Women and Horology

A project, which recently began in the UK, charts women who worked in the British watchmaking industry from the 17th to the 20th Centuries. It started when watchmaker, Geoff Allnutt who works in Midhurst, West Sussex, came across several pocket watch movements engraved with womens’ names on the barrel bridges which could represent the first owners of the watch, the maker, or the retailer, as with their male counterparts.

Allnutt Collection Watch with signature Lily Robinson the case was made by Emma Mcknight, Coventry

Working with Su Fullwood, a freelance collections adviser, he began an initial list, collating all the names that had so far been found of women working in different aspects of the industry. The list, still being compiled, includes women who have any relevant involvement with horology, including apprentices, retailers, makers, dial painters, engravers, watch key makers and those working in the factories. The numbers are constantly increasing as more names are found and added. The histories behind the women involved are also being researched, where possible, such as those who worked in 18th Century Christchurch, a small town in Dorset, making the tiny fusee chains for watches. This work was mainly undertaken by women and children and required some skill and a lot of patience to punch out the tiny links then rivet them together.

The entrepreneur and founder of this business was Robert Harvey Cox with his wife Anne. The fusee chain industry here was successful partly because it employed women and children (many from the local work house) making it possible for chains to be manufactured for a competitive price. 18th Century Christchurch was an area with high poverty and little opportunity for generating money, so the town welcomed an industry that enabled women and children to contribute to an income. Written memories from a chain maker, Rose Andrews, exist to give us an insight into what life was like. From her recollections we know that women and girls often spent over 70 hours a week making the tiny fusee chains. There are many other similar stories about individual women and their work in watchmaking, which are arising from this project.

The Former Workhouse at Christchurch (Now Red House Museum) Photo S Fullwood

At this stage, the project is restricted to women’s names found in the United Kingdom, although in the future there will be further links with work on women and horology in other countries such as Switzerland (where much has already been researched) France, the United States and New Zealand.

If you want to know more please do look at Women and Horology (ahsoc.org) and Women in Horology – Geoff Allnutt Clocks

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