Clockface about 1860 by William Evans.
Photo credit: pickypixies
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Shopfront in Dale Rd, Matlock c1905.
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Melissa Jones emails from Santa Rosa, California:
I happened to run across your site when doing some research on a
grandfather clock left to me by my parents. The face looks quite similar to
the one shown on [this] webpage.
The face reads:"Wm. Evans, Machynlleth"
A paper attached inside the clock reads:"Feb. 18, 1950.
The works of this clock were made in England and brought over to the U.S. by
a Mr. Lytell in 1863.
The works were installed in this case Feb. 22, 1950."
I am wondering if you might know of someone in the area whom you could refer
me in order to discuss the clock.
Best,
Melissa J. Jones, Santa Rosa, CA
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Peter Heyes wrote to Melissa::
Thanks for the photos. It is a very attractive dial. The birds painted to
the centre were 'optional extras' that you had to pay extra for!
The dials were made in Birmingham and supplied to the clockmaker to mount to
his movement. Quite why the seconds hand was in the wrong place is quite a
mystery. It is perhaps that at one time a different movement has been
'married' to the dial. This happened when clocks were of very little value
and it was often cheaper to change the movement rather rather than repair it
(probably swapped for a movement of similar age that was just in better
condition).
Sometimes clocks that ran for just 30 hours (daily wind) were upgraded to
8-day (weekly wind) movements and sometimes they don't fit correctly.
However yours was probably always an 8-day clock - we know because it had a
seconds dial painted. Seconds dials on 30 hour clocks were very rare.
The design of the dial tells us how to date it. From the images alone, I
would have said about 1835. The corner decoration is almost Regency period
(ie around 1815) but the numerals are heavier, like you see in the 1840s.
I don't think we'll find much more about the maker. The little bit of info I
sent came from a specialist publication on Welsh clocks. Perhaps the next
source of inquiry would be to look at the various census for the town
around the 1830s.
I hope that helps, and that you'll get lots of pleasure from your clock when
it returns.
Best wishes
Peter Heyes
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Posted 1924.
Dale Road from the South west, probably taken 20 years
before posting. The large
Old English Hotel
is in the distance. Nearer is
W.Evans & Son, watchmaker. The son
Charles Evans describes himself
as a "refractionist" in the Census. We would call the profession
"optician" today, which fact is proudly displayed by a giant pair
of spectacles, and signs reading "Eyesight Testing Room". Nearer still is
Harker's, chemist and druggist.
Another William Evans longcase, made at Wirksworth, for sale on
Ebay, located in Cheshire. Looks nice and clean, inside and out.
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William Evans 1830-1914.
William Evans was born in Nottingham, and moved to Wirksworth as a young
unmarried watchmaker before he was 21. His wife Mary Cooper from
Nottinghamshire died at 29, but he married Hannah a year later (also from
Nottinghamshire) and had 4 children by her. William died in 1914 aged 85.
William described himself as a watchmaker, watch and clockmaker, jeweller
and (aged 50) as a Master watchmaker. His shop was in St John Street,
Wirksworth for 40 years from 1851, when he moved to better premises on Dale Street,
Matlock. His eldest son William died at 18, but second son Charles trained
as a jeweller and "refractionist" (today called an optician) and eventually
took over his father's business in Matlock.
Bertram Haworth (1904-1998) remembers William Evans' business near the Market
Place, Wirksworth, and describes a Mr Millington
who took over when Evans moved to Matlock.
An example of William Evans' work is shown. It is a grandfather clock dial
from around 1860 and measures 14" by 20". The paintings on the face
surround show a shepardess in the arch and dogs and sheep in the corners.
It has its original winding hole collett and datewheel, with four short
dial feet at the back.
The clock described by Melissa Jones. However, the maker may be a
different Wm Evans, no conection has yet been found between the one
in Derbyshire and Wales!
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Large Mantel Clock made by WM Evans Wirksworth,
27" high x 14.5" wide, made in Mahogany,
circa 1870, in working order.
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Dates:
Photo taken:1930s
Size:
Source:
Click on photo for enlargement (on CD only)
Have any more information about this photo?
