Product Details
E.J. CHURCHILL
A PAIR OF 12-BORE (CROSSOVER) 'HERCULES XXV' BOXLOCK EJECTORS, serial no. 4441 / 2,
25in. replacement nitro barrels with matt Churchill-ribs, gold-inlaid '1' and '2' and 'XXV' at the breech ends, tubes engraved 'CHURCHILL (GUNMAKERS) LTD. 7, BURY STREET, ST. JAMES'S. LONDON. ENGLAND.', and with acanthus scrollwork at the breech ends, 2 1/2in. chambers, bored approx. 1/4 choke in all, No.2 barrels with traces of Belgian proofmarks, scalloped-back actions with slim carved serpentine fences, toplevers gold-inlaid '1' and '2', automatic safeties with gold-inlaid cocking-indicators, double rolled-edge triggerguards, fine border and acanthus scroll engraving, the undersides engraved 'HERCULES FINEST QUALITY MODEL' and gold-inlaid 'XXV', retaining very slight traces of original colour-hardening, 15in. well-figured stocks, heavily cast and swept at combs, including 3/4in. rubber recoil pads, weight 6lb. 2oz., in their lightweight 'V.C. double motor case
Provenance: The vendor has kindly informed us that this pair of shotguns belonged to his grandfather, Charles Edward Stourton, 26th Baron Mowbray. The pair were stocked to suit him after losing his right eye in the last war.
Charles Edward Stourton, 23rd Baron Stourton, 27th Baron Segrave, 26th Baron Mowbray, C.B.E. was born 11th March 1923 into the noble family whose seat is Allerton Park, Yorkshire (the house is considered to be perhaps the finest example of Gothic Revivalism in England). Stourton's paternal lineage can be traced directly back to Geoffrey de Mowbray, Bishop of Coutances, who acted as an adviser to William the Conqueror and between the years 1965 to 1983 he was the senior baron in the English peerage.
Stourton was educated at Ampleforth before going up to Christchurch, Oxford. Following this he embarked on a spell with the army and served in the Grenadier Guards holding the rank of Lieutenant. His regiment were involved in the heavy fighting to take the pivotal town of Caen in 1944, when he was injured and lost his right eye. This led to him leaving the army the following year after V.E. Day.
Stourton acted as Gold Stick Officer at the Coronation of The Queen in 1953. The modern position is a ceremonial one but dates to a time when two chosen members of the Royal Household would act as protectors to the Sovereign on state and civic occasions.
In 1965, on the death of his father, he acceded to three baronies, of which Mowbray was the most senior. He followed his father as the senior baron as whilst Baron de Ros and Baron le Despencer are higher in the peerage, the former title was held by a female and the later was also styled Viscount Falmouth, which meant that Stourton's title placed him above them. This status quo remained until Baroness de Ros died in 1983 and the title passed to a male heir.
Baron Mowbray sat on the Conservative benches of the Upper House and was one of the 92 hereditary peers allowed to keep their seat in the House of Lords after the reform act of 1999. He sat on Lords Committee of Privileges and also captained their shooting team to success on many occasions (using these shotguns). He also served, both in government and opposition, as a Conservative whip from 1967 until 1980 when he resigned.
Baron Mowbray died 12th December 2006 and his eldest son, Edward Stourton, acceded to the titles.
Estimate £2,500-3,500
S2