Amble Watchmakers
 

I wonder if anyone can provide information on any of the following watchmakers, all allegedly from, or operating in and around, Amble:
J Brodie
Thomas Campbell
T Dickinson
Henry Robertson

Regards

There is also a William Dobson listed in an 1888 directory as watchmaker, one of two, the other being Thomas Campbell.

Campbell did had an advert in that directory:


http://www.coquetandcoast.co.uk/imag...aker-amble.jpg

Thanks, that's got me off to a start. Don't suppose anyone knows what premises he occupied on Queen Street?
The reason for my interest is that I collect an antique pocket watch from each place I live. I like to research the maker and use that connection as a way of relating to my new home. My wife and I are moving to Amble in January so I'm starting to research what my next target watch might be.
I think I might struggle with tracking down an Amble watch, but that's half the fun.
Regards

On the 1891 census Thomas Campbell, aged 53, is at 49 Queen Street, a 'Watchmaker Jobber' born Durham . There is also a Thomas Jnr., aged 20 born Morpeth, also a 'Watchmaker Jobber'.

William Dobson aged 24, born Blyth, is on the 1881 census as a watchmaker, a boarder, in 'Queen Street East'.

James Brodie, aged 34, born Wooler, is on the 1911 Census as a watchmaker, living at 9 Wellwood street with his wife Hannah.

This was either my Grandads or his fathers - now belongs to my brother whose name is......Jack Brown.
No makers mark but has a number if that means anything to you.

Henry Robertson, aged 57, born Stockton, is on the 1911 census as a watchmaker, living at 20 Smith Street. His son James, age 20, born Alnwick, at the same address is also a watchmaker.

I have a silver watch engraved in the same style, to a John or a 'James Anderson, Amble' I think it is mechanically knackered. I'll take a photo tomorrow.

Also have my grandfather's (ex great grandfather's) watches but they are unmarked I'm sure. (I'll double check)

Good Heavens. I just located the 'Anderson' watch that has been lying about here for donkey's years. Had a google on how to open a pocket watch..., got down to the mechanism and it's by Thomas Campbell, Amble. Ee by gum 'am chuffed. :)

This is one of the ancestor's watches, this and the next one probably spent some time underground at Broomhill Colliery; the original owner was an official down there.
Pocket watches were still the miners' timepiece of choice when I started at the pit, late 70s. Everyone had one, normally kept in an old circular pastille tin or similar. Not sure what happened to mine!


So......this one turned out not to be local. Made by A.H. Drinkwater, Coventry it says. Hallmark is Chester, 1896




http://www.coquetandcoast.co.uk/imag...ntry-front.jpg


http://www.coquetandcoast.co.uk/imag...entry-back.jpg


http://www.coquetandcoast.co.uk/imag...y-hallmark.jpg


http://www.coquetandcoast.co.uk/imag...y-movement.jpg

Next one is a bit more local. Andrew Forster, Morpeth.
Chester hallmark again, 1895.
Think this watchmaker's son was killed in WW1. A Northumberland Fusilier.

http://www.coquetandcoast.co.uk/imag...peth-front.jpg


http://www.coquetandcoast.co.uk/imag...rpeth-back.jpg


http://www.coquetandcoast.co.uk/imag...h-hallmark.jpg



http://www.coquetandcoast.co.uk/imag...h-movement.jpg

This is the 'Thos. Campbell, Amble' watch.
Case hallmark is London, 1885. Also engraved 'John Anderson Amble'


http://www.coquetandcoast.co.uk/imag...mble-front.jpg



http://www.coquetandcoast.co.uk/imag...amble-back.jpg



http://www.coquetandcoast.co.uk/imag...e-hallmark.jpg


http://www.coquetandcoast.co.uk/imag...e-movement.jpg

Hi Gordon,
Then number is the watch serial number which, without knowing the manufacturer, doesn't tell you anything I'm afraid. However, what I love about watches is the power they have to connect us to the past.
I mean no offence when I say that yours would not have been an expensive watch when purchased but the value of knowing that an ancestor of yours held it, carried it, wound it, looked at it every day and worked his day by it ought to be greater than its material worth.

Hi Coquet,
The case sponsor mark I.J.T.N belongs to Isaac Jabez Theo Newsome of 14 and 15, The Butts, Coventry. Newsome and Co 'Wholesale Watch Manufacturers' were one of the leading English watchmaking firms of the period, most of their output bearing the name of the retailer, as was the standard English practice. Newsome's mark was registered in November 1884. A sponsor mark indicates the person responsible to the assay office for the case and / or watch when submitted for hallmarking. It does not necessarily indicate the actual watch maker.

Looking at the sponsor marks, I can't find any record for the A.V. mark on the inner case. however, I believe the A.B. mark on the case stem may be the sponsor's mark registered at the assay office by Arthur Baume (1888 - 1923) Managing Director of Baume & Co. of 21 Hatton Garden, London.
I would assume that John Anderson was the watch's owner. Given your resources I expect you could easily track him down. That's the thing with watches, once you start looking at them you never know where the journey will take you.

Here is one of our family watches.Engraved F M Young 1898, my great grandfather.
Thomas Campbell Amble. Where would his workshop have been ? Looking back I see 49 Queen st. The hallmark jf looks familiar!

Hi Hollydog,
The watch has a London hallmark for 1886. However, the closest I can find for the JF sponsors mark on the case is for a John Fleckner Case maker of Warwick Street, Earlsdon, Coventry. The watch could be what is sometimes referred to as a 'London watch' in that it was assembled and registered in London from parts produced in other parts of the country, hence the case possibly coming from Coventry. If requested, these watches could then be engraved with the details of the jeweller that retailed the watch, rather than actually made it, in this case Amble's Thomas Campbell.
It's an handsome old watch, well worth using to keep it in good order.

Jet? / Dunes Amusements give their address as 47-49 Queen Street. The post office has 43 on their receipts. But... the TSB claim to be number 75. So a bit confusing. [unless they are all double numbers down to the TSB?]

47-49 photographed today:

http://www.coquetandcoast.co.uk/imag...aker-amble.jpg

Many thanks for all the interesting information. They are such high quality complex little things. I can understand how someone could get bitten by the collecting bug with these!