A BLUE heritage plaque has been unveiled to commemorate a Worcester master gunmaker and his sons.

The plaque was unveiled at 6 Mealcheapen Street yesterday in memory of John Perrins, master gun maker of Worcester and his sons John and Henry Perrins.

The project by Worcester Civic Society was commissioned by the John Perrins Gun Owners Club of Worcestershire to celebrate the heritage John Perrins & Son Master Gunmakers of Worcester.

The dedication was made by the Mayor of Worcester, Cllr Jabba Riaz, at 4pm.

The building is now Dominic Tunnell Opticians, Mr Tunnell giving permission for the plaque to be installed.

John Perrins was a distant cousin of William Henry Perrins of Lea & Perrins Sauce fame.

John Perrins with his sons were prestigious provincial gunmakers applying highly skilled precision engineering to gun and pistol making. They created a successful, renowned business in Worcester between 1831-1892. John Perrins was born in Kidderminster in 1796 and at the age of 12 followed his brother Thomas into the gun trade to serve a seven year apprenticeship. By 1859 John Perrins & Son had moved to 6 Mealcheapen Street Worcester where the plaque was unveiled.

By 1820 John Perrins was working as a gunsmith in Faversham Kent, because in November that year, at the age of 24. he married Hannah Wellstead in Hastings. His son John was born in 1823 and Edward in 1829.

Vaughan Wiltshire from the gun club said: "By 1831 John Perrins was established in College Street Worcester and Bentley’s Directory of that year lists him as gunsmith.

"By 1840 Bentley’s Directory was describing him as gunmaker, designing and building guns and pistols in his own name.

"One of the early examples of his work that survives is a turn-over pocket pistol carried by both ladies and gentlemen for close quarter defence."

His son Henry was born in 1832, son James in 1834 and twins William and Margaret in 1836.