Please e-mail the author on:
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Census, cemetery and Parish Register entries
1851
#148---St John Street---[Wirksworth]---
W148a William EVANS Head U 21 M Watchmaker Nottingham NTT
Tradesman entry 1857
EVANS William [St. John's st, Wirksworth] Watch & Clock Maker
1861
#4---St John Street---[Wirksworth]---
W485a William EVANS Head M 30 M Jeweller Nottingham NTT
W485b Mary EVANS Wife M 23 F Eastwood NTT
W485c Thomas HENSHAW Lodger U 30 M Solicitors man clerk Loughborough LEI Managing
Burial entry
B 1866jan22 EVANS Mary(Wirksworth)[29],#2000
Monumental Inscriptions
[QC175]..... In/memory/of/SAMUEL COOPER/of Wirksworth
/who died December 26th 1865/aged 51 years/also of JOHN son of
/SAMUEL and ANN COOPER/who died March 21st 1865/aged 25 years
/and of/MARY EVANS/their daughter/who died January 18th 1866
/aged 29years.(Limestone headstone & kerb)
[QC215]..... Sacred/to the memory of/ANN/wife of the late/SAMUEL COOPER
/who died February 6th l892/aged 77 years/also of/WILLIAM SHAW
/born January 28th 1854/died January 24th l9l9/also of/ANNIE
/the beloved wife of the above/who died Aug 15th 1934/aged 79 years.
(FOX) (Marble headstone & double kerb)
[QC216]..... With Christ which/is far better/In loving memory of
/WILLIAM HARRY EVANS/who died Jany 26 l888/aged 18 years.
(Marble cross & kerb)
Baptism entries
C 1868feb09 EVANS Emily=William/Hannah(Wirksworth)[Watchmaker],#144
C 1869nov21 EVANS William harry=William/Hannah(Wirksworth)[Watchmaker],#234
C 1871jun11 EVANS Charles walter=William/Hannah(Wirksworth)[Watchmaker],#339
C 1876sep10 EVANS John frederic=William/Hannah(Wirksworth)[Watchmaker],#658
1871
#47---Market Place---[Wirksworth]---
W374a William EVANS Head M 41 M Watch maker Nottingham NTT
W374b Hannah EVANS Wife M 31 F Brinsley NTT
W374c Emily EVANS Dau 3 F Wirksworth
W374d William H EVANS Son 1 M Wirksworth Harry
W374e Annie ROWLAND Servant 13 F Domestic servant Wirksworth
1881
#71---Market Place---[Wirksworth]---(RG11-3419-3-p14)
W386a William EVANS Head M 50 M Watchmaker (master) Nottingham NTT
W386b Hannah EVANS Wife M 40 F Eastwood NTT
W386c Emily EVANS Dau 13 F Scholar Wirksworth
W386d William H. EVANS Son 11 M Scholar Wirksworth
W386e Charles W. EVANS Son 10 M Scholar Wirksworth
W386f John F. EVANS Son 4 M Wirksworth
1891
#87---St John Street, Greenwich House---[Wirksworth]---
W389a William EVANS Head M 60 M Watchmaker,jeweller Nottingham NTT
W389b Hannah EVANS Wife M 50 F Brinsley NTT
W389c Emily EVANS Dau S 25 F Wirksworth
W389d Walter EVANS Son S 20 M Watchmaker,jeweller Wirksworth
W389e Frederic EVANS Son 14 M Wirksworth
1901
#7---Dale Rd---[Matlock]---
Mk0645a William EVANS Head M 71 M Watchmaker,jeweller Nottingham NTT
Mk0645b Hannah EVANS Wife M 61 F Nottingham NTT
Mk0645c Charles W EVANS Son S 30 M Refractionist,jewelr Wirksworth Jeweller
Mk0645d John F EVANS Son S 24 M Clerk in bank Wirksworth
Mk0645e Emily EVANS Dau S 32 F Wirksworth
Mk0645f Sarah EATON Servant 14 F Servant general dom Cromford
1911 Census for Dale Road, Matlock
William EVANS Head Marr M 80 1831 Nottingham Watch Maker
Hannah EVANS Wife Marr F 70 1841 Eastwood No Occupation
Charles Walter EVANS Son Sing M 40 1871 Wirksworth Jeweller And Optician
1914 Burial for Matlock
William EVANS, born 1829, Death Dec 1914, age 85 Matlock
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