Pappou Stamatis Shotgun Info from Takys Dritsas Sept of 2003I asked Takys about Pappou’s gun. He said it was a double barreled shotgun and he remembered that the name was “Sendetien”. There is a photo in black and white (from our family trip to Greece in 1953) of this gun in it’s case. The photo was taken during a family dinner at my Yiayia’s (grandmother’s) house. The gun is hanging on the wall.
Takys said that the make of the shotgun was “Sendetien”, which more than likely was St Etiennne
I asked if it was a double barreled shotgun and he said it was.
This is not a photo of Pappou’s shotgun, it is a picture of an old St Etiennne double barrel shotgun.
Some background information:
An important industry associated with the recent history of Saint Etienne is the manufacture of arms. In the C.17th , Colbert, Louis XIVths bursar set up an arms factory in Saint Etienne. The town was so excellent in its production that during the French revolution it was re-christened Armstown. In 1885, the various arms companies merged and gave birth to what became known as the Manufacture Franaise dArmes the Manu to the people of the town. It enabled thousands of workmen to have jobs.
In 1985, the Manu closed shop. All that is left today are the impressive buildings of the Cours Fauriel that shelters among other things, the Conference Centre and the Planetarium of the town.
Papou Stamati went to Belgium, (before he married), and worked in the mines there. He may have bought the gun there. (Yiayia’s pitcher was probably bought in Nimy les Mons, it was for sure manufactured there.)
The contemporary French arms manufacturer Giat had a factory at St Etienne-St Chamond. Giat has now owns The Nexter Group which produces arms and military equipment.