Saturday 25 October 2014

5104 - Birmingham's historical tradition in firearms/weaponry

Considering how much the military romanticizes its weapons and guns, it is quite ironic how the Hotchkiss Naval Gun is left and forgotten in a dark warehouse in Birmingham.

The Gun Quarter in Birmingham has a large and proud history of manufacturing guns in the firearms trade running as far back as the early 17th century. Birmingham was known to be the biggest arms producer in the world, providing weaponry for the military in many wars such as the Napoleonic WarsCrimean WarAmerican Civil War and part of The First World War.


St. Mary's Row, The Gun Quarter, Birmingham.


If Birmingham has the biggest history in the culture of gun manufacturing then why is the Hotchkiss naval gun stored away and forgotten about away from society? The Hotchkiss Naval Gun is a strong representation of western military pride and yet its now a contradiction sitting in a cold and dark warehouse.


Image Source
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rj-1I-7kNnA/U6HyVF1g3PI/AAAAAAAAHnU/eVjamYPh684/s1600/st+mary's+row.jpg

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