Summit Watches information please.

Hi Ulverston - welcome to the Forum!. You have a very nice-looking watch. It is very similar to my uncle's former Summit watch which my my brother now has - it still keeps good time. Yes, it would be interesting to know what the Isaacs family would think of all this chat about them! They were clearly good business people. I just did a little more web searching - according to this page Tillie died in 1942.

hi hillsbro

I to own a summit watch purchased by parents for my 21st birthday in 1960 and still ticking the only thing it has had was a excaliber expanding strap replacement that makes it 54 years old

Hi carbrook lad - they were clearly good-quality watches (and they can't have been cheap) but it's great that your Summit watch is still going strong. My brother's watch is about as old as yours and likewise had had a new bracelet (and a clean & overhaul, c. 1980) and the movement seems as good as new. I'm almost tempted to bid for this one on eBay!

The one I got yesterday keeps stopping and starting! It is ratteling when gently shaken from six towards twelve. Doh. Looks like its a fixer-upper!

Hi

 

I lived on Burngreave road back in the 70's and took my broken watch in to Laycocks for a repair (Broken Balance shaft) in around 1974...

 

I was courting at the time and had a whirlwind marriage, anyhow, I moved away from the area (went to Woodseats) I completely forgot about my 30Micron gold plated Mondaine Super automatic with 30Rubis and it went from my memory until buy chance I was driving up Spital hill in around '94, I noticed the shop was still there and better still- It was open!!!

 

I spun around in the wide part of the road in a U turn and came to a stop right outside the door, I could see from my car that it was still Keith Laycock behind the counter though he was looking older...

 

I went in the shop and explained that i'd left rather a splendid watch for a repair but got married and vacated the area and had completely forgot about the watch, I was hoping against hope that he would still have it tucked away in a corner somewhere..

 

He enquired as to if I still had the ticket, It was still in my wallet after fully twenty years, faded but still eminently legible, I couldn't believe my luck!!!

 

I handed the ticket to the venerable repairman, He took a look at the ticket and said....... It'll be ready thursday!!! :bigsmile:

 

 

Biggsy

Re my post of yesterday morning. My little grey brain cells have remembered that the company Julius Isaacs had in Birmingham was called Julius Isaacs and Satchwells

 

Just a bit more information for the overall rich tapestry

 

Best Regards - Victor

 

---------- Post added 16-09-2014 at 14:07 ----------

 

Dear Hillbro

 

Ah yes I see the connection re bundles of banknotes changing hands in a back office, possibly in a clandestine manner. - will be reminding you of the time when you worked in a bank !!!!!!!!

 

Best Wishes - Victor

The one I got yesterday keeps stopping and starting!..

Oh - sorry if you've bought a pup. It may just need a drop of oil on the balance wheel pivots, otherwise a clean & overhaul by a watchmaker though that will depend on whether the cost is worthwhile, bearing in mind what you paid for the watch..

..Dear Hillbro, Ah yes I see the connection re bundles of banknotes changing hands in a back office, possibly in a clandestine manner. - will be reminding you of the time when you worked in a bank !!!!!!!!

Oh - the "Good Old Days"! Some of our business customers certainly did clandestine deals in cash, and they would put the profits in their safe deposit boxes (banknotes, gold sovereigns or Krugerrands). But there was I, standing in the strongroom loading half a million pounds' worth of smackers on to a trolley, then looking at my pay packet at the end of the week - £13 7s 0d (plus 12 shillings large town allowance) less tax. The place is now THE BANKERS DRAFT - definitely a change for the better.. Edited September 16, 2014 by hillsbro

I used to live in the wicker in Exchange Buildings from 1956 when i was born up till approx 1967/8 when we moved up onto Brunswick Road, i remember Summit House&i also remember Keith Laycock as i used to buy things from him&later on in life i had a small repair garage in the back of Vaux Tyres&Keith Laycock would pop in there regularly

Hello all.

I just purchaced a SUMMIT watch from an 'antiques' fair and came online to do some research. I was delighted to find this forum thread and all the info you guys have been sharing, really interesting. I wonder what Isaccs would think of all this chat about him

 

Anyway here is the photo of the watch I just bought for myself, is it like the one you were looking for?

 

That is a nice looking watch. Summit was good and I remember looking in the jewelers window at that, and wishing.

 

In those days there was a really cheap watch that was sold through Littlewoods catalogue for about a quid, that had a plastic lens which was always popping off and scratching badly. I was going to ask if anybody remembered the name, then as I was writing this it came to me ... Newmark!

What an interesting thread that has caused me to dig out my tiny ladies Summit watch bought by my mum for my 17th birthday from Woods Jewellers in Stocksbridge, so around 1966. I've always kept it in its case so it is in reasonable condition - maybe could do with a new strap. I'd like to think it was bought from Summit House in Sheffield. I wore it regularly for years until those new fangled battery watches came out and then, on occasion, when the batteries ran out!

 

Thought I'd give it a wind to see if it worked but couldn't hear it ticking. However, that must be my ears because it is working and seems to be keeping good time. Maybe it could do with a service after all these years.

 

I've also googled 'fond acier inoxydable' found on the back so now I know what that means :-)

Hi Afilsdesigne - it's interesting to have these recollections of Summit House. In my researches I had found a reference to a man with the rather splendid name of Alec Tuxford Bools [1914-1998]. This was in the journal of the British Horological Institute, where in an obituary he is described as Sales Manager of Julius Isaacs. My grandfather, John Arthur Whittles, was a member of this institute despite not being a professional watchmaker. I well remember Mr Laycock on Spital Hill; he was a friend of my grandad.

 

Hi Hillsbro,

 

Alec Tuxford Bools was my grandfather, and it was very nice to read your quote. As I understand it 'Tuxford' is a reference to his mothers' maiden name, and he was indeed the sales manager at Issacs. He started as an office boy, served a 7 year apprenticeship to become a watchmaker and eventually became the sales manager having worked in the same company for 50 years.

Hi Cleetus69 - welcome to the Forum! . Your grandfather was clearly very good at his job, to work his way up to be sales manager and be sent to Switzerland etc. I looked at family history records and saw that his parents were George Bools and Helena Tuxford who were married in Rotherham in 1910.

Hi Cleetus69 - welcome to the Forum! . Your grandfather was clearly very good at his job, to work his way up to be sales manager and be sent to Switzerland etc. I looked at family history records and saw that his parents were George Bools and Helena Tuxford who were married in Rotherham in 1910.

 

Hi again Hillsbro,

 

Many thanks for responding to my post. As I remember my grandfather he loved his work and was very proud to have worked for Issacs.

 

Also, many thanks for the information on George and Helena, that fills in a gap I had in my knowledge (I've only just started researching that side of the family). I had found Helena Tuxford among others in the 1891 census so I now know who my great great grandparents were too.