ALUN C. DAVIES, The Rise and Decline of England’s Watchmaking Industry, 1550–1930

Abstract

The Rise and Decline of England ’ s Watchmaking Industry is a well-researched and excellent addition to horological literature. The book traces the watchmaking industry in England by examining it in three parts — the rise, the challenge to, and the eventual decline of British watchmaking. Davies examines how a watchmaking industry developed in Clerkenwell alongside other luxury industries, thanks to the arrival of Huguenots fleeing persecution and the arrival of Swiss economic migrants. The industry flourished in Clerkenwell where hundreds of outworkers in different specialisations worked in their own home. Davies provides a fascinating account detailing the geographical area the industry was concentrated in and why it was here that the industry flourished. Although Clerkenwell was an important centre for hor-ology, Davies provides excellent account of other ‘ hubs ’ of horology north of London, exploring the business in Prescot, Liverpool, and Coventry. Davies provides an interesting analysis of these regions, exploring how and why the industry developed and flourished in these specific locations.