Great Britain: First World War period Greenock Telegraph Newspaperman’s December 1914 Presentation Rolled Gold Pocket Watch, a Coventry Astral rolled gold half hunter with white enamel dial and roman numerals, as crafted by the Coventry Watch Movement Company, the movement reading: ‘ASTRAL 7 JEWELS ENGLISH WARRANTED 203911’, the “rolled gold” case is manufactured by the Dennison Watch Case Company, this being their “Star” model, with the inside outer front case marked: ‘359734’ and ‘X’, and the inside outer back case marked:
‘STAR’ and ‘359734’, and the inside inner back case front bearing the engraved presentation inscription on the inside backing case reading: ‘PRESENTED TO / MR W.E. LOWEY / FROM HIS / FELLOW EMPLOYEES / OF THE / GREENOCK “TELEGRAPH” / DECR. 1914’, and whilst the back is marked: ‘English make this case guaranteed to wear 10 Years’ and ‘359734’ and ’12'. This housed in its green velvet lined retailers case, the inside lid bearing the retailers details for: ‘Cameron & McEachern’ of 36 Hamilton St., Greenock. Not guaranteed to be in working order but appears to be so.
Condition: overall clean, quite possibly in working order, generally Good Very Fine, the velvet lined case a little rubbed and distressed.
This watch was presented to a Mr. W.E. Lowey, an employee of the Greenock Telegraph in December 1914, it being a gift from his fellow employees. It is assumed that Lowey was presented this watch on his retirement from the newspaper, though he may also have just volunteered to join the military, this being in the first few months of the First World War.
The Greenock Telegraph is a local daily newspaper serving Inverclyde, Scotland. Founded in 1857, it was the first halfpenny daily newspaper in Britain. It was for a time Greenock Telegraph and Clyde Shipping Gazette, owing to the massive amount of maritime traffic moving in and out of Greenock's harbours.
