What's this cannon

[ROBIN BIRD]

From this photograph can members identify type and circa age of this cannon at Fort Perch Rock,
New Brighton. It is fired regularly and I am the holder of the licence that just states 1.5 howitzwer, robin bird

 

[highlandotter]

From what I can see. it appears to be a muzzle loader, but 1.5 is very small for a howitzer. Maybe a purpose built saluting gun .Appears to have a wire for ignition.

 

[ROBIN BIRD]

yes we use it for saluting, i.e. when the three Queens visited the Merseyside.thank for the feed back, what about its age? robin

 

[Slick]

Not a cannon guy, but looks like a 9pdr. carriage with an "aftermarket" signalling barrel. If so, 1870's era or thereabouts.

 

[LCplCombat]

The carriage looks very similar to the British Napoleonic 6 & 9 pounder, not sure if the wheels or hubs are original though.

 

[917601]

I am an " ex" cannoneer. Thoughts: No cascabel ( very strange) and what about markings? If an original tube, there should be markings on the trunnions, and possibly weight markings near the vent hole and on the muzzle. If none, almost certain it is a modern manufacture tube. Military cannons, even signal ones, were marked. If you see an " arrow", it is the British broad arrow signifying British manufacture and inspection. Secondly, take a good, detailed inspection of the muzzle, is there a " ring" visible? If so, it is a modern manufacture cast around a seamless steel tube....it looks like a modern manufacture turned from a steel blank, if so, look at the trunnions, if not cast " stepped" into the tube, and they are straight into the tube, a modern repro for shooting or display. In any case, I would never use more than 2 oz of Cannon grade blackpowder to discharge....NEVER use FG, FFG, black powder, only " cannon " grade blackpowder, it looks like pellets and not fine powder.
As for the carriage , definitely a repro.

 

[ROBIN BIRD]

thanks gentlemen, the 'cannon' has been at the fort many years. I will check markings. Fort Perch Rock has an interesting history and is said to have fired the first shots in both World Wars. Fort Perch Rock, circa 1829, originally had 16 32 pounders. These cannons were to defend the entrance to the River Mersey. Each 32 pounder required a a charge of 10lb 10oz of powder to fire. Two 18 pounders were mounted in casements to defend the entrance against attack from the land. There was a branch of the Royal Artillery Association at the fort over summer weekends until the mid 1950s after which the War Office sold the fort.