Simon Clode, Chairman & Managing Director or Westley Richards, passed away this week. In honor of the man and company he worked so hard to keep at the forefront of British gunmaking, I’m going to dedicated a few posts to Westley Richards’ fabulous guns.
To start, let’s leap back in time and check out this jaw-dropping, “Treasure Grade” Westley Richards droplock double rifle in 300 Sherwood. Made in 1912, it’s 100+ years old and still in stunning original condition.
Wow – I can’t believe this: Westley Richard’s Simon Clode had passed away. My condolences to his family. You can read his obit on Westley Richard’s The Explora blog here.
I ran into Simon a few times, the last one at the 2016 Safari Club Show in Vegas. He was sort of the Steve Jobs of the British gun trade – a real visionary.
I have tremendous respect for what he accomplished. He built great guns and a great brand. He brought a new generation of craftsmen into the biz and gave work to the existing ones. He was also spread the word about British guns to shooters around the world.
From marketing to gun making, he knew what he was doing. People like him are rare. I hope Westley Richards has someone in line to take over with the same drive and feel for the future.
