Name :John Soper
Other Names: Elizabeth Soper; R & W Soper; William Soper
Address 1: Fisher Row
Address 2: 22 Broad Street
Address 3: 138 Friar Street
Address 4: 22 Friar Street
Address 5: 23 Friar Street
City/Town: Reading
County: Berkshire
Country United Kingdom
Trade: Gunsmith & Whitesmith
Other Address: Factory near the Great Western Railway Station, Reading, Berkshire.
Dates: 1823-1878
Notes:
Recorded at Fisher Row from 1823 to 1830, John Soper appears to have died between 1831 and 1842.
In 1843 Elizabeth Soper was recorded at 22 Broad Street as a gunsmith and whitesmith, she ran the business until 1850 when Richard Soper took over and moved the business to 138 Friar Street.
In 1862 the firm became R & W Soper (Richard and William - brother?).
In 1865 William Soper patented an underlever falling block mechanism (No. 2151) which was examined in the War Office Breech-Loading Trials in 1867, it was rejected as too complicated but commercially it was moderately successful.
In 1868 it appears Richard retired or died, from 1868 the firm was known as William Soper.
On 30 November 1868 William Soper patented a side-lever version (No. 3637) of his falling block mechanism.
The firm moved between 1868 and 1877 to 22 Friar Street and between 1878 and 1895 to 23 Friar Street.
The firm appears to have closed prior to 1900. (R B Rodda of Calcutta & Birmingham may have been granted a licence to make guns under Soper's patent No. 3637 and the gun supplied to Prince Koonur Singh may have been one of them).
Other Names: Elizabeth Soper; R & W Soper; William Soper
Address 1: Fisher Row
Address 2: 22 Broad Street
Address 3: 138 Friar Street
Address 4: 22 Friar Street
Address 5: 23 Friar Street
City/Town: Reading
County: Berkshire
Country United Kingdom
Trade: Gunsmith & Whitesmith
Other Address: Factory near the Great Western Railway Station, Reading, Berkshire.
Dates: 1823-1878
Notes:
Recorded at Fisher Row from 1823 to 1830, John Soper appears to have died between 1831 and 1842.
In 1843 Elizabeth Soper was recorded at 22 Broad Street as a gunsmith and whitesmith, she ran the business until 1850 when Richard Soper took over and moved the business to 138 Friar Street.
In 1862 the firm became R & W Soper (Richard and William - brother?).
In 1865 William Soper patented an underlever falling block mechanism (No. 2151) which was examined in the War Office Breech-Loading Trials in 1867, it was rejected as too complicated but commercially it was moderately successful.
In 1868 it appears Richard retired or died, from 1868 the firm was known as William Soper.
On 30 November 1868 William Soper patented a side-lever version (No. 3637) of his falling block mechanism.
The firm moved between 1868 and 1877 to 22 Friar Street and between 1878 and 1895 to 23 Friar Street.
The firm appears to have closed prior to 1900. (R B Rodda of Calcutta & Birmingham may have been granted a licence to make guns under Soper's patent No. 3637 and the gun supplied to Prince Koonur Singh may have been one of them).
