Oldham Watch Repairer

[mammybear]

hi everyone, been browsing site for a few days now, really love it. (or am i just nosey). i was born on broomspring lane, then moved to shiregreen when i was 8. i now live in woodhouse. my nan started me off looking at old sheffield telling me stories of where she used to llive etc. she used to live on london road and her father used to have a watch repair shop on corner of boston st/london rd it was demolished to build the lacarno. she is 101 in april and her memory is better than mine bless her. sorry for rambling on, must go now loads of browsing to do.

[DaveH]

hi everyone, been browsing site for a few days now, really love it. (or am i just nosey). i was born on broomspring lane, then moved to shiregreen when i was 8. i now live in woodhouse. my nan started me off looking at old sheffield telling me stories of where she used to llive etc. she used to live on london road and her father used to have a watch repair shop on corner of boston st/london rd it was demolished to build the lacarno. she is 101 in april and her memory is better than mine bless her. sorry for rambling on, must go now loads of browsing to do.

Welcome to Sheffield History mammybear,

Glad that you are enjoying everything the site has to offer.

Look forward to reading more of your posts.

With a 101 year old grandmother with an excellent memory you must have plenty of interesting things to tell us.

[RichardB]

hi everyone, been browsing site for a few days now, really love it. (or am i just nosey). i was born on broomspring lane, then moved to shiregreen when i was 8. i now live in woodhouse. my nan started me off looking at old sheffield telling me stories of where she used to llive etc. she used to live on london road and her father used to have a watch repair shop on corner of boston st/london rd it was demolished to build the lacarno. she is 101 in april and her memory is better than mine bless her. sorry for rambling on, must go now loads of browsing to do.

Welcome Mammybear.

Your information begs the question "when was the Lacarno built", I know of 24 watch makers on London Road, wonder if any of them are "yours".

[dunsbyowl1867]

Maybe on here?

My link

[mammybear]

Welcome Mammybear.

Your information begs the question "when was the Lacarno built", I know of 24 watch makers on London Road, wonder if any of them are "yours".

hi my mam and nan seem to think its the one in the photo posted by dunsbyowl, more on boston st than london rd, my nan said it was more a lean to shed than a shop. rumour has it that my nans dad used to travel to chatsworth house to wind up and maintain the clocks there we have no proof of that though, seems like a long way to go in those days to wind up a few clocks.

[RichardB]

hi my mam and nan seem to think its the one in the photo posted by dunsbyowl, more on boston st than london rd, my nan said it was more a lean to shed than a shop. rumour has it that my nans dad used to travel to chatsworth house to wind up and maintain the clocks there we have no proof of that though, seems like a long way to go in those days to wind up a few clocks.

Thomas Mangles, Watch repairer, 93 Boston Street, home 59 Hill Street

Boston Street used to be called New George Street

[mammybear]

thanks for that information he was my gt grandad.

[DaveH]

hi my mam and nan seem to think its the one in the photo posted by dunsbyowl, more on boston st than london rd, my nan said it was more a lean to shed than a shop. rumour has it that my nans dad used to travel to chatsworth house to wind up and maintain the clocks there we have no proof of that though, seems like a long way to go in those days to wind up a few clocks.

There was a time when clock winding, just like lighting and extinguishing gas pwered street lamps, was considered a full time occupation.

As many older, cheaper clocks were not very accurate and could lose or gain a fair bit between windings the winder would not only wind the clock but nudge the hands around a bit to correct for ant gain / loss. For this reason it would be classed as a skilled job (he needed an accurate pocket watch to correct his clock against)

I can imagine a clock winder having lots of wealthy customers as clocks were quite expensive items and having to travel a fair distance between them.

Most clocks had 8 or 30 day movements (week or month) so wouldn't need winding that frequeently.

[mammybear]

my nan says he used to go to chatsworth about once a month by coach and horses, he did this in the later years of his 7 year apprenticeship. thanks for the information very interesting.

[DaveH]

my nan says he used to go to chatsworth about once a month by coach and horses, he did this in the later years of his 7 year apprenticeship. thanks for the information very interesting.

Big clocks driven by weights and a pendulum such as longcase "grandfather" clocks were almost always 31 day movement and so would only require winding once per month.

Many clock dials have more than one key hole to wind it, as a general rule, -

1 hole is the "going" mechanism, ie you wind it up to keep the clock going

2 holes are going and striking mechanisms ie the clock has a mechanism to strike out hours and possibly halves and quarters

3 holes are for going, striking and chiming mechanisms ie the clock will chime a short tune before striking the hours and chime on the fractions.

The famous "Westminster Chimes" are an example of this.

For more about clocks on this site have a look at this thread

Horological Fun

[dunsbyowl1867]

my nan says he used to go to chatsworth about once a month by coach and horses, he did this in the later years of his 7 year apprenticeship. thanks for the information very interesting.

This may have taken some time!

