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Author Topic: Records for watchmakers  (Read 728 times)

Offline myrtlebird

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Records for watchmakers
« on: Saturday 03 June 17 22:14 BST (UK) »
My ancestor James Harris b 1801 in St Lukes, Middlesex (according to the census, can't find his birth!) is recorded as a watchmaker or watch finisher on censuses in 1841, 51 and 61.  Can anyone tell me whether this would have required him to serve an apprenticeship, and if so, where would the records be?

Online Girl Guide

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Re: Records for watchmakers
« Reply #1 on: Sunday 04 June 17 12:37 BST (UK) »
Not sure how much help this will be but have a look at this website and see if you can find a means to discover what you want to know about apprentice records.

http://www.clockmakers.org/contact-us/
Ashford: Somerset, London
England: Devon, London, New Zealand
Holdway: Wiltshire
Hooper: Bristol, Somerset
Knowling: Devon, London
Southcott: Devon, China
Strong: Wiltshire
Watson: Cambridgeshire
White: Bristol
Windo - Gloucestershire, Somerset, Wiltshire

Offline copperbeech5

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Re: Records for watchmakers
« Reply #2 on: Sunday 04 June 17 15:30 BST (UK) »
http://bhi.co.uk/

This is the British Horological Institute the are based at Newark in Nottinghamshire - they too might be of use!

Kind regards,
Copperbeech5
Hutchinson - Nottingham.
Rowland - Nottingham.
Parkin - Co Durham/Nottingham.
Gardiner/Gardner/Gardener - Co Durham.
Drake - Derbyshire/Lincolnshire/Sussex/London?
Leighton - Derbyshire.

Offline Rhododendron

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Re: Records for watchmakers
« Reply #3 on: Sunday 04 June 17 16:42 BST (UK) »
Hi myrtlebird
Not sure whether this is "your man" but possibly is.  Reference is: "James Harris of London (Shoreditch) 1832, watch finisher".

It is in Brian Loomes' Book "Watchmakers and Clockmakers of the World".  Unfortunately it does not give any idea as to where the reference comes from, but possibly from a London  trades directory.

Offline myrtlebird

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Re: Records for watchmakers
« Reply #4 on: Sunday 04 June 17 19:44 BST (UK) »
Thank you everyone.  I will follow your links and do some research.  Rhododendron, that does sound like "my" Richard Harris!  Do you have the book?  Can you look and see if his father is mentioned, William Harris?  He was also a watchmaker.

Offline bevo

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Re: Records for watchmakers: Liverpool area
« Reply #5 on: Monday 05 June 17 06:25 BST (UK) »


There's also a database for the Liverpool area:
 

http://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/wml/collections/horology/database.aspx
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