Skip to content
Pitt Rivers Museum
AboutHire the MuseumNewsletterUniversity of Oxford

1911.15.1.3

Pistol wrench or key. For use with pistols 1911.15.1 .1 and 1911.15.1 .2 [DCF Court Team 3/2/2003]

On display

1911.15.1.3

Digital asset copyright: Pitt Rivers Museum, University of Oxford

Terms and Conditions

If you wish to order a high-resolution image and/or licence its use for print or web publication, exhibition, film, promotional product or any other use, whether in the academic or commercial sector of any print run, then please visit photographic services.

Collection type
Object
Description
Pistol wrench or key. For use with pistols 1911.15.1 .1 and 1911.15.1 .2 [DCF Court Team 3/2/2003]
Cultural groups
English
Date / Period
Date made: 1758-1763?, uncertain Date made: 1773-1776?, uncertain
Date collected
By 1776?
Acquisition information
Donated: 1911
Materials and processes
Material Steel Metal, Process Forged (Metal)
Dimensions
Length: max 91 mm
Object numbers
Accession number: 1911.15.1.3
Research and responses

Note that in http://www.headington.org.uk/oxon/mayors/1714_1835/nicholes_john_2_1752.htm it mentions that Parson Woodforde visited John Nicholes in his gun shop: 'Parson Woodforde visited Nicholes’s gunshop when an undergraduate in Oxford, and wrote on 29 June 1763: “For a Pocket Pistol, alias a Dram Bottle, to carry in one’s Pocket, it being necessary on a Journey or so—at Nicholl’s, 0. 1. 0.” So this object might have been owned by James Woodforde, if he did own the pistols he must have purchased them during these periods when he was based in Oxford, 1758-1763 1773-1776. Martin Brayne, Chairman of the Parson Woodforde Society states: Francis Cardew Woodforde and James Woodforde the diarist are related - collaterally. Francis Cardew was descended from James's uncle Thomas Woodforde (1706-1800). Thomas's son Francis (1748-1836) became rector of Ansford, Somerset. Of his son Francis (1786-1867) we know little - other than that his wife Cornelia (nee Cardew) gave birth to Francis Henry Woodforde (1818-1890). Francis Henry married Mary Cotton in 1845 and she was the mother of your Francis Cardew. . According to the Woodforde 'Family Book' ( unpublished, compiled by Dr R.E.H. Woodforde ) - Francis Cardew Woodforde BA was b. 13 Nov. 1846 and subsequently entered Exeter Coll: Oxford. In 1874 he married his cousin Anna Woodforde. He became headmaster of the Grammar School, Market Drayton, Salop. This failed (wrote Dr W.) and he took up Natural History, publishing a number of books on the subject. He died at Headington, Oxford in his 82nd year on 18 June 1928. She died at Market Drayton in 1899.

As for the pocket pistol it looks as though it may well be the diarist's. He was a bachelor and left his estate to his neice Nancy and nephew William (1758-1844). We can well imagine that the gun went to William whose eldest son - also William (1791-1856) was an army doctor who eventually settled in Fredericton, New Brunswick! [AP 01/05/2007]

Search terms: Firearm Weapon, Tool, Firearm Accessory

Further items to explore