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William Dawson, clock and watchmaker, London, England. Died there in 1820.
Page 77 of Watchmakers and Clockmakers of the World lists William Dawson as a freeman of the Clockmakers Company from 1778, a liveryman from 1801 and deceased in 1820.
The Will of William Dawson, late watch case maker of King’s Head Court, Gutter Lane, was granted probate on 28th January 1820 (National Archives reference PROB11/1624/417).
Surviving examples of his work are dated to 1778 and to 1801. [Watchmakers & Clockmakers of the World. G.H. Baillie. 1947, London]
This watch is dated to 1780.
Collected from: Old Bailey Proceedings Online (www.oldbaileyonline.org, version 9.0) June 1778. Trial of WILLIAM DAWSON (t17780603-66). Available at: https://www.oldbaileyonline.org/record/t17780603-66 (Accessed: 20th September 2025).
Not sure if this is the correct William Dawson, but it is most likely… Transcription follows.
<< 503. WILLIAM DAWSON was indicted for wilfully, knowingly, and unlawfully having in his possession the mark and stamp of the Lion Passant, made to resemble the mark and stamp of the Goldsmith’s company, used and to be used by the company of Goldsmiths, London, for the marking and stamping of gold and silver plate .
2d Count. For having in his possession the mark and stamp of a Leopard’s Head, to resemble the mark and stamp used and to be used by the company of Goldsmith, London, for the marking and stamping of gold and silver plate.
3d Count. For marking, and stamping, and causing, and procuring to be marked and stamped, certain wrought plate of silver: to wit, a certain watch-box, with the mark and stamp of the Lion Passant, made to resemble the mark and stamp used and to be used by the company of Goldsmiths, London, in the marking and stamping gold and silver plate.
4th Count. For marking and stamping, &c. as in the 3d Count, with the mark and stamp of a Leopard’s Head, to resemble the mark and stamp of the Goldsmiths company, against the statute, &c. March 6th .
JOHN CLARKE sworn.
I went to search the house of the defendant, in Warwick-court, Warwick-lane ; he is a watch-case maker ; I found him at work; I took his wife up stairs with me to search, not thinking he was at home; when I came up stairs, the first person I saw was the prisoner working at the lathe, in the middle of the shop; I think there were three workmen besides; I asked him how long he had worked there; he said, four years; I asked him his name; he said it was Richards; this was in the work-shop, in the garret; I asked him where Dawson was; he said he was gone out, and he expected him in two hours.
Court. You did not know him then? –
I did not; I suspected that it was Mr. Dawson, the person I wanted, but I was not certain. I took his wife down stairs into another room, and asked her why she said he was not her husband, and then I discovered that he was Dawson. I then took him down stairs into the bed-room, and searched the bureau, and there I found these three punches and a watch-case (producing the punches); I delivered the watch-case to the Assay Master.
(It was produced by the Assay Master.)
Clarke. This is the same I found; there is a piece put on one of the punches; I believe it had been broke, and that was put on to preserve it; he acknowledged the room to be his, and he put on his wig and clothes in it.
Was the bureau locked? – It was.
Who gave you the key? – I cannot say; either the wife or him; there was no one else in the room.
FENDALL RUSHWORTH sworn.
I am the senior Assay Master of the Goldsmiths company; I have assayed the watch-case; it is eight penny weights worse than standard; it is marked with a Lion, a Leopard’s Head, and the letter B, which is the mark we use. The B is the mark for the year.
What do you call the Lion? – A Lion Passant. These marks are in imitation of our’s, but are not the real marks.
Would they pass with persons that are not conversant with the company’s marks? – I believe they might. I struck the marks with the punches found in the possession of the prisoner, on a piece of silver. The witness produced it, and a watch-case, with the real marks of the company, which were compared by the jury.]
DAVID HENHAM sworn.
I am a Warden of the Goldsmiths company.
These punches are made to resemble the marks of the Goldsmiths company? – Yes.
Are they false marks? – They are.
ELEAZER CHARTER sworn.
I am a watch-maker. I bought five pair of silver watch-cases and one outside case of the prisoner; I sent them to the Liner to be finished, and he sent them to the hall (producing them.)
Mr. Rushworth. They are marked with a counterfeit mark, and are worse than standard one ounce eighteen penny weights.
– To Chater. Wore these cases such as would pass upon you for standard? – Certainly they were; I was to have sent them to Leghorn.
Cross Examination.
You have known Dawson some time? – Yes, about four years; he is a married man; I believe he has six children, all very small; I never heard any thing amiss of him; I was very much surprized when I heard this.
(The prisoner in his defence called five witnesses, who gave him a good character.)
GUILTY Imp. 5 years .
Tried by the London Jury before Mr. Baron HOTHAM. >>
DAWSON, William (Grimwade p.326)
https://www.925-1000.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=85947&sid=252f950fd2594d13b38c4cd7a0338639#p85947
He entered marks from 1781-1819 at Goldsmiths’ Hall as a case maker from Gutter Lane.
Page 77 of Watchmakers and Clockmakers of the World lists William Dawson as a freeman of the Clockmakers Company from 1778, a liveryman from 1801 and deceased in 1820.
The Will of William Dawson, late watch case maker of King’s Head Court, Gutter Lane, was granted probate on 28th January 1820 (National Archives reference PROB11/1624/417).
Re: DAWSON, William (Grimwade p.326)
Post by dognose » Tue Feb 20, 2018 1:12 pm
Perhaps a need for a William Dawson(I) and a William Dawson(II)?
Committee, 19th March 1778
The Clerk informs the Committee that, in pursuance of information received at the Assay Office that William Dawson, of Oxford Arms Passage, Warwick Lane, watch-case maker, had used forged and counterfeited stamps, in stamping and marking watch-cases, resembling the stamps used by this Company, he has by virtue of a search warrant searched the house of the said William Dawson, and in his presence found such counterfeit stamps with a watch-case stamped therewith; and that he has caused him to be committed to Wood Street Compter, to take his trial for such offence ; and he requests the further direction of the Committee. Whereupon a motion is made, and question put, “ That the Clerk of this Company do at the next session of Oyer and Terminer to be holden for the City of London prosecute the said William Dawson for having in his custody such counterfeit stamps, and also for stamping and marking a watch-case with such stamps against the form of the Statute, and place the charges of such prosecution to the Assay Office account ” ; and the same is resolved in the affirmative unanimously, and ordered accordingly.
Source: Memorials of the Goldsmiths’ Company; Being Gleanings from their Records Between the Years 1335 and 1815 – by Walter Sherburne Prideaux – 1896
“Likely Elizabeth’s entry of her mark just a few days after the trial was to ensure the continuation of the business, and not as Grimwade suggested, that she was now a widow… I would have thought it unlikely that a person found guilty of Forgery and receiving a five-year sentence would later be elected to the Livery of Clockmakers Company, but…. Perhaps Grimwade was correct that William Dawson of Gutter Lane was a son of William(I).”