The Wilson family was a gunmaking dynasty in London that began in 1730 when Richard Wilson was accepted as a Master Gunmaker by the Gunmakers' Company. Wilson's eldest son William Wilson would receive the same recognition in 1755, and William's son William (junior) completed his apprenticeship in 1787 and would run the company from 1806 until 1832. The Wilsons were best know for making a large quanitity of good-quality arms for the export trade, although they did also make some much fancier weapons including Ferguson pattern breechloaders and Lorenzoni pattern repeaters, like this one.