried to reply to the EMail above but my messages keep “failing”
Is there an alternative address I could try?
I revisited Fort James and found the following:
There are 10 original cannons in the fort.
5 were struck by W Co and 2 by ‘L’
The x3 Carron cannons are as follows:
1. 69126 dated 180?
2. 69128 dated 1805
3. 69133 dated 1805
I am hooked now and will be keeping my eye out for Carron all the time.
With the very best wishes

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