W.FLATHER, clockmaker, Halifax. When?

[charlotteCH]

Has anyone any knowledge of when William[?] FLATHER was making & selling clocks in Halifax [long case clocks in particular]?

Any onfo about him& his clockmaking  would be of interest. I'm not interested in his family but am trying to put a time frame around one of his clocks.

Any help much appreciated and thank you.

charlotte

[karenlee]

Hi Charlotte

There is a reference to a Wm FLATHER Watchmaker 18 Church St Sheffield in the 1837 White's Directory for Sheffield Yorkshire. 

Karenlee

[karenlee]

Also found this in the Pigot's 1822 Compendium Directory
Watch and Clock Makers

FLATHER William Kingscross Lane


1857 White's History, Gazeteer and Directory or Derbyshire and Sheffield

FLATHER William Watchmaker & Co 30 Scotland Street Sheffield

The earliest I can see him in any Directory is 1816-1817  Commercial Directory for Halifax Yorkshire, address KingscrossL Lane

Karenlee

[charlotteCH]

Karenlee, That is great stuff....and it looks as if he could have been in Halifax between 1816-1837.

Our family has a long case clock with W.Flather Halifax on its face and those dates fit with my Jonas having bought it c.1825 which is what we belive its provenance to be.   It's been handed down thru 6 generations so far.

Thanks for looking it up.

 charlotte

[aghadowey]

Seem to be 2 William Flathers making clocks in Halifax according to Watchmakers & Clockmakers of the World (Vol.2) by Briam Loomes:
Flather, William I (Halifax) b.1786 d.1856 Clocks
Flather, William II (Halifax), son of William I, b.1810 d.1879

Also a Robert Flather in Halifax making clocks in 1850.

[charlotteCH]

Thanks agahdowey for that info.  Maybe the two younger Flathers were sons of Wm Senior

The line up of those dates together with Karenlee's info allows the clock to have been bought between say 1825 & 1840.

Thank you both again,

charlotte

[aghadowey]

From the style of the case (if original) and the dial, etc. it should be possible to date the clock. Is it a grandfather? have the inside plates of the works been checked to marks (often date and initials inscribed when cleaned, etc.)?

[charlotteCH]

yes, I'm aware of the ways to date it by the style of the case, the painted face  and the works...It's a longcase[grandfather]

charlotte

[dave the tyke]

Hi Charlotte,
I've seen adverts for clockmakers whilst browsing Halifax directories on 'from weaver to webb'. Unfortunately I can't be specific as to which directory or what was the name of the clockmaker, but if you have the time you could get lucky and get an early print for Wm Flather or son's clocks.
You will need to search each directory, the search engine probably won't find 'Flather'  embedded in an advert.

Dave