Rotherham & Sons Watchmakers - Coventry, UK
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N 52° 24.501 W 001° 31.084
30U E 600804 N 5807490
Rotheram & Sons, the famous watch and clock makers date back to 1750. This is the site of their offices.
Waymark Code: WM4F1Q
Location: United Kingdom
Date Posted: 08/15/2008
Views: 91
This plaque is part of the Coventry Watchmakers Heritage Trail and is situated in the historic Spon Street where many historic buildings have been preserved. This area of Coventry - Chaplefields, Spon End and Earlsdon was a centre of the watchmaking industry in the UK. In the Chaplefields area, people used to work in workshops built on to their houses called 'top shops'. Some of these can still be seen today with their large windows that gave good amounts of daylight for the intricate work.
Later on the work moved into factories. Rotherham & Sons became the major employer and manufacturer of watches and clocks and came to enjoy an international reputation. By 1899 they employed 400 - 500 people plus about 200 outworkers and produced 100 watches a day. The firm was started in 1847 by one of Coventry's most famous watch makers Samuel Vale.
More about the history of this industry can be found on the Coventry Watchmakers Museum Project website. This is a willing group of volunteers keen to start up a museum in Spon Street dedicated to this industry. Website: www.coventrywatchmuseum.co.uk
Blue Plaque managing agency: Coventry Watch Museum Project
Individual Recognized: Rotherham & Sons
Physical Address:
26-28 Spon Street
Coventry, United Kingdom
Web Address: Not listed
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