{"id":823,"date":"2025-05-03T15:01:02","date_gmt":"2025-05-03T15:01:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ussconnecticut1799.com\/?page_id=823"},"modified":"2026-07-26T17:56:05","modified_gmt":"2026-07-26T17:56:05","slug":"a-period-pocketwatch","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/ussconnecticut1799.com\/?page_id=823","title":{"rendered":"James Gregory – A Period Pocketwatch. Part 1"},"content":{"rendered":"

This Page Is Under Construction And May Be Frequently Updated<\/span><\/h2>\n

I know that this is a little bit off topic, but in collecting things that someone from this era might have carried, I found myself on a side journey; I think it noteworthy to share here.\u00a0 This has been an intriguing project and I know that while I’ve hit a few walls in the research, only to uncover a key to a door I was stuck at, there might be more focused genealogists who will take what I have here and expand it (and maybe even correct some of it).\u00a0 At least I will have answered some questions and then provided a launching pad for someone’s greater project. I live in Connecticut, USA, and as I commonly travel to the locations regarding my research – when I am able – not having Basingstoke within a couple of hours drive leaves me with doing my research entirely by the internet and by tapping into the help provided by others.\u00a0 I accept full responsibility for my conclusions below; should you have questions, anything to add, or to critique, feel free to reach out either as a question posted on this webpage or directly to my email address: JosMorn@aol.com<\/strong><\/p>\n

Joseph Morneault – March 2026<\/p>\n

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Part 2: The Gregory Family of Basingstoke<\/a><\/p>\n

Part 3: Genealogy of the Gregory Family\u00a0<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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My Motivation<\/strong><\/h6>\n

When I was about 8, I was staying over at my grandparents’ place then in Meriden, CT (before they returned to New Brunswick, Canada).\u00a0 Although it was in a warm month, somehow the topic came up about P\u00e8re No\u00ebl and I asked mon pep\u00e8re “How can he visit EVERY house to deliver presents around the world and get it done in one night?”\u00a0 Pep\u00e8re went into the other room and returned carrying a pocket watch (from his retirement, perhaps?) and showed it to me, having me listen to the ticking as he held it to my ear.\u00a0 “P\u00e8re No\u00ebl has a pocket watch that can stop time.\u00a0 Right at minuit, he stops time, then goes all over the world to deliver the presents.\u00a0 When he is done, he starts time again for everyone.\u00a0 This is why you never see him placing the presents under the tree!”<\/p>\n

Although I was nigh on putting such lovely children’s myths behind me, I held that tale close to my heart.\u00a0 This caused a fascination with pocket watches for me ever since.\u00a0 Then, right about when I turned 13, the movie came out with Pam Dawber and Robert Hays entitled “The Girl, The Gold Watch, and Everything<\/a>“.\u00a0 This reignited the myth in my mind, and I really wanted a pocket watch of my own!\u00a0 A few elders along my street had their own and has shown me theirs, but it was this movie that added the necessary fuel.<\/p>\n

As a budding historian in my teens, I did purchase a 50$ pocket watch from a local jeweler, but it died in a couple of months; even changing the battery did not help.\u00a0 I found that pretty much anywhere one would go to pick up a watch would sell high end wrist watches but cheap pocket watches with some sort of non-descript metal or chromed plastic or maybe even aluminum, with a gold wash that rubbed off while in the pocket and didn’t even have the reliability of a Timex.\u00a0 “You want a GOOD pocket watch?\u00a0 Go into the city but be prepared to spend a lot of money, kid!<\/em>”<\/p>\n

