Lee-Enfield Rifle & Tools (1895)

What is this?

Photographed are the tools used by John Lee, who, with his brother, James Paris Lee, created the Lee-Enfield Rifle.

If you're interested in reading more about the rifles, scroll down.

There is so much more to learn about this week's artifact!!!!!

The History Behind it

At the age of seven years old, young James Paris Lee worked in his father's jewellers shop and started to experiment with firearms. In 1862, James patented his first firearm resulting in the U.S. War Department ordering 1000 of them and later cancelling the order due to a miscommunication surrounding the calibre of the rifle.

After 16 years of testing since the last patented firearm, James invented a rifle with a box magazine capable of firing 15 shots a minute. Later, the rifle was sold to the U.S. Navy and became the standard issue for the British Army. After this, the rifle was produced in Enfield, England in 1888, thus the name of "Lee-Enfield".

Why is this important?

James Paris Lee and his brother John perfected a box magazine which enabled rapid fire.
A well trained rifleman could get off approximately 15 shots a minute.
Prototype was tested successfully in Wallaceburg and is on display in our Lee-Enfield Rifle exhibit.
Replaced the Ross Rifle as the standard issue for the soldiers in 1915.

If you have never heard of this week's artifact, I suggest you take a day trip to the museum! There's always more where that came from.

Try our Lee-Enfield Rifle quiz if you're feeling educated!