Allcock Laight & Westwood (aka A.L. & W., aka ALW) were mainly fish & tackle business operating out of Toronto.
In 1854, Samuel Allcock and Charles Laight of Redditch, England, established their business in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, with premises on King Street.
Mr. Westwood later came to Toronto from Redditch to manage the company and eventually became a partner. In 1898, the firm was incorporated under the name Allcock, Laight & Westwood Co.
Over the next seventy-five years (up to 1929), the company operated from several locations — first at the corner of Yonge and Wellington, then on Bay Street, and later returned to King Street — before settling at The Sportsmen’s Headquarters, 230 Bay Street, beside the Toronto Stock Exchange.
The company eventually ceased operations in the 1980s.
At some point they got into firearm business this is how we get two house brands - higher grade Imperial (presented below) and lower grade Falcon.
I have found only three mentions of these shotguns on the inter-web and none had pictures available and none had any significant details. So I decided to put together this small article along with shotgun pictures, for the purpose of reference, Canadian history preservation, and your entertainment. I also live in Toronto and enjoy exploring its firearm history.
Main office was at 230 Bay St, Toronto.
Company also had a factory at Leaside:
Two lines of house branded shotguns - Imperial and Falcon were made in Belgium, a common choice for quality budged shotguns at the time. At least several available mentions of such shotguns on the Inter-Web also mention Belgian proofs.
75th Anniversary catalogue of 1929 is the earliest catalogue available to me and it already has house brand shotguns listed. First one is Imperial Model 29. Plain or Auto Ejectors were the options. Model 29 was offered in 12, 16 and 20, while Model 29E was offered only in 12ga. While there's no picture of Model 29E I suspect it's the same as Model 31E (see below) and actually a shotgun with different action. Initially Imperial Model had Greener cross-bolt lock and deep engraving with a dog. Catalogue items were #10069 and #10069E, priced at CAD $40 and CAD $60. Guns came with 5 years warranty. At the same time Ithaca Field Grade was sold for CAD $49.50.
Second house branded shotgun was Falcon Model 1929, item #10061. Shotgun had Greener cross-bolt lock and had plain action finish. It was offered only in 12ga. Warranty was also 5 years.
Same catalogue also had hammer gun offered as A.L. & W. however it is not clear if this was a house brand with ALW markings or just a generic hammer gun without ALW markings.
This probably 1930 catalogue had no changes in offering, just iterative Model number change to 30. Model 30 was offered in 12, 16 and 20ga, while 30E only in 12ga. Interesting that Falcon Model is missing in this catalogue.
A catalogue from most likely 1931 still has original Imperial Model 31 for $40 in only 12ga as item #10069
In the same catalogue we also can see Imperial Model 31E (ejectors, no Greener lock, no deep engraving) which later will become a basis for Imperial (simplified) Model 32. Compare this and next pictures. However in 1931 we can clearly see that Imperial Model 31 and Imperial Model 31E internally are different shotguns.
Somewhere here in timeline Imperial Model was Greener lock and deep engraving was discontinued new Imperial (simplified) Model was introduced.
1932 catalogue had Imperial Model 32 (simplified) listed for CAD $40 with 3 years of warranty in 12, 16 and 20ga, same item #10069 as original Imperial Model. And Imperial Model 31E (ejectors) for $60, also in three calibres, item #10070.
Falcon model is not listed.
For comparison - Ithaca Field grade is listed for $65 and Winchester 97 for $58.50.
1933 catalogue had Imperial (simplified) Model 32 listed for $40 as item #10069 in 12, 16 and 20ga. Imperial Model (simplified) 31E was offered for $60 in the same three calibres as #10070. There is no information about Falcon in this catalogue.
1934 Fall and Winter catalogue had price increased to $55 for the same Imperial Model 32 and to $75 for 31E. Items # remained unchanged.
1935 Fall and Winter catalogue had price changed to $50 for the same Imperial Model 32 and to $65 for 31E. Items # remained unchanged.
