Orbost & District Historical Society
watch, second half 19th century
... watch sterling-silver cooke-elsie... is a key wind watch. watch sterling-silver cooke-elsie 46792 anchor ...
From the estate of Elsie Cooke. Elsie Cooke was a librarian in Orbost for many years. She was the daughter of John Cooke early Brodribb settler. Elsie Cooke lived all her life in Gippsland,. She was born at Brodribb in 1895 and died in 1970, Elsie Cooke lived at Bruthen for a short time and, in 1937, moved to live with her aunt, Miss Jean Munro. Miss Cooke was Librarian at the Mechanics Institute for many years. Kindness and consideration for other were Miss Cooke’s attributes and she endeared herself to all who knew her. She was a loyal member of the Presbyterian Church and a stalwart of the Ladies’ Guild, an energetic worker for the Municipal Auxiliary and a member of the Red Cross. (ref. Mary Gilbert)
Pocket watches were the most common type of watch from their development in the 16th century until wristwatches became popular after World War I. Pocket watches were either stem-wound or key-wound. The very first pocket watches, since their creation in the 16th century, up until the third quarter of the 19th century, had key-wind and key-set movements. On a key-wind watch the mainspring is wound by turning a key which usually fits through a hole in the back inner-lid of the watch case. This item is a key wind watch. A silver lady's pocket watch. There are two keys attached with brown tape. The case has engraved patterns on the top and bottom. There is a small ring for attaching a chain. It opens at the back for winding.46792 anchor lion indecipherable mark (could be a duty stamp) scratched -1864
6 M.S.watch sterling-silver cooke-elsie