# Key-wind silver pocket watch 1878



## spinynorman (Apr 2, 2014)

This is a family heirloom, though I know nothing at all about its history. I've just had the crystal replaced and chain repaired, which probably cost more than it's worth, but it's good to see it working.

What little I know comes from the case - unless I'm mistaken, London hallmark, 1878, case made by Edward Wilday of Coventry. Inscription inside the case reads "Prof Robson 1881", and I have no idea who he was. My wife suggested "Prof" might even be a nickname for someone who was thought to be cleverer than his peers. Apparently the movement is signed "Bury & Sons", but I haven't dared go that far inside to look myself.

Posting for interest and in case anyone can throw any more light on its origins.



Very tempted to see what's under there, just nervous...


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## animalone (Apr 11, 2017)

@spinynorman

You will be fine, :thumbsup:

use the little peg that is sticking up in the middle of the bar to slide it clockwise and the cover will just lift off. it will just drop back on when you are done and slide it the other way to secure it again.


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## spinynorman (Apr 2, 2014)

animalone said:


> @spinynorman
> 
> You will be fine, :thumbsup:
> 
> use the little peg that is sticking up in the middle of the bar to slide it clockwise and the cover will just lift off. it will just drop back on when you are done and slide it the other way to secure it again.


 Thanks, I'll have a go later.


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## Always"watching" (Sep 21, 2013)

Nice looking watch, and of a date commensurate with the case hallmarks and inscription.

I haven't had any luck with "Bury & Sons," and hopefully we will be able to gain more information when you open the watch up and look at the movement.


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## davidcxn (Nov 4, 2010)

Regarding the engraved name it looks more like "Jno" (which would stand for John) rather than "prof". I'm not entirely sure with my eyesight but it's a possibility. If it is it would be interesting if you could identify any John Robsons in your family who could have been the original owner of the watch. :yes:

Its a lovely watch and well done getting it restored to give it a new lease of life for the future. :thumbsup:


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## stdape (Mar 9, 2018)

I tend to agree with David on the name.


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## spinynorman (Apr 2, 2014)

@animalone @animalone You were right, it opened, no drama at all. That provided a breakthrough.

@Always"watching" I now know why neither of us found "Bury & Sons", it's "Berry & Son" of "West Hartlepool". Lesson for me there is, look at the movement. :mad0218: That is a more productive search, though I've found things that don't yet add up, so if anyone knows of them, I'm interested.

Seems to have been several Berrys making watches, barometers, scientific and ships instruments out of West Hartlepool in the late 19th century. G Berry & Son is listed at 63, Church Street in Grace's Guide and there's an octant on a Danish ship in 1860 made by them. There was a watch-maker's shop on Church Street circa 1895 trading as G E Berry. Also found several pieces by G F Berry.

@davidcxn @stdape Well spotted, once I thought I saw "Prof", I couldn't see anything else. The case is pretty scratched, which doesn't help. The first name could certainly be Jn, then there looks like a pi symbol, with what could be "ge" above it. Surname is Robson for sure and there's none in my family tree that I know of, so that search continues.


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## davidcxn (Nov 4, 2010)

Looking at your latest picture the first name is an abbreviation for John ie "Jn" followed by an elevated underlined "o". The other squiggles above the "o" are from the copperplate "R" of the surname. I probably could have worded this better but hope it makes sense anyway. :biggrin:


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## wrenny1969 (Jun 24, 2008)

I like the fact these type of watches are over engineered. It shouts luxury which I assume would have been paid for by the original owner. Lovely.


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## spinynorman (Apr 2, 2014)

davidcxn said:


> Looking at your latest picture the first name is an abbreviation for John ie "Jn" followed by an elevated underlined "o". The other squiggles above the "o" are from the copperplate "R" of the surname. I probably could have worded this better but hope it makes sense anyway. :biggrin:


 Yes, makes perfect sense and I've now found a reference for Jn\o being an abbreviation for John, so I'm convinced.


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## Always"watching" (Sep 21, 2013)

Don't forget that the abbreviation used in the inscription of your lovely watch was also used, and perhaps more "correctly" so, for the name Jonathan.

May I thank you for adding in some more excellent pictures, dear @spinynorman and for finding the correct spelling of "Berry" on the movement. I did look for watchmakers named "Berry" in my original search and wondered then if the name had been given correctly in your original post. Many thanks for showing us this intriguing timepiece... :thumbsup:


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## spinynorman (Apr 2, 2014)

This watch continues to intrigue me.

I now know that George Allan Berry was born on the 29th January 1834 in Scotland. His father James was in business as a clockmaker, jeweller, chronometer maker and nautical instrument maker, first in Stonehaven and later Aberdeen. There's some other details that are inconsistent and I need to dig into more, but by 1881 George is married and living in West Hartlepool, trading as a watchmaker in Church Street. His son, George Frank Berry, then 22, is also a watchmaker. I've seen pictures of a watch very much like mine signed G. F. Berry, also a barometer and a sextant. It seems G A's family moved around a bit - G F was born in Cardiff, according to the census, and the family also may have been in Islington. Sometime after 1891 they seem to have changed occupation to opticians.

Then there's the Jn/o Robson inscription. Purely by chance I came across a pocket watch on Ebay from 1900 inscribed to Jos Robson, from the inhabitants of Blaydon for "service in South Africa 1899-1902". Turns out there's a war memorial in Blaydon (nr Newcastle) commemorating men who served in the Boer war and one of the names is Joseph Robson.

I have an ancestor who was an insurance agent in Sunderland and Newcastle around this time, who I think is the most likely candidate to have acquired my watch, and I can't help wondering if the two Robsons might have been related to one another. Though I think it's more likely to be coincidence.

I tried to buy the watch on Ebay, but was outbid. It would be nice to think it might have been bought by one of Joseph Robson's relations.


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