2 replies to this topic

[stephen nulty]

Many of us will be familiar with the usual pictures of the watch factory, usually with the name emblazoned on the Gable End and with the Post Office on the corner of Albany Road just visible (now the Sing Ping Chinese Restaurant).

But this picture from Geo. Hemingway's Prescot Gazeteer of 1901 was a new one to me. Note that where the Post Office eventually came to be, there appears to be a pile of building material.

I did read somewhere that when the Watch Factory was built, some workers houses were also erected, as was the norm at the time. Would this have been Albany Road, Grosevnor Road, etc? Does anybody know?

The factory was opened in 1893, though not completed for another few years.

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[RATTY]

Company formed in 1889 went bankrupt in 1910 due to competition from the USA
I would think you are correct about those streets built for workers, a map of Prescot for 1893 shows no houses there from Queens Road to the workshop except a few along Warrington Road where the Chinese is now. I was thinking East Street etc would be possible too but that was already built up by then.

Came across these today
http://www.bbc.co.uk...s_feature.shtml

http://global-horolo...590&view=unread

[RATTY]

Came across the news article for the laying of the foundation stone in May 1889, the 2nd Battalion Volunteer Brigade band of the South Lancs Regiment played at the ceremony.

The factory was built with space for 532 workers initially and with room on the site for 3 additional factories to be added totalling 3000 staff.

What a shame it didnt work out