Liverpool & South West Lancashire FHS - Forum

I have a two-part question about the above and hope that members might have some ideas. First, Robert Perry was a prolific and potentially important Liverpool watchmaker, with production spanning at least between the 1830s and 1850s. The only problem is that nobody in the horological world has evidence of him except for the wording on his watch movements and dials. The nearest I can get is a Robert William Perry in Manchester, which is at least the right county. Has anyone discovered a Robert Perry of Liverpool who fits the description and period? The second question may in fact give a clue as to who Perry was. His Liverpool trading address was 'Exchange Buildings. Castle Street'. Does anyone know what Exchange Buildings were used for in the mid-19th century? I am wondering if this was perhaps just a trading address for Perry's UK agent and that maybe none of his production was in Liverpool at all? Much of Perry's work went across The Pond to the USA where Bigelow Brothers & Kennard of Boston marketed his watches. It is here where my interest peaks because there is a suspicion that Perry's watch movements were taken by American major watch manufacturer Waltham as the prototype for their first mass produced watches.

Any thoughts, ideas or knowledge would be most appreciated

Cheers.

Mike.

The Robert W Perry in Manchester is born 1827 in Liverpool according to Census records. Would not fit with being a watchmaker in 1830's.

Hi Mike,

No mention of him in Gores 1827 but thought I'd just mention one entry that you might like to keep on file in case there is a connection.

Perry Joseph, watchmaker, 26, Shaw hill street

This Joseph wasn't there in the 1843 or directories, nor Robert.

I'm surprised there is a complete lack of him in directories.

Yes, agree with Mary, little sign of him.

If you have Anc, the 1881 Directory will give you a flavour of who occupied Exchange Buildings and their business'.

https://www.ancestry.co.uk/interactive/ ... 1147-00081

Mike,
No doubt you have come across this discussion?

http://ihc185.infopop.cc/eve/forums/a/t ... 9641025001

Exchange Buildings in McCorquodale Directory 1848:-

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903 ... cat=724489


Blue

alex69 wrote:The Robert W Perry in Manchester is born 1827 in Liverpool according to Census records. Would not fit with being a watchmaker in 1830's.

Many thanks for helping to eliminate this one. Not sure how I missed that point but then I have only recently discovered that the Robert Perry name in question goes back into the 1830s (hallmarks are wonderful things when you can find them).

MaryA wrote: I'm surprised there is a complete lack of him in directories.

Hi Mary. It's weird, isn't it. This has been baffling some of us in the horological community for some years (on both sides of The Pond). An advert in the Boston Daily Atlas in November 1852 states quite clearly that Bigelow Brothers & Kennard were "constantly supplied with a superior article of this description [silver lever watches] from the celebrated manufactory of Robert Perry, Exchange Buildings, Liverpool." BB&K had a high reputation to maintain and so if they considered Robert Perry to be "celebrated" you would think that he was well known here in England as well. I have details of nearly 30 of his watches and yet we have no idea of who he really was. Mike

Many thanks, Bert.

I had seen the forum discussion you linked in your reply - 12 years on and nobody is any further forward. The directory pages that you and Blue sent me are interesting. As you will see from my response to Mary A, Robert Perry was definitely associated with Exchange Buildings in November 1852 but there is nothing in the 1848 directory that Blue linked me to that gives me any clues yet (although the Hornby name always peaks my interest).

Mike.

Many thanks, Blue.

As you will see from my other responses, Perry was definitely supposed to have been there in 1852. However, the listing of Hornby as merchants makes me raise an eyebrow. The Liverpool Hornby's were highly respected watchmakers for many years and I wonder if H & J were of the same family, were they the ones supplying BB&K? I don't think it would hurt me to have a look at some histories of the Hornby's and see if there are any clues.

Mike.

Just did a search of 1853 directory to see who was named in Exchange Buildings and also name Hornby linked to watchmaking, these entries might be duplicating what you already have and others may be totally irrelevant.

Hornby
- Hugh, Esq. Sandown hall, Wavertree
• & Joseph & Co. merchants, 4, Exchange buildings
- Hugh F. mcht. (JJ.&c J.If. Str Cv.J Sandown hall, Wavertree

- James, watchmaker, 48, Midghall street
- James, watch manufacturer, 28, Slater street
- Jonathan, watchmaker, 11, Mount street, Everton
- Richard and Son, watch and chronometer manufacturers, 3 6, South Castle street
- Thomas, watchmaker, 34, Mill lane, Shaws brow

There was a Robert Parry, watchmaker, here are some directory entries:-

McCorquodale 1848, 6 Prince Edwin Lane
Gore’s 1851, 16 Prince Edwin Lane
Gore’s 1853, Smith Place, 34 Burlington Street


Blue