Help with pocket watch

[JC600]

Hello everyone, i'm new and need help lol :-)

I was wondering if you could give me some infomation on a pocket watch. On the face of the watch it say's "We require 8 hours for work-8 hours for our own instruction and 8 hours for repose" On the back it says "Workingmen of every country-Unite together to defend your rights", in the picture it is maked "Depose". Inside the case edge are Roman numerals "IX I I I - I I I - V I". Inside the mechanism cover "7835". On the mechanism "74298". And makers stamp i think is J F C or F J C. The chain is solid silver with hallmarks H A & S, side view of a Lion and the letter O non-italic.

Any information, would be gratefully apprechiated.

Thanks
Jamie

Pic's:-

http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa257/jc600/100_0516.jpg

http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa257/jc600/100_0515.jpg

http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa257/jc600/100_0514.jpg

http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa257/jc600/100_0513.jpg

http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa257/jc600/100_0511.jpg

http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa257/jc600/100_0510.jpg

[Ray MacDonald]

Well obviously a union man's watch. The movement looks Swiss 1900-1920 I'd say. The hallmark on the chain might be London 1909 but I'd need to see it to be sure.
thanks for posting.

[JC600]

Well obviously a union man's watch. The movement looks Swiss 1900-1920 I'd say. The hallmark on the chain might be London 1909 but I'd need to see it to be sure.
thanks for posting.

Thanks for the reply, thought it was a union man's watch. Can't get a very good close up shot with the camera i have.

Been looking all over the internet, can't find anything like this.

[Eeeb]

An interesting case. It was obviously part of some labor or political movement. The hallmarks will give a clue to it's origin but I don't have much luck with silver hallmarks so others will be more helpful.

The movement looks to be early 20th century. I would guess Swiss but I don't recognize it in any of the references I consulted.

Again, others will be more helpful!

[JC600]

An interesting case. It was obviously part of some labor or political movement. The hallmarks will give a clue to it's origin but I don't have much luck with silver hallmarks so others will be more helpful.

The movement looks to be early 20th century. I would guess Swiss but I don't recognize it in any of the references I consulted.

Again, others will be more helpful!

Thanks for the help. I can't find anything about it.

[Ray MacDonald]

Thanks for the reply, thought it was a union man's watch. Can't get a very good close up shot with the camera i have.

Been looking all over the internet, can't find anything like this.

Have a look here and see if it helps.

http://www.925-1000.com/british_marks.html

[Ray MacDonald]

The messages on your watch may have something to do with this:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eight_hour_day

[Eeeb]

The messages on your watch may have something to do with this:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eight_hour_day

Interesting... The labor movement predates our estimates for the watch movement. But this certainly is not a watch from most of the 1800's... too modern.

[Shangas]

The whole thing about "Eight hours" might indicate it was made for, or belonged to a working man or a working man's club or union. It reminds me of the chant that unionists used to shout out...

"Eight hours for work,
Eight hours for play,
Eight hours for rest,
Eight bob* a day.

A *bob is a shilling, if anyone's wondering...

[JC600]

Have a look here and see if it helps.

http://www.925-1000.com/british_marks.html

Yeah, thanks. London 1909 according to that website. Great. :-)

[JC600]

The messages on your watch may have something to do with this:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eight_hour_day

Just been looking at that too.

Interesting... The labor movement predates our estimates for the watch movement. But this certainly is not a watch from most of the 1800's... too modern.

Yeah, the silver on the chain looks like its dated 1909 London.

The whole thing about "Eight hours" might indicate it was made for, or belonged to a working man or a working man's club or union. It reminds me of the chant that unionists used to shout out...

"Eight hours for work,
Eight hours for play,
Eight hours for rest,
Eight bob* a day.

A *bob is a shilling, if anyone's wondering...

Just need to find out if anymore are in exsistance, see if anyone knows how this watch came about.

[Ray MacDonald]

Interesting... The labor movement predates our estimates for the watch movement. But this certainly is not a watch from most of the 1800's... too modern.
Well as late as 1937 British labor law specified the maximum work day was 9 hours, so the 8 hour day wasn't a 19th century thing either.
I suspect the watch may have belonged to a member of the Eight Hour League or the British Trade Union Council just before World War I.
If you want to read a great book on this era read Barbara Tuchman's The Proud Tower.
http://www.amazon.com/Proud-Tower-Portrait-Before-1890-1914/dp/0345405013

[Eeeb]

...
If you want to read a great book on this era read Barbara Tuchman's The Proud Tower.
http://www.amazon.com/Proud-Tower-Portrait-Before-1890-1914/dp/0345405013

This may be a Cafe remark but over the years I have found all of her works to be well worth reading...

[JC600]

Well as late as 1937 British labor law specified the maximum work day was 9 hours, so the 8 hour day wasn't a 19th century thing either.
I suspect the watch may have belonged to a member of the Eight Hour League or the British Trade Union Council just before World War I.
If you want to read a great book on this era read Barbara Tuchman's The Proud Tower.
http://www.amazon.com/Proud-Tower-Portrait-Before-1890-1914/dp/0345405013

Sounds Interesting, least i've got a rough date to work with now. Thanks.

[Marrick]

What looks like the same watch appears here:

http://www.unionhistory.info/

In the window which changes picture every few seconds.

[JC600]

What looks like the same watch appears here:

http://www.unionhistory.info/

In the window which changes picture every few seconds.

Thanks, look.......

http://www.unionhistory.info/web/objects/nofdigi/tuc/imagedisplay.php?irn=1000349

http://www.unionhistory.info/timeline/Tl_Display.php?Where=Dc1Title+contains+%27+Eight+h ours+watch+%27+

:-!

[JC600]

Not one of these, different hands and no makers name on the face on my watch.

http://www.kaysheritage.org.uk/10770.html

[Eeeb]

...

http://www.unionhistory.info/timeline/Tl_Display.php?Where=Dc1Title+contains+%27+Eight+h ours+watch+%27+

:-!

This claims a production date of 1860... if so, this is probably not the original movement.

[JC600]

This claims a production date of 1860... if so, this is probably not the original movement.

Thats what i thought, thought it might be one of the kay & co watches made 1913-1920 but the hands are different, and mine hasn't got the makers name on the face. :-s

[Ray MacDonald]

The case looks to be one which was re-made in the late 19th century in Europe. It was probably quite popular with the working man at the time.
This particular movement is not from 1860. I am sure of that. It's a 1900 style or later.
Kay was probably not the only jeweler in the UK to sell such a watch.
Very often with Swiss makes we never ID the maker, just the time period +/- 10 years.

[JC600]

The case looks to be one which was re-made in the late 19th century in Europe. It was probably quite popular with the working man at the time.
This particular movement is not from 1860. I am sure of that. It's a 1900 style or later.
Kay was probably not the only jeweler in the UK to sell such a watch.
Very often with Swiss makes we never ID the maker, just the time period +/- 10 years.

Ok, thanks. So we're lookinking at 1900-1920. Least i know how they came about now.

[Ray MacDonald]

Yes I think that was my original estimate. It's pretty hard to nail it to the exact year. The 1909 on the chain is a good clue though.