Clock keys with addresses

[lydiaann]

We have found what we believe are keys for an older chiming clock; it will be smallish, as the square openings are very small.  We are intrigued because what we believe is the 'main' key has 2 addresses on it, either side of the top, solid square 'pinch' part as follows:

A W Peden, 270 Dumbarton Road, Glasgow; and
Prince of Wales Ter'ce, Byars Road, Glasgow.

Is one of these the clockmaker and the other the original owner?  The only Byars Road we can find is a small road in a modern suburban housing estate of Kirkintilloch. 

The other three keys have numbers (2 are no. 7 and one no. 3) on one side and on the other are 2 'stars' (a no. 7 and a no. 3) and the other a flower.

Ideas, anybody?  Does anyone recognize either address?  I notice that Peden is quite a common name in Glasgow but could find no clockmakers of that name.

lydiaann

[Ann Baker]

Hi Lydia

Byers Road in Glasgow is still very much there - not Kirkintilloch. Very famous road which runs from not far from Partick underground up to Gt Western Road. It's abuzz as always has been as I've known it with shops and pubs. Runs just west of Kelvingrove park with Hillhead underground about 2/3rds way up.

There is a Prince of Wales Garden at the very far end of Maryhill Road. Tho there is a Prince's Terrace to the near west of Byers road (Partickhill  just off Hyndland Road on map for anyone local who knows area and might be able to have a wee look for Lydia).

I'd suggest you contact the Mitchell library for trade directories unless another board reader in Glasgow can make the trip for you. I would but alas am 300 miles away in Yorkshire!

Best Wishes

Ann

[cookies4]

The 1913/14 Valuation Roll shows that Alexander was a watchmaker with a shop at Dumbarton Road.

http://www.theglasgowstory.com/imageview.php?inum=TGSV31081

This looks like him in 1901 at 407 Byres Road -

Alex W Peden   47 watchmaker and jeweller born Kilmarnock
Agnes W Peden 7

I wonder if one key was for his shop and the other for his house?

Regards,
Nel

[MonicaL]

Also, from the 1927 Glasgow directory, Alexander is listed there:

Peden, Alex. W, watch and clock maker, jeweller and optician, 270 Dumbarton Road, Partick and 388 Byers Road;ho., 53 Kelvinside Gardens, North

http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~glasgow/1927names543.jpg

Monica 

[RJ_Paton]

As he uses Glasgow as part of the address

A W Peden, 270 Dumbarton Road, Glasgow; and
Prince of Wales Ter'ce, Byars Road, Glasgow.

These keys are definitely after 1912 - which is when Partick lost its battle to remain independant from Glasgow.

Some of the blocks of houses on Byres Road had their own seperate street names in much the same way as the Terraces off of Great Western Road also have. Looking up at some of the old buildings sometimes shows what remains of these old names. (e.g.you have Victoria Cross near the top end of Byres Road which doesn't appear on any modern maps)

[lydiaann]

Thank you so much, that's absolutely great.  Now we have to find out why my late father-in-law kept these keys (they were found in his effects following his death earlier this year) - we don't think this is a relative (however peripheral) but he could have been a friend of the family.  Hopefully, my mother-in-law's long-term memory, still reasonably intact, will serve us in that respect.  Again, my thanks to you all.

lydiaann

[Susan.hm]

Lydia
We also have the same key.  It was attached to a fob watch that my step great grandfather owned.  The watch has his name and 1898.  He came from Glasgow and was an engineer on ships so not sure whether connected with that service or simply acquired privately. 
Susan

[lydiaann]

Hi, Susan:  Welcome to RootsChat!  Following the 'conversations' that were posted earlier this year on this subject, my husband and his sister both remembered 'grandad' having a large fob watch and they had surmised that these were watch keys rather than a clock.  However, I pointed out that a fob watch would need only one key and thus the others might also have been for a clock.  Grandad did not come to Glasgow until after the Great War (1918-1919), prior to that he lived on Mull, but did, I found out, live close to the watchmaker's shop so I assume he bought it, or it was bought as a gift for him.  Anyway, good to know these questions can be answered eh?

lydiaann

[ann127]

Hi lydiaann Just discovered this whilst researching an address and just had to register so I could contact you. Alex Peden and Thomas Peden were both Jewellers in Glasgow. Thomas was my great grandfather and for the life of me I can't remember if Alex was his nephew or his cousin. I know they weren't brothers or father and son. What I wanted to ask you - did you find out if you are related to the Pedens? I would love to know. I'm not a serious genealogist but I have been digging about a bit and spend a bit of time at the Mitchell Library. It's addictive! Anyway, that's all I wanted to say. Thanks for reading this far.