In 1854, Samuel Allcock and Charles Laight of Redditch, England, established their business in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, with premises on King Street.
Mr. Westwood later came to Toronto from Redditch to manage the company and eventually became a partner. In 1898, the firm was incorporated under the name Allcock, Laight & Westwood Co.
Over the next seventy-five years (up to 1929), the company operated from several locations — first at the corner of Yonge and Wellington, then on Bay Street, and later returned to King Street — before settling at The Sportsmen’s Headquarters, 230 Bay Street, beside the Toronto Stock Exchange.
The company eventually ceased operations in the 1980s.
At some point they got into firearm business this is how we get two house brands - higher grade Imperial (presented below) and lower grade Falcon.
I have found only three mentions of these shotguns on the inter-web and none had pictures available and none had any significant details. So I decided to put together this small article along with shotgun pictures, for the purpose of reference, Canadian history preservation, and your entertainment. I also live in Toronto and enjoy exploring its firearm history.
Main office was at 230 Bay St, Toronto.
Company also had a factory at Leaside:
Two lines of house branded shotguns - Imperial and Falcon were made in Belgium, a common choice for quality budged shotguns at the time. At least several available mentions of such shotguns on the Inter-Web also mention Belgian proofs.
75th Anniversary catalogue of 1929 is the earliest catalogue available to me and it already has house brand shotguns listed. First one is Imperial Model 29. Plain or Auto Ejectors were the options. Model 29 was offered in 12, 16 and 20, while Model 29E was offered only in 12ga. While there's no picture of Model 29E I suspect it's the same as Model 31E (see below) and actually a shotgun with different action. Initially Imperial Model had Greener cross-bolt lock and deep engraving with a dog. Catalogue items were #10069 and #10069E, priced at CAD $40 and CAD $60. Guns came with 5 years warranty. At the same time Ithaca Field Grade was sold for CAD $49.50.
Second house branded shotgun was Falcon Model 1929, item #10061. Shotgun had Greener cross-bolt lock and had plain action finish. It was offered only in 12ga. Warranty was also 5 years.
Same catalogue also had hammer gun offered as A.L. & W. however it is not clear if this was a house brand with ALW markings or just a generic hammer gun without ALW markings.
This probably 1930 catalogue had no changes in offering, just iterative Model number change to 30. Model 30 was offered in 12, 16 and 20ga, while 30E only in 12ga. Interesting that Falcon Model is missing in this catalogue.
A catalogue from most likely 1931 still has original Imperial Model 31 for $40 in only 12ga as item #10069
In the same catalogue we also can see Imperial Model 31E (ejectors, no Greener lock, no deep engraving) which later will become a basis for Imperial (simplified) Model 32. Compare this and next pictures. However in 1931 we can clearly see that Imperial Model 31 and Imperial Model 31E internally are different shotguns.
Somewhere here in timeline Imperial Model was Greener lock and deep engraving was discontinued new Imperial (simplified) Model was introduced.
1932 catalogue had Imperial Model 32 (simplified) listed for CAD $40 with 3 years of warranty in 12, 16 and 20ga, same item #10069 as original Imperial Model. And Imperial Model 31E (ejectors) for $60, also in three calibres, item #10070.
Falcon model is not listed.
For comparison - Ithaca Field grade is listed for $65 and Winchester 97 for $58.50.
1933 catalogue had Imperial (simplified) Model 32 listed for $40 as item #10069 in 12, 16 and 20ga. Imperial Model (simplified) 31E was offered for $60 in the same three calibres as #10070. There is no information about Falcon in this catalogue.
1934 Fall and Winter catalogue had price increased to $55 for the same Imperial Model 32 and to $75 for 31E. Items # remained unchanged.
1935 Fall and Winter catalogue had price changed to $50 for the same Imperial Model 32 and to $65 for 31E. Items # remained unchanged.
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