When I was 19, I purchased a 200$ Aero pocket watch while on a visit to Basel, Switzerland; a “hunter style”, with the hinged cover. I still have that one and I consider it to be my “first” real pocket watch for it was the very first one I owned of more quality than something one might win from a claw game machine.\u00a0 Not high-end by any means, but reasonably reliable.\u00a0 As I got involved with late 18th century ceremonial and reenactment groups, the urge to have an original watch from the era that works\u00a0<\/em>became the evolution of that desire.\u00a0 I would find older friends “in the hobby” sporting their 18th century original watches or “faithful” replicas, and when I asked where they obtained it, the answer was almost always “I picked it up on my trip to London” or some variation.\u00a0 A key-wound watch I purchased from an antique store didn’t work beyond 5 minutes… nickel case.\u00a0 I brought it to a watch repairman here in Connecticut who refused to work on it as he declared that it is a “Swiss Fake”; working on it would “ruin his reputation”.\u00a0 By this time I had been a craftsman of flutes, fife, flageolets for some 30 years, and I explained that copies of historical flutes are still flutes; we still service them, with the scandal of supporting makers that replicate being long gone with their deaths some 100 years ago.\u00a0 Nevertheless… So, commenting about this to my elderly employer, he shared with me that his brother John had gone to school specifically to make watches from scratch, and not merely service them!<\/p>\n

Off to see “Uncle John”, he brought me up into his upper floor workshop.\u00a0 Lots of watches and cylinder records, which he also collected.\u00a0 He told me that a particular balance stem was broken and that he would have to make a new one; one cannot simply call for replacement parts on this 1879 watch!\u00a0 Yes, made by someone in Switzerland to resemble a Waltham watch, but still a decent watch!<\/p>\n

A ‘phone call a week later and he said to bring 50$ and pick up my watch!\u00a0 We discussed my “bucket list wish”, he offered to give me a good deal if an appropriate watch came into his hands… and then he said that he had a watch to show me!\u00a0 It had belonged to his great grandfather (or perhaps the father before – I forget) and that he inherited it… I told John that I was reluctant to see it for I might want it!\u00a0 He smiled, whistled a little tune, and pulled a shoe box out of his closet.\u00a0 Despite my continued protestations, he opened the lid, parted the jeweler’s wool, and produced this absolutely lovely silver watch!\u00a0 Paired, and when the outer case removed, a pastoral scene with nude sprites were painted on some material and tucked into the back of this outer case.\u00a0 The watch ticked happily when John wound it, and I think that I might have actually salivated!\u00a0 “I’m pretty old, and there’s no one in the family who cares about this or any of my watches.\u00a0 Remind me about this in a few years and if nothing changes, I’ll give you this watch”.\u00a0 Wow!\u00a0 What a promise!<\/p>\n

Some years later, John was slipping into early dementia.\u00a0 I had visited him again many times over the years and he did all the servicing to my growing watch collection – I had picked up another from 1886.\u00a0 I gave him my 1879 as he actually wanted it.\u00a0 But this time, it was strictly a social call.\u00a0 Sitting at the kitchen table, his wife on the other end, John said that he knew that he was “slipping”, and would like to give me something to remember him by.\u00a0 I felt a little odd asking, but I mentioned the watch.\u00a0 He genuinely looked puzzled, seemed to rack his brain, but couldn’t recall such a watch.\u00a0 His wife could recall and said as much but couldn’t go up the stairs anymore.\u00a0 I simply dropped the topic… It felt too much like taking advantage.\u00a0 But now I was determined to find my own watch from “my era”.<\/p>\n

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The Purchase<\/strong><\/h6>\n

In February 2025, I made the purchase of an antique verge fuzee watch; a \u201cpaired\u201d one, from a seller in the UK.\u00a0 To have a working pocket watch from \u201cmy\u201d era (1790 – 1810) has been on the top of my \u201cbucket list\u201d since about 1990, and this was most exciting for me!\u00a0 I tried for one dated ostensibly to 1805, but while I \u201cwon\u201d that auction, it didn\u2019t meet the seller\u2019s reserve price, whatever that was supposed to be.\u00a0 I played the game a second time, won again, and still didn\u2019t meet the hidden reserve price.\u00a0 I made a direct offer which was turned down, and so I moved on to another lovely, silver pocket watch that was dated to 1816.\u00a0 Of course, this is a bit later than “my era” of the 1790s-18-aughts range, but this seller stated that it was working although in need of some TLC.\u00a0 I won this auction and the seller sent it along.<\/p>\n\n\t\t