Watch and Clock Industry in Coventry

1881 Census - Mill Yard, Wheatley Street - Charles, 27, Watch Engraver, s of Miller Errington 1891 Census - Northfields Farm, Allesley - 37, Watch Movement Maker & Farmer, h of Harriet 1901 Census - Northfields, Allesley - 47, Manager of Watch Factory, h of Mary Jane 1911 Census - Northfields, Allesley - 57, Farmer, h of Mary Jane He was born in 1853 in Matlock and died in 1926 in Barnstaple He married Harriet Wright in Coventry in 1885 (she died 1898) and he married Mary Jane Camwell in Coventry in 1900 Hutton (or variants) was always shown as his middle name

Matlock? Mmm - suggests maybe he sold his father's farm and used the money to set up in business. But he was only in business for 4 years before selling out to Williamson's and carrying on as manager. And Williamson's sold out to Smith's about 1923. A strange business! Got through his wives, too, didn't he? Errington was credited with some excellent ideas in watchmaking, but clearly, as a case engraver, those ideas were unlikely to have been his own. An employee of his, probably. Plus ca change! I've been trying to make sense of the house numbers in AOR (yep, I'm always up for a challenge!! ) but I just can't work out which terrace / set of villas was which. Oxford Terrace - fine. Russell Terrace,maybe between Craven St and Duke St. I think 1 and 2 Clifton Villas = 11 and 12 Russell Terrace. But how about Raglan Villas, Portland Terrace, and Poilland Terrace? I'm intrigued by the large number of German (Prussian, Frankfurters, etc) nationals living in Coventry and in the watch trade in 1861. I'm also intrigued that there was a large court (plus a small one) in Fleet St, where a German watch material dealer lived. And the 4th Dragoon Guards were stationed in Smithford St Barracks! Stephen Chew was landlord of the George IV and what became part of Allwood's shop at 19 was owned by John Mills Stevens, grocer. Next door, 18, was a tobacconist, and 17 Registrar of BMD.

According to Adrian's earlier post that was Hearsall Terrace. Russell Terrace was between Duke Street and Lord Street. And if it's any help 'Allesley Terrace' stood in splendid isolation on what is now the wide forecourt in front of the row of 1960s shops close to the junction of Maudslay Road (William Hill's, etc). The building furthest from the junction was significantly bigger than the others and irregular in outline suggesting it included a sizeable workshop.

You lads have got me in knots now with all these streets. Are you all into horology? I thought there was a plaque somewhere mentioning the watchmakers in the Spon St. area. There were just three little cottages on the other side of the entry by the Broomfield (the cottages now modernised). Incidentally, there were very small paned windows on the upper level of the Broomfield at the back, do you think watchmakers used these rooms too? It makes me wonder because they were large wide windows, nothing like the ones at the front.

That was, I believe, William Adams's premises. Adams was still going up until Four Pounds Ave was adopted and widened, when it ceased to be - I think the workshop may have been demolished. I went in there a couple of times as a kid. It was filthy then. There were three watchmakers working there, a huge amount of clutter, and the windows looked like they were blackened with soot! When you went in the door (up a steel outside staircase) there was a small area delimited by an ancient counter. There were repairs all over the place - on windowsills, on cupboards, anywhere there was a space - each with a ticket attached. In Victorian times, Adams was quite a big employer; yet I've never seen a watch of his manufacture! He was probably what the Swiss termed an ebauche maker, and his work would have gone to a finisher to be finally finished, timed, and cased, and retailed.

There are some photos on flicker of 31 Allesley old road (1 Russell terrace) LINK

Dreamtime, I have two interests in this: a) I have a small watch and clock repair workshop; b) I worked at 2 Oxford Terrace (15 AOR) between 1970 and 73. There were still quite a lot of papers etc in the attic at that time relating to its use in the watch trade. I guess the boss took them away.

That was inhabited (the house, that is) by William Lee, a manager of a watch factory (presumably behind it), in 1891. I haven't yet been able to find the inhabitant in 1861. And, Adrian, that's an old picture isn't it. However, it wasn't like that in 1970 when I worked for Lexor!!

No Keith, that was on the north side (odd numbers) and is still there. Allesley Terrace was on the south side (even numbers) and much closer to Maudslay Road than Adams' place.

1861 Census - 20 Duke Street - James Scriviner (Watch Motioner), his wife Hannah and their nine children Also (heads of households) : Hearsall Terrace - Thomas Hill, Watch Manufacturer Hearsall Terrace - Henry Rafter, Master of Government School Russell Terrace 1 - Charles J Hill, Manufacturer Russell Terrace 2 - William H Hill, Silk Dyer Russell Terrace 3 (unoccupied) thereafter are nos 4 -12 Russell Terrace inclusive, followed by 13 Richmond Villa

Interesting as on the earliest map I can find there were ten buildings between Duke Street and Lord Street and another six between Lord Street and Mount Street, while Richmond Villa stood in splendid isolation on the far side of Mount Street! 1888 Town Planning Map

According to the blue plaques on Coventry Watch Project, No 1 Russell Terrace is no 31 Allesley Old Rd, and no 10 Russell Terrace is the last house on the block, no 49 Allesley Old Rd.

Yep, that fits with my maps too. Also the six buildings between Lord Street and Mount Street were known as 'Portland Terrace'.

Ah Portland. I have been wondering what their name was, I should have guessed you would know Dutchman. And I'm sure Midland Red knows also. It's so easy to get things mixed up.

In that case Keith when my husbands Tissot watch is on the blink I will send it to you rather than Switzerland !!!