Watch and Clock Industry in Coventry

What sort of date are you looking at Frances. I would imagine in the early 19th century it would have been mostly men working from home. Later as the process was industrialized like Rotherhams they would have employed women. I have seen pictures in Coventry books with women in the workroom. Yes I would think it was very bad on the eyes, it would have been very poor lighting, mostly from the large windows in the top shops and I don't think glasses would have been available then.

Hi Annewiggy, Very many thanks for the information about the watch makers. The date I was looking at would be somewhere in the 1860s when ribbon weaving was in decline and watch making took over as the main industry in Coventry for a while until the bicycle took over. With very best wishes Frances

Hi Frances, I would think by that date your ancestor would probably have been working in one of the factories. Have you found her on the census?

My grandmother worked at Rotherham's, not sure of the dates, but probably around the turn of the century. She married a watchmaker who used to work in the top shops area between Hearsall Lane and Allesley Old Road - maybe Craven Street. Her family had previously worked in the cottage industry side of ribbon weaving.

My grandmother worked at Rotherham's too. On the 1911 census her occupation is Watch Trade with 'casemaking' written in someone other than her father's handwriting. Her father was a plumber but her maternal grandfather was a watchmaker and the son of a watchmaker. This grandfather moved his family from Prescot, Lancashire, to Coventry in the 1860s and continued as a watchmaker until approximately the 1890s. By the 1901 census he was a cycle wheelmaker.

The courts became a feature of Coventry in the 19th century. As the population expanded the city was unable to expand outwards and so a lot of infilling took place. Basically the courtyards and gardens behind the original rows of houses were filled in with multiiple occupancy "courts" and small factories/workshops. You can find some useful information on the Spon End thread. Try typing courts into the search box top left.

Hi all, can anybody help? My great uncle William Williamson was a gold watch dial maker and engraver, he lived/worked at 10 Russell Terrace. There is a blue plaque on 49 Allesley Old Road and at the side, Lord Street, there is a factory which looks like it was at one time a row of top shops? Were they the back of Russell Terrace? Mod's note: This post has been moved into this thread which contains many references to Russell Terrace

w21c, sorry being some time in responding. I hope the following is of some help. Russell Terrace comprises the ten houses on the south side of Allesley Old Road between Duke Street and Lord Street (No.1 being on the corner of Duke St.) 10 Russell Terrace is the same property as 49 Allesley Old Road. The topshop building extending from the rear of 49 is believed to be the original. Wm Williamson lived and worked here from approximately 1872 to 1883, he then appears to have lived and worked at No. 8 Russell Terrace. He or his namesake lived at 50 Craven Street from approximately 1900 to 1909. His various trades were reported as: Watch Case-Springer, Polisher, Engraver, and Finisher. Gold Dial Manufacturer.

Hi, that is very helpful. So I take it Russell Terrace is long gone? The Williamsons had a little network going on I think. William's father Henry, my great great grandfather, was a watch case engine turner and had a workshop in Coventry and London. He had 50 Craven St in 1860s/80s. William's brother Henry's workshop is across town, 1 Nicholls Street. The other brother, George, finished his apprenticeship in 1861 at 17?? and went to train as a vet in London. I have his diary of 1863 and he spends the summer of that year in Coventry. He writes a page a day so lots of information. I am now starting to build a picture and plotting it on a map. It may also be of interest, William's son, also William, started Rex Motors and went on to produce the Williamson flat twin motorcycle.

No, still there!

Now I get the picture, thank you. So the building that runs down Lord St that looks like top shops was part of 10 Russell Terrace then? Sorry, I am looking at this on Google street view as I am in Hertfordshire - what a wonderful thing street view is.

1 Russell Terrace 10 Russell Terrace

Brian Richardson

Rotherham long case clock

Thanks, Prof. The details are: An attractive 18th century Long Case Clock, the movement by John Rotherham of Coventry. The firm of Rotherham and Co is the oldest firm in Coventry, founded in 1750, famous for watch making, The movement is in working order and is of 8 day duration, striking on the hour - it has a seconds hand and a date dial. The case is oak with mahogany banding with brass Corinthian capitals at the top of the columns to the case and hood, the applied paterai on the swan neck pediment of the hood are gesso. A nice clock from a famous clock and watch maker, circa 1790.