# Brook & Son, Edinburgh - Pocket Watch



## Bucko (Feb 16, 2019)

I was generously given this nice watch from my wife's family some time ago but it's been sitting in a safe for years. Having recently "found" it again, I have been trying to establish its history. What I've gleaned from the internet so far....

Brook & Son traded between 1891 & 1941 and were based at 87, George Street, Edinburgh. They were successors to Marshall & Sons. Alexander James Steel Brook's father started working at Marshalls in 1853, Alexander himself worked there from 1873. In 1891 they acquired Marshall's, and restyled the business as Brook & Son. They appointed Daniel Stewart as designer, and in 1935 it was noted that he had been with Brook & Son for 42 years. Following Alexander's death in 1908, the firm passed to his son, William, who died in 1941.

Hamilton & Inches have resided at 87 George Street since 1952 and the founders would almost certainly have known Brook & Son. I'm not sure whether the Brook & Son Company was consumed by H&I.










The Brook & Son name and address looks like it could have been engraved by the same person who engraved some of the Hamilton & Inches pocket watches I have seen elsewhere on this forum.










The casing has a London hallmark with an 1888 date letter. The "RB" sponsors mark is possibly that of Richard Macaire Ball who was a specialist watch case maker. He was born in 1820 in Clerkenwell, London and was the son of Richard John Ball, also a watch case maker. I have not been able to find another photo of the same sponsors mark or links to any other watch cases he made.









I would be interested to find out further information about Brook & Son and Richard Macaire Ball, if he was actually the case maker.

Thanks,

Richard


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## Melville (Jun 17, 2013)

The RB mark IS the mark of casemaker Richard Macaire Ball. He first registered his mark at the London Assay Office in July 1854, then again in March 1876, and finally in November 1886. His address was given as 31 Sudely Street, City Road, London.


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## Bucko (Feb 16, 2019)

Melville said:


> The RB mark IS the mark of casemaker Richard Macaire Ball. He first registered his mark at the London Assay Office in July 1854, then again in March 1876, and finally in November 1886. His address was given as 31 Sudely Street, City Road, London.


 Thanks for the information.


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## Suze (8 mo ago)

I have a sycamore wood mantle clock from Brook and Son. The note inside from Brook and Son is dated 1943, so I assume they were still operating then from 87 George St, Edinburgh. 
I believe that the clock was a wedding present to my mother-in-law from Sir William Younger Bart, Auchen Castle, Moffat. 
The note has a clock number8722Y. 
I would be interested to find out more. 
Thank you,

Sue Leicester (Australia).


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## spinynorman (Apr 2, 2014)

Suze said:


> I have a sycamore wood mantle clock from Brook and Son. The note inside from Brook and Son is dated 1943, so I assume they were still operating then from 87 George St, Edinburgh.
> I believe that the clock was a wedding present to my mother-in-law from Sir William Younger Bart, Auchen Castle, Moffat.
> The note has a clock number8722Y.
> I would be interested to find out more.
> ...


 Hello Sue. You may find you get more responses if you post pictures of the clock. If you don't have pictures on a website you can post links to, sign up for the free trial of the gallery here. You can then copy and paste the pictures directly into your reply. https://www.thewatchforum.co.uk/index.php?/subscriptions/


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