Wilson Watchmaking Family BACK CLICK ON THE IMAGE TO SEE IN FULL The Wilson Watchmaking Family This image shows an antique gilt full-plate verge fusee pocket watch movement signed "Jos. Wilson, Stamford," featuring an intricately pierced and engraved scroll-pattern balance cock and a regulation dial marked for slow and fast adjustments. The movement originates from an early 19th-century English pocket watch made by a local horologist in Stamford. It uses a verge escapement paired with a fusee cone to equalize the mainspring's decreasing torque as it unwinds. The signature "Jos. Wilson, Stamford" represents a notable family lineage of watch and clockmakers active in Lincolnshire during the 18th and 19th centuries. The Wilson Watchmaking Family Joseph (Jos.) Wilson, the maker of this movement was a skilled watchmaker, clockmaker, and silversmith and took over his uncle James's business and registered his own mark in Stamford around 1818. Horological records list him as active between 1818 and 1868. The Family Business, Joseph was the nephew of James Wilson, an established Stamford clockmaker who worked from 1786 to 1799 before partnering with Thomas Haynes until 1803. Joseph succeeded his uncle's workshop and expanded the family business. Regional Network, The Wilsons were part of a prolific three-brother horological network (including Ralph and Robert Wilson) that operated highly successful workshops across Stamford, Bourne, Peterborough, and Spalding. During the early 19th century, provincial English watchmakers like Joseph Wilson often ordered raw movement blanks ( ébauches ) from specialized material makers in industrial hubs like Lancashire or Coventry. They would then finish, custom-engrave, assemble, adjust, and sign the movements. DOWLOAD PDF Previous Next

Stamford Half Penny BACK CLICK ON THE IMAGE TO SEE IN FULL Stamford Half Penny On the restoration of King Charles II in 1660 there was a shortage of small coinage and as a result towns like Stamford issued small non silver coins. The Stamford coin had the words Half Penny and the Borough Arms on the obverse and on the reverse a woolsack and the words Charged to Ye Overseers. There were minor variants and some coins were slightly smaller and thinner. DOWLOAD PDF Previous Next

World War Two Casket BACK CLICK ON THE IMAGE TO SEE IN FULL Stamford World War Two Casket At the end of World War Two, those from Stamford who had served in the military were presented with an Illuminated Address of Thanks by the Mayor, Aldermen and Burgesses on behalf of the inhabitants of Stamford. It was decided in 1945 to honour returning troops with a small oak casket, ‘A Token of Stamford’s Gratitude’, and was designed for untipped cigarettes. The recipient could take a small payment in lieu of the casket. DOWLOAD PDF Previous Next

Daniel Lambert BACK CLICK ON THE IMAGE TO SEE IN FULL Stamford Crested China – Daniel Lambert T.S. Duncomb, Greaves & Co, and Dolby Brothers all who traded on High Street, the Stamford Supply Company, and Starsmore & Co. to name another two are just a few of the shops in Stamford before and after the First World War that sold crested china in Stamford. From small pots and vases to aeroplanes, submarines and zeppelins, crested china came in all sorts of shapes. The most local shape to Stamford is of course Daniel Lambert who died on June 21 st 1809 in the Wagon and Horses Inn in St. Martins. His gravestone in St. Martin’s New Churchyard records his weight as Fifty-Two Stones and Eleven Pounds. DOWLOAD PDF Previous Next

Parish & Sons - Tie Press BACK CLICK ON THE IMAGE TO SEE IN FULL Parish & Sons - Tie Press In the late 1800s Thomas Parrish ran a Tailor and Outfitter’s business from 63 High Street. He had three sons and a daughter and during the 20th century the firm expanded with a Ladies, Children’s and Household Linen department at 10 High Street and a Furniture department was opened at 45 Broad Street. DOWLOAD PDF Previous Next

WW1 Death Penny BACK CLICK ON THE IMAGE TO SEE IN FULL William Henry Dawtry - World War One Death Penny William Henry Dawtry was born and lived his childhood at 24 St. Leonard’s Street before leaving school and joining the Army. As a regular soldier and in barracks on the Isle of Wight in the summer of 1914 he was a member of the British Expeditionary Force that sailed for France and moved north towards Mons in August 1914. As a member of the Royal Army Medical Corp attached to a Cavalry Regiment, he was very close to the front line when he was killed in action from shrapnel wounds on September 29th 1914. William has no known grave and his name is recorded close to where he fell at Seine-et-Marne LA FETTE-SOUS JOUARRE Memorial. He was buried in a field near Villers En Prayeres close to a sugar factory on the River Aisne. In the words of Rupert Brooke If I should die, think only this of me: That there’s some corner of a foreign field: That is for ever England … William is remembered on the War Memorial in St George’s Church and the Town’s War Memorial in Broad Street. DOWLOAD PDF Previous Next

