The History of S. Smith & Son Ltd (Chris Balm Antique & Vintage Watches)

The History of S. Smith & Son Ltd

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S. Smith & Sons Ltd was founded as a by Samuel Smith in London in 1851.

Samuel Smith was born in Ilford, Essex in 1827 and opened a watch & clock makers shop in Newington Causeway, London in 1851. Samuel’s eldest son, also named Samuel was born in 1851 and followed his father into the business. Samuel senior died on 4th February 1875, aged 48 and his son took over the company. It expanded rapidly, opening showrooms at The Strand and later at Trafalgar Square and Piccadilly. Smith & Sons also owned factories in Clerkenwell, London and Bienne, Switzerland. They had many notable customers, became watchmakers to the Admiralty, supplier of explorers watches to the Royal Geographical Society and produced a range of high quality timepieces including certified chronometers, chronographs and repeaters.

In 1899, Samuel formed the private company, S. Smith & Son Ltd, and transferred his business to it. At this time, they started manufacturing motor clocks and in 1904 produced the first British odometer and speedometer. They added many other motoring accessories to their range and in July 1914 formed S. Smith & Sons (Motor Accessories) Ltd.

During W.W.I., the company supplied the British War Department with watches, clocks, vehicle accessories, aircraft instruments, and shell fuses. In 1915 a factory at Cricklewood opened employing 400 persons, which soon increased to 2000.

In 1927 the Smith & Sons acquired an interest in the English Jaeger company who manufactured clocks, watches and motoring/aviation instruments. The following year A.B.E.C. Ltd. (All British Escapements Company) was created to manufacture escapements for both Smiths and Jaeger clocks. In 1931 Smiths English Clocks Ltd. was created to produce domestic clocks and the new company became the watch and clock division of S Smith & Sons (Motor Accessories) Ltd.

During W.W.II., with the demand for motor, aircraft and marine instruments for the war effort, Smiths' production expanded yet again. In 1944 the name of the parent company was changed to S. Smith & Sons (England) Ltd. and new subsidiary companies were set up: Smiths Motor Accessories Ltd., Smiths Aircraft Instruments Ltd., and Smiths Industrial Instruments Ltd. Around 1955, Smiths English Clocks Ltd. changed its name to Smiths Clocks and Watches Ltd.

Business grew rapidly after the war with the total sales increasing from £7m in 1945 to £40m in 1962. The company changed its name from S. Smith & Sons (England) Ltd. to Smiths Industries Ltd in 1966. In 1979 the production of Smiths watches and clocks for the domestic market ended and in 1983 the automotive instruments division was sold. In 2000 Smiths Industries merged with the TI Group to form Smiths Group plc.

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Smiths