the fixing of time

[protohistorian]

As I am going through the directory I am encountering quite a few watchmakers. I do not think, based on their representation in the postal directory, that owning a watch was uncommon. Dave

[Phil Carter]

Watches

Hello Dave,

As a timely, pardon the pun, sideline, in Montague S Williams' reports on East End Lodging Houses, he states in one section the snippet below. My thanks to Howard on JTRforums who presented the full article on

http://www.jtrforums.com/showthread.php?t=10086

As you can see Dave, there seemed to be quite a "flow" of watches, indicating that many were indeed wearing them.

best wishes

Phil

[protohistorian]

Nice one Phil! Dave

[lynn cates]

price

Hello Dave. Here is an ad for watches. It may put their price in perspective.

(Taken from Lloyd's Weekly April 8, 1888.)

The best.
LC

[protohistorian]

Thank You Lynn! It appears timekeeping was somewhat advanced, and more common than I had supposed. Dave

[Zodiac]

Hello Dave. Here is an ad for watches. It may put their price in perspective.

(Taken from Lloyd's Weekly April 8, 1888.)

The best.
LC

Thanks Lynn,

That's brilliant, I just love some of spelling/wording in that ad. "mekelled cases". "Goes 30 hours, and warranted serviceable for years". (How many years?) Almost every line is priceless, a great find.

Thanks again,

Zodiac.

[lynn cates]

nickle?

Hello Zodiac. I wonder if it's possible that it should read "nickelled"? (Those PDF's are in very bad shape.)

Dave, you are entirely welcome.

Cheers.
LC

[Zodiac]

Hello Zodiac. I wonder if it's possible that it should read "nickelled"? (Those PDF's are in very bad shape.)

Hi Lynn,

I increased the image by 400% and yes, of course, you're right, me bad! Still I gotta love that ad. though!

Best wishes,

Zodiac.

[lynn cates]

clubs

Hello Zodiac. Yes, the phraseology is interesting indeed.

Dave, you are right about the prevalence of time pieces. There are several listings for "watch clubs."

Cheers.
LC

[The Grave Maurice]

I'm not sure that I'm getting the point of this thread. A watch that cost 7s. 9d. would be too much for the average working man and, even if he owned one, it would probably spend much of its life in the the local pawn shop.

[protohistorian]

Hello GM. Anything to do with the fixing of time. Details on church clocks, details on watches, prevalence of knocker uppers, so that a composite picture of this aspect of the contemporary culture can be established with some fact and less guess. Dave

[The Grave Maurice]

OK, Dave. But didn't most people, during the period that interests us, get the time from church and shop clocks rather than their own timepieces? Knowing the exact time, for poor people in the LVP, has always seemed to me to be rather difficult.

[protohistorian]

Thats what I am trying to find out GM. I do not know. We now know the level of income one would need to purchase a watch, and we have some idea of there existing an illicit trade in stolen watches in a lodging house. A much clearer understanding, at least for me. But without asking the question, there will be no answers. Dave