William Westley Richards founded the company of Westley Richards (Gunmakers) Ltd in 1812 although they didn’t move to Grange Road until 1849. They crafted sporting guns for Edward VII and other members of the Royal family. It was a highly integrated factory that mass-produced revolvers with a good deal of machinery. Westley engineering, trading from the same premises, became separate company in 1998. Their business was precision pressing and tool making. They were required to move in order that the phase of the Selly Oak New Road to the new Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham could be completed. The demolition of the factory caused a lot of local protest.