William Wellington Greener
of W. W. Greener, gun makers, of Birmingham
c.1835 Born in Newcastle upon Tyne, son of William Greener and his wife Anna
1861 William Greener 54, gun manufacturer, employing 42 men and 8 boys, lived in Aston with William W Greener 26, gun maker, Sarah Ann Greener 24, Mary E Greener 22, Albert J Greener 15, gun stacker, Arthur E Greener 10[1]
1864 Invention of a Breech Loading Fire-Arm,[2] taking a different approach from his father who throughout his life he made percussion muzzle loaders and was sceptical of the new breech loaders.
1869 After his father's death, William Wellington Greener continued to make high quality sporting and military guns. Like his father, he was also an inventor and many of his inventions helped to shape the breech-loader, which by that time was developing into the modern sporting gun we know today. He also wrote books.
1881 William W. Greener 46, gun maker (140 employees), lived in Aston with Emma Greener 47, Henry Greener 17, apprentice gun finishing, Charles E. Greener 14, Frederick Greener 12, May Greener 11, Arthur W. Greener 8, Ellen G. Greener 7, Winifred E. Greener 5[3]
1881 His most famous book was "The Gun and its Development" which was first published in 1881.
1896 The 6th edition of his book "The Gun and Its Development" was published by Cassell and Co. Eventually this reached 9 editions.
1892 Published "The Breechloader and How to Use it" which also ran to nine editions.
1911 William Wellington Greener 76, gun maker, employer, lived in Erdington with Bertha Amelia Greener 42[4]
1921 Died in Aston[5]