THROUGH THE REIGNS OF SEVEN SOVEREIGNS

Welcome backstage – our backstage to the most exciting and spectacular theatre of traditional ceremonial events of the British Army. We’re proud that our equipment is worn or carried on many of the ceremonial events still enacted, including The King’s Birthday Parade, The Edinburgh Tattoo, Beating Retreat by the Massed Bands and Drums of HM Royal Marines, Trooping the Colour, Ceremony of the Keys at the Tower of London, Firing of the Royal Salute by The King’s Troop of the Royal Horse Artillery, the Guard of Honour of The King’s Colour Squadron of The Royal Air Force – the impressive list goes on and on.

It all started over 175 years ago in Birmingham, in 1850 to be precise. Frederick Narborough recognised a niche business when he saw one and seized the opportunity to set up a small workshop to specialise in the manufacture of handcrafted sterling silver mounted walking canes for the gentry. The cane was Malacca or hand-turned ebony. The sterling silver mounts were made by silversmiths in a variety of bespoke patterns according to the wishes of the client. A range of patterns for immediate sale was also provided for the ‘gentleman in a hurry’. The business grew and started to expand its product range into riding and hunting whips, many mounted in precious metals as well as featuring hand-carved ivory or hardwood heads. Over the years, the cane business expanded into ceremonial equipment for the military and police forces of the world.

The company remained in the ownership of the Narborough family and, in 1925, S. C. Dalman, a Narborough nephew, joined. In 1962, S. C. Dalman was appointed managing director when the company changed its name to Dalman & Narborough. His son, John P. Dalman, joined the company, in turn becoming managing director in 1971. Then in 1993, his son, Stephen J. Dalman, became his successor. Tommy Dalman, Stephen’s son, is the current managing director.

The company’s international recognition for working with sterling silver was set from 1859, when it was registered as silversmiths at the Birmingham Assay Office; British hallmarked silver is an international seal of quality. Dalman & Narborough is renowned for the production of ceremonial Drum Majors’ staffs for military and civilian use to this day. Sterling silver Drum Majors’ staffs are still being manufactured, many of which have been created for HM Royal Marines, the United States Marines Corps (President’s Own) and other military formations, both in the UK and worldwide.

As specialists in the production of Scottish ceremonial regalia, the company manufactures bonnet badges, plaid brooches, doublet buttons and badges, waist and cross belts for broadswords, together with dirks and sgian dhubs. Highly decorative sterling silver bagpipe mounts became a speciality and continue to be in high demand from the finest bagpipe makers in Scotland. To ensure the highest quality, the company has its own in-house silversmiths, spinners, turners, casters, platers, enamellists and polishers.

Forming Ammo & Company

Through acquisitions in the 1990s, Dalman & Narborough expanded operations, complementing its manufactured product area, introducing a wider product range and taking the company into a greater area of activity. During this time, Stephen Dalman’s son, Tommy, rejoined the company after studying in the USA. He drove the new acquisitions into a cohesive force with the formation of a new holding company, All Arms Marketing & Manufacturing Organisation. In typical military fashion, the new company name soon acquired an acronym, AMMO, which was a sure sign of acceptance and a compliment, indeed.

New managers built new teams and Ammo & Company continues to grow. From the traditional metal crafts of our Birmingham foundation, additional crafts and skills embrace hand embroidery in gold and silver bullion and coloured silks, and hand emblazoning of regimental drums in 22-carat gold leaf and finest oils, all varnished to coach finish. Ceremonial uniforms, with their relevant regalia accessories, complete the wardrobe, which, with all the ‘props’, serves to complete the setting for pure theatre, for which British military ceremonial events are renowned.

For all our company’s growth over time, our aim remains the same: quality, reliability and the ability and drive to give ‘Service to Service’ and maintain the old standards and traditions of our past.