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Coventry has over the past few centuries been home to several industries of national significance. Watchmaking was first recorded in the city in the 1680s, but it was not until the 18th century that Coventry emerged as one of the main centres of the watchmaking industry in England.
By the first half of the 19th century Coventry had even reached a position of national dominance. It was not, however, to last - by the second half of the century cheaper factory methods in the USA and improved quality in Switzerland were rapidly eating away at Coventry's market share.
All was not lost though, the watchmaking industry helped developed a skill base of precision engineering that was to contribute to Coventry's rise as a centre of the motor car half a century later.
The nineteenth century saw a growing population of ribbon weavers and others and the land between the Butts and Spon Street built up in the 1820's and 1830's as well as the Hillfields district to the north-east of the city accommodated watchmakers and weavers.
The rows of weavers' houses with their large top shop windows were one of the most characteristic features of the Coventry scene prior to the drastic clearances after the second World War. These ribbon weavers worked at home and owned their own looms. Typical houses of this type in Holyhead Road close to the Spon Street Townscape Scheme are still in good condition. The group as a whole form a triangle of 19th century properties but a number of them are considered in too advanced a state of disrepair to be considered for retention.
The suburb of Chapel Fields consisted of watchmakers houses. Most of the masters houses faced Allesley Old Road. These were middle class terraced dwellings with bay windows, three bedrooms on the first floor and servants rooms in the attics. The workshops were in two storied wings built out into the back gardens increasing in length as trade prospered. Duke Street, Lord Street and Mount Street contained smaller watchmakers houses, each having a front and back room on the ground floor and two bedrooms. It was two storied at the front but a shallower roof pitch gave room for an extra storey at the rear.
WATCH PRODUCTION FIGURES
YEAR ENGLISH CONTINENTAL/SWISS AMERICAN
1800 200,000 200,000 -
1850 200,000 2,000,000 -
1862 164,000 2,500,000 50,000
1872 145,000 3,000,000 400,000
1882 227,000 3,500,000 1,250,000
1892 204,000 4,500,000 2,250,000
1902 226,000 6,000,000 2,750,000
By 1907 English production had slumped to a mere 74,000
Watchmakers in Mount St. Chapelfields
Coventry
Holyhead Road. Watchmaker's houses on the west side; view from south east.
Nos. 23 to 25 Primrose Hill Street. H. Garner Ltd., D. & J. Glen - Watchmakers & Jewellers
Players Workshop, The Butts. Formerly stood between St Thomass Church and the railway
