Manufacture of rifle parts was “dispersed” around Birmingham.
A professional firm would take care of the “pressure parts,” meaning barrel, bolt, and receiver. Small engineering firms and, sometimes, even people working in their garages would do the rest. Once a week or so a kid on a bicycle would stop by, you’d load them up with the parts you’d made, and they’d get taken off to be assembled at the real rifle company.
All this happened because Birmingham was badly bombed in 1940.
There were problems involving the number of parts needed, ordered, and supplied, meaning rifle production went in “stops and starts” throughout the war.
Beautiful collection. I have a Jungle Carbine and a semi auto Bren I built from a parts kit. At some point I’ll pick to one of the above to round out my toy box!