The Worshipful Company of Gunmakers has welcomed its second American and second female Master with the installation of Nicole Brocklebank-Fowler, a Georgia-born real estate executive who now calls Gloucestershire home.
Nicole’s journey to this prestigious role began in an unlikely way - shooting at Holland & Holland on Saturday mornings. “I kept bumping into John Taylor, who’s also American, and we struck up a friendship along with Eleanor Bainton,” she recalls. John, now her Upper Warden, became her sponsor when she joined the Livery in 2017. That casual shooting partnership evolved into something far more significant when she was invited to join the Court as a Steward in 2019.
The path to Master is no quick ascent. “It’s a kind of long glide path and it’s an apprenticeship,” Nicole explains. “You get more and more involved the higher up you go.” She’s spent the past year shadowing Richard Hefford-Hobbs, attending every committee meeting and learning the intricacies of what she describes as “like being CEO of a company.”
Indeed, the Gunmakers’ Company is unlike any other livery. Along with the Goldsmiths, it’s one of only two liveries still operating under its original charter - and it runs an actual business. The Proof House in the “wild walls of Whitechapel” makes the role uniquely demanding. “Most liveries are charitable organisations,” Nicole notes, “and we’re actually a business.”
PHOTOGRAPHER RICHARD SHARP
As Global Head of Property for Arup, the engineering consultancy behind Sydney Opera House and Crossrail, Nicole knows about managing complex operations. She oversees 100 offices worldwide with 18,500 staff - experience that serves her well in balancing the Livery’s multiple responsibilities, from finances and operations to membership and the critical work of the Proof House.
Working closely with Proof Master David Miles, Nicole is focused on strengthening the Proof House’s reach and relationships. But her ambitions extend further. A key priority is establishing Gunmakers 400, a charitable initiative for the Company’s 400th anniversary in 2037. With John Taylor, she plans to set up an American charitable arm, leveraging the Company’s growing transatlantic membership.
“We’ve got a lot of American liverymen, and we’re hoping to have more,” she says, noting the importance of cementing the Company’s financial future while better supporting apprentices and the craft itself.
The apprentice programme, run through the Gunmakers Trust, holds special significance. “They’re the innovators,” Nicole emphasises. “They’re going to figure out how to adapt ammunition and firearms for the future.” The certification panel, led by Bill Blacker, ensures these young craftspeople receive the mentorship they need, culminating in the presentation of their masterpiece - the origin of the word “master” itself.
The Company also awards the coveted Master Gunmaker designation, something not given out lightly. “It’s word on the street that it’s hard-fought for,” Nicole acknowledges. Recipients can display the letters after their name - a genuinely valued credential in the industry.
Despite the serious responsibilities, Nicole is clear about one thing: “We do have fun. My phone used to autocorrect ‘gunmakers’ to ‘funmakers,’ which I think is quite proper, because we do.” She describes a Livery that loves to laugh, enjoys shooting together, and thrives on the typical shoot day banter.
Living in Gloucestershire on a beautiful shooting estate with her husband Tim, a former British Army officer, and three black Labradors, Nicole embodies the transatlantic spirit of modern fieldsports. The daughter of a Vietnam veteran and keen shot herself, she’s honoured to lead a Company that bridges tradition and innovation, always keeping the craft relevant for modern times.
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