William Brown

[SteveHB]

Posted this at the request of new member wayneofhull.

I am wondering if you can help me,

I have recently bought a pocket watch and the details inside the watch say ..

William Brown,

62 High Street, Sheffield.

Can anyone tell me anything about this watch maker ?

Many thanks Wayne.

[SteveHB]

This is what I came up with Wayne.

64 High Street,

Bright & Sons,

gold & silver smiths,

watchmakers, jewelers,

and general merchants.

Kelly's directory 1854.

---------------------------------------

32 High Street,

William Brown, watchmaker.

Kelly's directory 1854

---------------------------------------

Sounds like William could have been living at number 32,

and worked at number 64 ?

[vox]

Looks like William Brown was a separate retailer. Not associated with Bright and Sons.

An 18ct Gold Open Faced Chronograph Pocket Watch, retailed by William Brown, 62 High St, Sheffield, No.82091, 1882, frosted gilt fusee movement, bimetallic compensation balance, enamel dial with Roman numerals and outer fifths of seconds track, plain polished case with engraved monogram to back, stop/start slide in the band to operate centre chronograph hand, case with maker's mark AW&FT, London 1882, 52mm wide.

Auction Site

[Guest wayneofhull]

Looks like William Brown was a separate retailer. Not associated with Bright and Sons.

An 18ct Gold Open Faced Chronograph Pocket Watch, retailed by William Brown, 62 High St, Sheffield, No.82091, 1882, frosted gilt fusee movement, bimetallic compensation balance, enamel dial with Roman numerals and outer fifths of seconds track, plain polished case with engraved monogram to back, stop/start slide in the band to operate centre chronograph hand, case with maker's mark AW&FT, London 1882, 52mm wide.

Auction Site

Thanks for that but the watch is silver and it has some of the characteristics of what you have described but no hallmark,

just a watch number and William brown 62 High St Sheffield,

and a small mark with fine silver and by the looks of things some one has put 1889,

so weather that is any thing or nothing i don't know,

it is all wind up and is all roman numerals.

I will get some pictures up asap.

Wayne

[Guest wayneofhull]

right i see you take donations so i will donate 10 pounds if between us all we can get a date for the watch

wayne

[vox]

Thanks for that but the watch is silver and it has some of the characteristics of what you have described but no hallmark,

just a watch number and William brown 62 High St Sheffield,

and a small mark with fine silver and by the looks of things some one has put 1889,

so weather that is any thing or nothing i don't know,

it is all wind up and is all roman numerals.

I will get some pictures up asap.

Wayne

I think you misunderstood my meaning Wayne.

I wasn't suggesting the watches were in any way similar. Merely suggesting that William Brown was the retailer of the gold watch which was made by (AW&FT, London 1882) and as such may well have only been the retailer of yours. I think it also illustrates that Steve's suggestion that William Brown was associated in some way with Bright & Sons is probably not the case.

All conjecture at the moment of course.

When you say "someone has put 1889" do you mean that this is scratched into the case. If so, that's possibly a date when it went for repairs. I believe repairers used to do that.

[Guest wayneofhull]

I think you misunderstood my meaning Wayne.

I wasn't suggesting the watches were in any way similar. Merely suggesting that William Brown was the retailer of the gold watch which was made by (AW&FT, London 1882) and as such may well have only been the retailer of yours. I think it also illustrates that Steve's suggestion that William Brown was associated in some way with Bright & Sons is probably not the case.

All conjecture at the moment of course.

When you say "someone has put 1889" do you mean that this is scratched into the case. If so, that's possibly a date when it went for repairs. I believe repairers used to do that.

Yes someone has put 1889 and some initials next to it and it is lightly scratched into it,

hear is every thing on the watch and there will be pictures to follow.

Small hallmark saying fine silver

a number 42750

then William Brown

62 High St

Sheffield

near the ticking mechanism we have the stamp and hallmark again

then the things what look like some one has scratced in are

1889 JK and 3/86/mw

Wayne.

[RichardB]

This is what I came up with Wayne.

64 High Street,

Bright & Sons,

gold & silver smiths,

watchmakers, jewelers,

and general merchants.

Kelly's directory 1854.

---------------------------------------

32 High Street,

William Brown, watchmaker.

Kelly's directory 1854

---------------------------------------

Sounds like William could have been living at number 32,

and worked at number 64 ?

Henrietta and Frederick Bright & Sons

Watchmakers, jewellers, gold and silver smiths and merchants

64 High Street

(White's Trade Directory 1849 & 1852)

William Brown

Watchmaker & working jeweller

38 High Street

(White's 1849)

32 High Street

(White's 1852)

[Guest wayneofhull]

Where will the 62 High St Sheffield have come from that is the address on the watch

and how do i put pictures on ??

Wayne

[SteveHB]

Where will the 62 High St Sheffield have come from that is the address on the watch

and how do i put pictures on ??

Wayne

Hi Wayne,

to add images/photos ..

1/ Click to Attach Files

2/ Navigate to the folder on your computer that contains the photo(s)

3/ Click on (open) a photo to upload

4/ Repeat steps 1, 2, and 3 for each photo you want to add.

Position the mouse cursor in the area of the post reply box

where you want a photo to be placed,

and click on Add to Post.

Click on the 'preview post' button at the bottom

of the page before you submit your post.

[Guest wayneofhull]

picturs will be uploaded today

wayne

[Guest wayneofhull]

Here are the photos

[SteveHB]

Here are the photos

Well Wayne I will give you 10 out of 10

for your achievement in uploading & posting the photos.

Even though they are slightly out of focus

Sent you a PM.

[Guest wayneofhull]

are these any better

[Guest Carl2212]

Hi All,

I also have a Wm Brown watch that is my hierloom, pictures attached. I would be very grateful if anyone has information on Wm Brown they could share.

Mine is hallmarked 1879 and is 18 carret gold.

Thanks

Carl.

[RichardB]

William Brown, watchmaker and working jeweller, Ct 34 High Street (White's 1837)

[Ponytail]

Link to:

William Brown, watch and clock maker and manufacturing jeweller. 

https://www.sheffieldhistory.co.uk/forums/topic/19581-william-brown-watch-and-clock-maker-manufacturing-jeweller-62-high-street/