It was an ordinary day. Going through a few more files and boxes of items from my mom and dad. Dad died almost 4 years ago and I'm still finding really ne
at "stuff" that was part of his life. Found a manila envelope loaded with old watches. Some look valuable while others look like junk. Part of the find was a Westclox pocket ben with a horse fob on it. Probably made in the 1920s as far as I know. Still in working condition. The value? Who knows! My dad was a watchmaker almost all his life. He graduated from high school in mid-1937 and started working at Meiskey Jewelry Store on Chestnut Street in do
wntown Lancaster, PA. During the years that followed World War II he went to school on the GI bill at The Ezra F. Bowman Technical School on the corner of East Chestnut Street and North Duke Streetin Lancaster. This school was founded in 1887 and offered courses in watchmaking and repairing, jewelry work, and engraving. Not sure what courses my dad took, but he did quite a bit of watch repair while working for Meiskey's store as well as Sheeley's Jewelry Store in his later years
. The Bowman building is still at the same corner, but is now apartments. At the time, The Hamilton Watch Company was one of the biggest an
d well known watch companies in the world. It was founded in 1892 along the Columbia Pike in Lancaster. Dad did quite a bit of work on Hamilton watches and many of the watches I found were Hamiltons. Hamilton lasted until 1969 when they joined the Buren Watch Company from Switzerland and moved the company to Switzerland. The building on Columbia Pike is now known as the Watch Tower Apartments. In 1957, Hamilton introduced the world's first electric watch, the Ham
ilton Electric 500. When I graduated from high school, my mom and dad presented me with a Hamilton electric watch. A top notch gift in 1962. Still have it today, but it isn't in working condition. Mom and dad had watches and clocks everywhere in their house. On the top of the refrigerator was a large tray that was always filled wit
h watches that dad's friends would give him to have repaired. At times he would work on them at home, but most times he took them to Meiskey's to repair them. I grew up hearing constant chimes from the many clocks that filled the shelves in the living room. I met my wife, Carol, through dad working at Meiskey's. Carol's mother joined the workforce at the store in the early 60s and through her, I met Carol. For Christmas one year mom and dad gave Carol and me a Seth Thomas 
mantel clock. Still have it. Another year mom and dad gave Carol an antique wood mantel clock that was made by the New Haven Clock Company. Dated sometime in the mid-1980s. What do I do with all the time pieces that I find as I search the boxes of goodies? Not 
quite sure, yet. But the timeless treasures are certainly interesting to explore and wonder who might have had them in their home, in their pocket or on their wrist. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. PS - pictures from the top are: my dad as a young watch repairman, Bowman Technical School, Westclox pocket ben, Hamilton Watch pocket watch, Hamilton Watch Company in Lancaster, a few of the watches that I found in a manila envelope, my Hamilton electric watch that I received as a graduation present in 1962, and Carol's New Haven mantel clock.
at "stuff" that was part of his life. Found a manila envelope loaded with old watches. Some look valuable while others look like junk. Part of the find was a Westclox pocket ben with a horse fob on it. Probably made in the 1920s as far as I know. Still in working condition. The value? Who knows! My dad was a watchmaker almost all his life. He graduated from high school in mid-1937 and started working at Meiskey Jewelry Store on Chestnut Street in downtown Lancaster, PA. During the years that followed World War II he went to school on the GI bill at The Ezra F. Bowman Technical School on the corner of East Chestnut Street and North Duke Streetin Lancaster. This school was founded in 1887 and offered courses in watchmaking and repairing, jewelry work, and engraving. Not sure what courses my dad took, but he did quite a bit of watch repair while working for Meiskey's store as well as Sheeley's Jewelry Store in his later years. The Bowman building is still at the same corner, but is now apartments. At the time, The Hamilton Watch Company was one of the biggest and well known watch companies in the world. It was founded in 1892 along the Columbia Pike in Lancaster. Dad did quite a bit of work on Hamilton watches and many of the watches I found were Hamiltons. Hamilton lasted until 1969 when they joined the Buren Watch Company from Switzerland and moved the company to Switzerland. The building on Columbia Pike is now known as the Watch Tower Apartments. In 1957, Hamilton introduced the world's first electric watch, the Hamilton Electric 500. When I graduated from high school, my mom and dad presented me with a Hamilton electric watch. A top notch gift in 1962. Still have it today, but it isn't in working condition. Mom and dad had watches and clocks everywhere in their house. On the top of the refrigerator was a large tray that was always filled with watches that dad's friends would give him to have repaired. At times he would work on them at home, but most times he took them to Meiskey's to repair them. I grew up hearing constant chimes from the many clocks that filled the shelves in the living room. I met my wife, Carol, through dad working at Meiskey's. Carol's mother joined the workforce at the store in the early 60s and through her, I met Carol. For Christmas one year mom and dad gave Carol and me a Seth Thomas mantel clock. Still have it. Another year mom and dad gave Carol an antique wood mantel clock that was made by the New Haven Clock Company. Dated sometime in the mid-1980s. What do I do with all the time pieces that I find as I search the boxes of goodies? Not quite sure, yet. But the timeless treasures are certainly interesting to explore and wonder who might have had them in their home, in their pocket or on their wrist. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. PS - pictures from the top are: my dad as a young watch repairman, Bowman Technical School, Westclox pocket ben, Hamilton Watch pocket watch, Hamilton Watch Company in Lancaster, a few of the watches that I found in a manila envelope, my Hamilton electric watch that I received as a graduation present in 1962, and Carol's New Haven mantel clock.
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