I am related to Harry Clapham’s second wife and knew her and Harry Norman when I was a child, so while I can shed very little light on their business I do know a little about Messrs. Clapham and Norman themselves. 

 

As can be seen from the envelope, they traded as Clapham & Norman, Watchmakers & Jewellers, Market Hill, Coggeshall. What I cannot fathom though is their claim to having been ‘Established 1894’. I can find no other connection with this trade in either family so perhaps the most likely explanation is that they took over an existing business that had indeed been going since the 19th century. Eli [aka John] Fricker was a Coggeshall jeweller and watchmaker who died in 1883 but his property, both business and personal, was sold at auction in that year. There are records of a Mr H Barton in 1886 and a Frank Dunningham in 1891, both Watchmakers of Coggeshall, though no census return I can find includes any other jeweller or watchmaker in the town and the only such burials there were the Claphams. clockswatches lists a number of other watchmakers in Coggeshall but there is no indication as to their dates [without paying] so they could well be much later or earlier. Alternatively, as Harry Ernest Clapham was born in 1881 I suppose he could have bought and sold his first piece of jewellery as early as ’94, though it surely couldn’t have been regarded as an established business. I can find no record in the pages of the London Gazette of the partnership being formed or dissolved.

 

Harry’s father and his before him were boot makers in Coggeshall but in 1901 Harry was a Jeweller’s Assistant and in 1911 a Watchmaker’s Assistant. He was still in Coggeshall but I cannot say who he was assisting. Harry married Alice Blackwell (1881-1942) in 1903 and they had four children and it looks as though the youngest son might have worked with him and possibly taken on the business after his father died in 1959 as his burial record describes him as a Watchmaker as does his father’s, though Harold Stanley Clapham only outlived his father by four years. Alice’s forebears were gardeners, so the business didn’t come from them either. After Alice died Harry married my great aunt Winifred Emberson, nee Eady, (1889-1971) and they lived at Ivy House, Church Street, Coggeshall. The Eadys had no connection with watchmaking either, Win’s father was a coachman, as was Harry Norman’s father according to the 1901 census.

 

Harry Robert Norman was born in Bradwell in 1895, the year after his business was supposedly established! In 1911 Harry was an Apprentice to Watchmaker but again there is no indication as to who he was working for; he was still with his parents in Bradwell. His father Henry (1837-1922) was recorded as being an Estate Carpenter. Maybe Harry N was apprenticed to the same watchmaker that Harry C was assisting, and perhaps the most likely candidate is W J Underwood in Kelvedon, who was a 42 year old watchmaker in 1911, though he was in South Mimms in 1901 so presumably couldn’t have been Harry Clapham’s employer then [though the Underwoods could have just been away from Kelvedon temporarily at the time of the census] but it seems unlikely that the business could have moved to Coggeshall, changed its name and owners and still be considered the same enterprise to match that Established 1894 claim.

 

After Harry Clapham’s death – and before, along with Harry C, for all I know – Harry Norman lived with the second Mrs Clapham at Ivy House until her death. From what I know of the people, the times and their ages I am sure this was an entirely ‘proper’ arrangement. You couldn’t imagine anyone more proper than my Aunt Win! I remember the house was chock-full of clocks and midday was quite an experience! Harry Norman then returned to Bradwell and lived out the rest of his days at Tippetts Wade on the corner of Church Road and The Street, still interested in clocks judging by the photo, which looks as though it were taken for a newspaper article, and closely connected with the Church there, possibly as churchwarden. He died in 1981.

Does that make sense? I don’t suppose that is really what you were hoping for but it might suggest a line of enquiry or jog someone’s memory. I hope it is of some interest to somebody.

Coggeshall Museum is probably the best place to start looking for more information.

These came into the centre and by the time you read this they will be sold I imagine, however, they are good local interest items so I thought I would stick a couple of pictures up for those who follow such things.

A few of our customers have told us that they remember this firm in Coggeshall but information is hard to find on them. If you have any history or memories of this watchmaker we would love to hear about it and publish it as a follow up article.

If your into local clocks you might be interested in the following blog entry from our on-site clock repairer.

A Braintree Grandfather Clock Repaired!

This beautiful Bavarian with superb black forest carving and wooden movement is now available for sale here. Viewing is highly recommended as the nearest place you are likely to see this standard of clock is in the Cuckooland cuckoo clock museum which is…. up North somewhere!. Oh the clock is £3k or nearest offer.

I repair clocks here and sell one or two every now and again. Ive just serviced this and am pricing it very keenly!. Its a good clock with a very well looked after movement and the case is particularly good with high quality veneer and inlaid ivory key guard. Come and have a look at it if your interested and Ill be happy to show you around it and explain a bit of the history. The clock keeps excellent time – as good as any mechanical mantel or even wrist watch. The bell can be muffled if required and it has a beautiful slow tick that is not too loud but resonates nicely in the case which acts as a sound box on these clocks. If youve wanted to own a Grandfather clock but had thought them too expensive or unreliable then this is the clock for you as its going… well cheaply frankly, and Ill happily provide a years warranty providing you are reasonably local. Once these clocks work they rarely go wrong or stop unless you move them or fiddle with things (don’t). Having said that if you purchase this I will give full instructions on setting it and keeping it in good order. As I write this I am thinking “is this too cheap”. Probably but I get them at a good price broken and then fix them and provide warranty.

UPDATE 15.3.17: This item is no longer available

This is a really interesting item. This style of tobacco or snuff tin was popular at around 1800 and this is a particularly nice example.

The engraving on the front refers to the battle of Trafalgar in 1805 and is marked “HMS VICTORY” on the upper top face and then “H Gamer AB 1805” on the lower edge of the face. AB was the shortening of the term “Able Seaman” at that time.

I have checked with the Grenwich Maritime Museum library department who have the ships roster for the battle and unfortunately H Garner was not aboard. The was however a Garner registered as crew on the Phoebe in 1805 and it seems likely that this belonged to him. The engraving is very likely to be a celebratory commemorative items produced at the time where you could have your name and post engraved on a souvenir. On the other hand it really could be from the HMS Victory as records are not exhaustive or complete from this era. Its very hard to know so if YOU know from a reference piece of your own then please do get in touch and enlighten us.

In terms of authenticity of age it has all the right features i.e. a worn stippled world map on the rear which can just be seen on close inspection; its tin lined and… well, all in all,  anyopne would really stuggle to reproduce the obvious multiple signs of age on this item. The other thing of course is that if you were going to go to the trouble of faking such a thing its would be idiotic to put a name on the tin that was not on the official roster available at Grenwich for public enquiry.

Please feel free to use the picture of this item on your own blog or special interest site – digital rights are rescinded for these two photographs. If you do use the pictures we would really appreciate a mention or attribution on your site or blog.

This is a really nice example of a mid range country Burea from about 1800. Brown furniture has suffered a huge price drop in the last few years. 5 or 10 years ago this would have been priced at around £1500 – £2000 but now it is an amazing £245 for this item. It wont decrease in value and will only rise because of the secret compartment.