Showing 9 items
matching westclox
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Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Clock, 1950
Westclox had a highly successful factory in Scotland situated in the Vale of Leven Industrial Estate, in Dumbarton, around twenty miles from the City of Glasgow. Westclox had originally planned to start production in Scotland in 1939 but the War intervened and it was not until 1948 that they were able to fully commission their factory in Dumbarton. Westclox Scotland produced its first clock on the 21st September 1948; a spring wound alarm with a 4 inch dial. The Westclox factory in Scotland was a full manufacturing plant with all their clocks assembled from start to finish with only the basic raw materials being brought in by outside suppliers. 95% of the staff were local people and the firm trained their employees from scratch to a high level of skill and had an annual apprenticeship for toolmakers and classes in horology. By 1949 Westclox Scotland were making 10,000 clocks a week, and by 1950, 1,000,000 clocks had been produced since its opening. No home in the Dunbartonshire Vale was without at least one Westclox clock, nor any raffle complete without a clock as one of the prizes! Many of these clocks are still around today. So successful was the Dumbarton factory that in the mid 1950’s Westclox had to expand into adjoining buildings. The factory then added watches to what they made as well as timing devices for other sectors. By the mid 1960’s, employment levels at the Scottish plant were around 1100. Over a third of the clocks manufactured in Scotland were exported to some 110 countries across the globe. Difficult times came in 1967/68 when 400 workers were laid off and the future of the plant was in doubt primarily due to cheap clocks from the then communist countries. However, strong petitions to the UK Government produced the passing of an anti-dumping law allowed production from the factory to pick up. In 1968 General Time was bought out by Talley Industries, which was best known as a manufacturer of timing equipment, such as factory time clocks to various industries. Westclox in Scotland enjoyed several boom years under the then Managing Director, John Santos. Westclox Scotland in October 1974 hosted a Space Seminar for the Astronaut, Neil Armstrong and British Astronomer, Sir Patrick Moore. Both visited the Scottish factory to promote the introduction of Quartz time-keeping. In 1976 the Westclox plant in Dumbarton became the Headquarters of General Time (International Operations) Ltd. John Santos retired from General Time and Westclox in the early 1980s and by 1988 the future of Westclox in Scotland was almost over. The advent of Quartz clock technology, developed largely by General Time for use in the Apollo 11 Command Module, resulted in the reduction of mechanical clock production and sales, and the factory fully closed in 1988.The Westclox factory building in Dumbarton has been converted and is now home to many thriving small businesses. The item marks a time when clock production in the United Kingdom was at it’s peak producing clocks for sale in over a 110 countries, they were keenly priced and available to all. The company had many innervation's during it’s life regards clock and later wrist watch making. In 25 years the factory had produced over 50 million clocks, yet it was perhaps inevitable with the advent of Quartz technology that was ironically evolved, largely by General Time for use in the Apollo 11 Command space Module, that would ultimately herald the end of the mechanical clock.Wooden bedroom alarm clock small painted brown with a criss cross pattern in gold and a white enamel face roman numerals & a glass front, clock case is of a fancy design. Inscribed on face "Made by Westclox Ltd Scotland" .flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, clock mantle, clock, mantle clock, westclox ltd, horology, clock industries -
National Vietnam Veterans Museum (NVVM)
Functional Object, Watch, 1968
General purpose wrist watch, green nylon webbing strap with black-faced compass attached. Also know as "Mickey Mouse" watch and wrist compass.wrist watch general purpose Westclox 75071 Dec 1968 serial No. 82282 USwrist watch, compass, sas -
Whitehorse Historical Society Inc.
Domestic object - Pocket watch, c 1930
Watch used by W.R. Cruickshank from 1920-1970's in Albury when at Nicholson and Smith, Watchmakers & JewellersA silver pocket watch case with a white face and black hands and numbers. It has an additional seconds clock and hand inset at the 6 mark. Markings: Westclox DAX, shock resistant. Made in Canada. Winder and handle at top of case.Westclox DAXhorology, watches -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Instrument - Fob Watch, Mid 20th century
Fob (or pocket) watches were developed in Europe in the 16th century. These watches were designed to be carried in a small pocket and attached through the means of a 'fob' which could be a chain or made from a variety of materials such as leather. This pocket watch was manufactured by the Western Clock Co. (Westclox) in the mid 20th century. The company was large and manufactured inexpensive watches with this style being an example of their ‘dollar watches’.This item is of social significance as an example of an inexpensive men's watch available during the mid 20th century.Men's silver pocket watch with a white dial, black arabic numerals and outer minute divisions around the edge. A seconds dial is in the place of the number 6. The face of the pocket watch is made from plastic. The word DAX was trademarked by the Western Clock Co. in 1915.The front dial of the watch has the words WESTCLOX, DAX, SHOCK RESISTANT and MADE IN CANADA.flagstaff hill maritime museum and village, warrnambool, great ocean road, shipwreck coast, fob watch, pocket watch, watch, horology, time keeper, made in canada, shock resistant, westclox, dollar watch -
Mont De Lancey
Watch, Westclox Dax, 1800's
Belonged to Mrs. Ellen & Mr. Charles Cornell.Fob watch in brown leather pouch.pocket watches, watches -
Ringwood RSL Sub-Branch
Memorabilia - Clock, Engraved with locations served in, C1930
Westclox brand Black Knight square metal clockScratched into body of clock places the soldier served and fought. Albury, Dimra, Tobruk, Julis, El Alamein, Tel El Gara, Syria, Palestine, Derna, Cairo, Mesa Matauh, Fort Cappuzzo. -
Coal Creek Community Park & Museum
Clock
2 Hands and a smaller face with its own hand Hooped ring Handle Two legs and a third one which is a metal prong Westclox Big Ben -
Bendigo Historical Society Inc.
Functional object - ALARM CLOCK, 1932
Black tin plate alarm clock with two tone cream and white dial labelled Westclox America, black hands and numerals, convex glass and chrome bezel.RD1932 Made in Canada made by Western Clock Co Limited Peterborough Canada.horology, clocks, alarm -
Bendigo Historical Society Inc.
Domestic Object - ALARM CLOCK
Westclox Sleep-Meter alarm clock, chrome plated case, paper dial with black numerals and black hands, glass front.Patented Oct 28 1902 May 15 1906 Dec 15 1908 Sept 23 1913 Patents Pdg.Made by Western Clock Co La Salle Ill USAhorology, clocks, alarm