Pocket Watches Fourth Page



                                                             John Edwards Pocket Watch  ca.1850
Dial: White enamel dial with roman numerals. Blued steel hour and minute hands, sunken sub dial has blued steel second hand. 

Case: Open face, 0.925 k pure silver.Back case eventhough worn, was once decorated with engine turning pattern and a shield motif in the middle. Silver hallmarks: Birmingham, H for 1856. Maker's marks  E . S for  Edward Salisbury of The Butts, Coventry. Bow is marked JJ for John Johnson(pendant maker) of Sherbourne Street and 41 Union Street, The Butts, Coventry. 
Movement: Full plate gilt key wind fusee movement. Harrison's maintaining power. Engraved cock, gold balance wheel, blue steel Bosley regulator.  English lever escapement. This movement has 17 or 19 jewels. The jewels are in Liverpool window style-bigger than regular jewels. It is jewelled through fusee. Higher grade watch of the period. Loomes does not list a maker named John Edwards, but in NAWCC message forum some people say John Edwards is a psuedonym which was employed by M. I. Tobias Company for their third class products-pocket watches. However this pocket watch is a first class one and this information remains a kind of rumor.

Caseback, Bowmark, Movement, Silver hallmarks


                                                       William Alexander of Hexham Pocket Watch  ca.1876

Dial: White enamel dial with roman numerals. Silver hour and minute hands, sunken sub dial has blued steel second hand. 

Case: Open face, 0.925 k pure silver.Back case is decorated with engine turning pattern and shield and garter motifs in the middle.In the shield WN initials are carved.  Silver hallmarks: London, A for 1876. Maker's marks  IH for  John William Hammon of 11 Sekforde Street Clerkenwell, London. Bow is marked W.S for William Skidmore(pendant maker) of 22 Brewer Street,Goswell Road , London. The inner cover bears name of W. Norman and 1906 who possibly once owned the watch. 
Movement: Full plate gilt key wind fusee movement. Harrison's maintaining power. Engraved cock, gold balance wheel, blue steel Bosley regulator.  English lever escapement. Jewelled escape wheel.
Maker: William Alexander is recorded as working in Hexham from about 1841 until 1894, eleven years after his death so a family must have taken control. He was born about 1816 and by 1841 was at Market Place Hexham. In about 1836 he married Elizabeth and they had children: Thomas(1838), Joseph (1840), William (1842), Jane Elizabeth (1844), Dorothy (1851). The 1841 census returns had William and Elizabeth both age 25 with sons Thomas(3) and Joseph(1) at Market Place Hexham. Before 1851 the family moved to Fore Street and the census returns have William(39) a clock and watchmaker, Elizabeth (37) and children: Thomas(12), Joseph(10), William(8), Jane (6) and Dorothy(4). More details are provided in the 1861 census returns. The family are still at Fore Street with William(49) a watchmaker employing three men and two apprentices, Elizabeth(47), Thomas(22) a watchmaker, Joseph (21) a watchmaker, Jane E.(16), Dorothy (14) and Patrick (9) plus a visitor aged 10 and a servant. In 1871 the address has a number-44 Fore Street. William(59) a watchmaker employing 2 men and 2 boys, Elizabeth(59), William(28 a grocer), Jane (26) at home, Dorothy (24) at home and Patrick (19) a grocer's apprentice. By 1881 William(69) was still a watchmaker employing 2 men and 2 apprentices, Elizabeth(67), William (38) a provisions merchant, Jane E.(36) a house assistant and Dorothy (34) also a house assistant. William Alexander died in 1883 but the business appears in an 1894 trade directory as William Alexander, Fore Street, Hexham, jewellers. Known trade directory listings show W. Alexander as follows: 1855 Kellys Directory of Northumberland: Alexander, William, Fore Street, Hexham. 1894 Kellys Directory of Northumberland: Alexander, William, Fore Street, Hexham, Jeweller. 
Sources:
Keith Bates, Clock Makers of Northumberland & Durham, Pub Pendulum Publications, 1980. 
Brian Loomes, Watchmakers & Clockmakers of The World Complete 21st Century Edition.

Movement, Silver hallmarks, Inside caseback


                                              English  Pocket Watch by an unknown maker  ca.1836

Dial: White enamel dial with roman numerals. Gilt hour and minute hands, sunken sub dial has blued steel second hand(possibly a later replacement). 

Case: Open face, 0.925 k pure silver.Back case is decorated with a round cartouche in the middle.  Silver hallmarks: London, A for 1836. Maker's marks  JW for  John Williams of 56 Great Sutton Street EC1, London. Crisp coin edged.
Movement: Full plate gilt key wind fusee movement. Harrison's maintaining power. Plain balance cock adorned with a diamond, bigger steel balance wheel, blue steel Bosley regulator.  English lever escapement. Jewelled escape wheel. Possibly made in one of Liverpool workshops of the early 19th century.

Movement, Silver hallmarks