106 ftfns of tbe 1Rofc t TCifle, an& 6un 



cockcrow, nor did he ever suffer any allusion to these 

 pastimes of his leisure to escape him in his shop, even 

 when his customer happened to be one of the late 

 companions of his revels. There may have been just the 

 suspicion of a humorous gleam in the corner of his eye, 

 but no more, and his customers always respected his 

 wish that nothing but business should be talked in the 

 shop, so that there should be none of the familiarity 

 which breeds contempt. 



In the portrait given herewith William Bishop is 

 represented in the act of selling a Westley Richards 

 to one of his old patrons. The hat, with its sporting 

 cock, was the symbol of his independence as the apron 

 was of his business. He always wore both in the shop 

 to let the world know that a tradesman could be civil 

 without being servile. 



Like all true sportsmen, William Bishop detested 

 carelessness in the handling of firearms. The constant 

 accidents attributable to such carelessness provoked 

 him to issue in 1856 a pamphlet entitled "Caution as 

 to the use of Firearms," in which he pointed out 

 forcibly and sensibly the sins of some so-called 

 sportsmen in this respect, and urged the compulsory 

 usage of certain simple rules in all shooting parties 

 which would render accidents almost impossible. His 

 comments on the Cockney boobies who lark with 

 fire arms loaded or unloaded were severe and caustic, 

 and are as applicable now as then to certain " bounders " 

 who should be entrusted with no weapon more lethal 

 than a pop-gun. 



The jovial gunmaker was also a recognised authority 