Wagon Wheel Nut BACK CLICK ON THE IMAGE TO SEE IN FULL Hayes and Son - Wagon Wheel Nut Hayes and Son were a very successful Carriage and Wagon makers whose main works and showroom was on Scotgate and the site is now a car park. Established in 1825, successive generations took the firm from being a wheelwright in Wansford to a business with factories in Stamford, Peterborough and London and from repairing farm wagons to the construction of carriages for the Prince of Wales, the King of Sweden and the Gaekwar of Baroda. The firm also made motor car bodies before the First World War, held Government Military Contracts and built one-offs like a Rhinoceros Wagon for Wombwell’s Menagerie. A disastrous fire in 1921 hastened the end of the company which ceased trading in 1924. DOWLOAD PDF Previous Next

Willcocks Kitchen Range BACK CLICK ON THE IMAGE TO SEE IN FULL Joseph William Willcocks Kitchen Range (c.1880 to 1909) Hidden away in the cellar of 62 High Street is this fine Victorian kitchen range. Now long out of use, but still solidly built, below what could be a century of rust. The coal chute from the street above is blocked and access to what would be a museum piece is through a series of cellars. The building above was the old Stamford Mercury offices, originally just in No. 62, and later extended into No. 61, to become a substantial structure where the newspaper was prepared for the print works out the back. Clearly the many re-builds in the 20 th century did not touch the cellar where this kitchen range provided sustenance originally to the Editor and his family who lived “above the shop”. The range has a Joseph Willcocks’ retailer’s cast-iron badge. Joseph William Willcocks’ (1853-1909) business at the top of St. Mary’s Hill was based in 14 St. Mary’s Street where he carried out a successful ironmongery business from the early 1880s until his death in February 1909. At probate he left £10,791 16s 4d, a not untidy sum for the time. Living above the shop, he moved to Broadmead House on Tinwell Road in later life. He was described as an ironmonger, oil, and colourman. Families who were “in trade“, and employed “live in servants”, had the servants working in the cellars and sleeping in the attics; the ground floor was for business, and the first floor was living accommodation for the family. How many other buildings in the centre of town still have such reminders of the past hidden away in their cellars? DOWLOAD PDF Previous Next

J Claypole & Son BACK CLICK ON THE IMAGE TO SEE IN FULL J. Claypole & Son. Stamford & Peterborough Edison Gold Moulded Records When the Sunset Turns the Ocean Blue to Gold The firm of J. Claypole & Son were sited at the bottom of Red Lion Street and sold not only the latest Edison Music Tubes but also musical instruments. The shop had a Lift to upper floors where pianos were displayed. Before the invention of the flat record, a record was a cylinder. The phonograph cylinder was patented by Thomas Edison in 1878. This example -When the Sunset Turns the Ocean Blue to Gold - was recorded by Byron G. Harlan in 1904. An online recording can be found on the University of California Santa Barbara Library Cylinder Audio Archive Website. DOWLOAD PDF Previous Next

Tradesmen's Tokens BACK CLICK ON THE IMAGE TO SEE IN FULL Stamford Tradesmen's Tokens From the mid-17 th century to end of the 19 th century many tradesmen in the town issued their own coinage in the form of small change tokens. Here are three examples from the mid-17 th century HSR HUMPHREY REYNOLDS FMB FRANCIS BLYTH WSW WILLIAM WALKER DOWLOAD PDF Previous Next

Stamford Victory Mug BACK CLICK ON THE IMAGE TO SEE IN FULL Stamford Victory Mug W. E. MARTIN was a Stamford business man whose firm built agricultural equipment on Ryhall Road and was there when the First World War was declared and they were the second largest employer in the town after Blackstone & Company. In August 1914 Mr Martin was the Mayor of Stamford and the Town Council decided that he should stay on until hostilities ceased. The mug is dated 1919, although we now see World War One as ceasing with the armistice on November 11th 1918 the Treaty of Versailles was not signed with Germany until June 28th 1919. DOWLOAD PDF Previous Next

Hayes & Son Milk Cart BACK CLICK ON THE IMAGE TO SEE IN FULL Hayes and Son - Coach and Wagon Builders Based locally at their works on Scotgate, 1825-1924, partly where the car park is now sited. They produced almost anything that needed a wheel, from carriages for a Maharaja and the British Royal family, to a wheelbarrow for a labourer, and in the 20th century, coach built bodies for motor cars. One of their examples is this three wheeled milk cart owned by John Thomas Tabram from Uppingham and built c.1910, which can be seen at the Rutland Museum in Oakham. DOWLOAD PDF Previous Next