G Wilson Middlegate Penrith – George Wilson watchmaker Appleby
The information about this small jeweller and watchmaker concern came mainly from an article from a 1999 edition of the "Cumberland & Westmoreland Herald"
George Wilson founded his Penrith business in 1850, but had originally been in business as a jeweller and watchmaker at Appleby. The location of his first Penrith shop is not known but the move to the south end of Middlegate was made in 1870.
After George Wilson’s death, the business was carried on by his son, Hubert, until he died in 1921.
Mr. George Wilson’s grandson Harrison Proctor Wilson then took over, followed by Dudley Wilson, a great grandson and that was in 1949. Dudley had entered the firm in 1929 and he retired around the 1970’s after running the jewellery, business for many years.
“About three years before retiring, Mr.Dudley Wilson was the victim of a vicious attack by two men who raided the shop, in Middlegate, shortly before closing time.
A shop assistant, Mrs. Margaret Armstrong, was also assaulted by the men, who got away with some property, although the haul would probably have been greater had not a customer come into the premises.”
I hope the non-omission of the gratuitous violence is not upsetting to anybody and for a little geographical context Penrith is a small town in the south east of Cumbria (the English Lake District) and Appleby is about 15 miles further east. Below are a few images associated with the “G.Wilson of Penrith” concern.
The pocket watch movement clearly shows a "29 Middlegate" address and the paper circle repair sheet in the second image has a “Penrith“ address and although not as clear as it could be “egate” is viewable as part of an address. I also think “Geo Wilson” is the name. There is a reference to George Wilson of Appleby Clockmaker/Watchmaker on one of those specialist websites for makers and long case clocks with dials showing the “Wilson Appleby” title can be seen on line.
The movement out of the watchcase in photo 2 carried “Appleby” and Wilson” signature and the case was described as Birmingham hallmarked 1861.
Photo 3 tells us that the company were silversmiths but a quick look on line did not find a likely makers mark for “George Wilson” while the “George Wilson” with the “EPBM” mark suggests there was retailing of electroplated goods. The “EPBM” mark was on the base of a coffee pot. I did also find on line though a set of Georgian spoons, converted into berry spoons in a “Wilson” labelled case. The “blue” material label was on the lining of a case containing a pair of highly decorated apparently unmarked spoons.
The final image is what was the stimulus this post. We have a set of hallmarks with a known “extra” mark and a “Wilson Penrith” retailer’s mark. This pair of spoons were made in Sheffield by “Joseph Rodgers & Sons” and the “*+” mark is well known as their trademark on silver and electroplated ware. The date letter is the lower case styled “k” for 1902. This would indicate the spoons were likely retailed in the “Hubert Wilson” period of “G.Wilson of Penrith”.
Fishless