"Everything about Chatsworth House is impressive. The entrance, via its long picturesque driveway, beckons you to yet greater sights. This grand, monumental, ancestral home of the Dukes of Devonshire is indeed one of England's most famous Treasure Houses. Mere words cannot do justice to its magnificent interior. To give you some idea of the size of Chatsworth House: there are 175 rooms, 51 of them extremely large. There are 17 staircases, 359 doors, 24 baths, 52 hand basins, 53 toilets, 21 kitchens, and the house uses over 2,000 electric light bulbs. Seventy-six fabulous antique clocks simultaneously chime every hour in every small corner of the house, and an impressive private library houses over 17,000 books. However, ironically, until the 1930's seven of the most opulent bedrooms had only one bathroom and toilet amongst them!"

[DaveH]

This may have taken some time!

"Everything about Chatsworth House is impressive. The entrance, via its long picturesque driveway, beckons you to yet greater sights. This grand, monumental, ancestral home of the Dukes of Devonshire is indeed one of England's most famous Treasure Houses. Mere words cannot do justice to its magnificent interior. To give you some idea of the size of Chatsworth House: there are 175 rooms, 51 of them extremely large. There are 17 staircases, 359 doors, 24 baths, 52 hand basins, 53 toilets, 21 kitchens, and the house uses over 2,000 electric light bulbs. Seventy-six fabulous antique clocks simultaneously chime every hour in every small corner of the house, and an impressive private library houses over 17,000 books. However, ironically, until the 1930's seven of the most opulent bedrooms had only one bathroom and toilet amongst them!"

So, well worth his while making the journey then, - they would have been a major customer and would no doubt have paid him well for this service.

[dunsbyowl1867]

So, well worth his while making the journey then, - they would have been a major customer and would no doubt have paid him well for this service.

And at Wentworth House in 1902 the Fitzwilliams employed a full-time "clockman" to wind the clocks in the house!

[mammybear]

thanks to you all for all the information my nan thinks its brilliant. just one more question does anyone know of a h. oldham watchmakers that was where my nans dad did his apprenticeship. she also remembers the roller skating rink on bramall lane she never went in she could not afford it. i have seen the pictures of it.

[RichardB]

thanks to you all for all the information my nan thinks its brilliant. just one more question does anyone know of a h. oldham watchmakers that was where my nans dad did his apprenticeship. she also remembers the roller skating rink on bramall lane she never went in she could not afford it. i have seen the pictures of it.

Herbert Oldham, 81 London Road (1893), Watch maker and jeweller.

[RichardB]

Also :

Oldham, James, Watchmaker & jeweller, 81 London Road; h. 128 South View Road (1905, White's).

[dunsbyowl1867]

thanks to you all for all the information my nan thinks its brilliant. just one more question does anyone know of a h. oldham watchmakers that was where my nans dad did his apprenticeship. she also remembers the roller skating rink on bramall lane she never went in she could not afford it. i have seen the pictures of it.

Roller skating rink see here

http://www.sheffieldhistory.co.uk/forums/i...&hl=bramall

[mammybear]

just found this at my moms. it is the watchmakers shop at 81 london road where my gt grandad did his apprenticeship, my gt grandad is the one with the white apron.

[DaveH]

just found this at my moms. it is the watchmakers shop at 81 london road where my gt grandad did his apprenticeship, my gt grandad is the one with the white apron.

Have we got a date / approximate date for when this picture was taken?

You may be able to estimate it from your great grandfathers apparent age (or lack of it) and his date of birth.

There's a nice collection of timepieces in the window.

They all look very old and collectable now, but at the time this picture was taken they would have been the latest, most modern styles.

[mammybear]

we seem to think the date approx was 1906-1913

[DaveH]

we seem to think the date approx was 1906-1913

Thanks mammybear.

Now that does say "silver watches 6'6" doesn't it?

Six shillings and sixpence is the equivalent of 33p in modern money (more precisely, 32 and a half pence)

Amazing that you could buy a silver watch, with a mechanical movement, for less than £1 even a hundred years ago.

[mammybear]

not quite as old but we have also found a paying in book from 1939 from the sheffield and ecclesall co op for furniture purchased by my grandfather. he bought a threepiece suite for £22.1.00 a vac for £3.7.6 and a piano for £43 the vac seems a little bit expensive to me. i dont know if i am posting this in the right place sorry if it is wrong.

[Only me]

<!--quoteo(post=59460:date=Jan 24 2010, 11:02 AM:name=mammybear)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (mammybear @ Jan 24 2010, 11:02 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=59460"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->just found this at my moms. it is the watchmakers shop at 81 london road where my gt grandad did his apprenticeship, my gt grandad is the one with the white apron.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

If this is the shop im thinking of it was there right up to at least the late 1970s. It looked almost the same then and was a jewellers. It was situated next to a petrol station that was on the corner of London road and Hill street.

My link

Found this picture, its one of the buildings in the background.