Makers Directory

This page gives a comprehensive list of Bolton’s known Clock and Watch makers. Listed alphabetically (with their known working years) it covers Little Bolton, Great Bolton, Halliwell, Astley Bridge, and the other townships comprising the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton. We also cover Bolton names from further afield such as Horwich, where their trade mark was ‘Bolton’. Where the name is followed by ‘of Little Bolton‘ or ‘of Great Bolton‘ this is the known trade mark used on their work.

Please click the link to go to the dedicated biography page for each maker.

Abel, Edward – (1816 – 1841)

Agar, John of Bolton – (1853 – 1915) 

Agar, John – (1901) 

Agar, John and William (1876-1877)

Agar, Mary – (1858-61)

Agar, William  – (1857 – 1861)

Agar, William & Co of Bolton – (1857 – 1861)

Agar & Sons (1869-1874)

Ainsworth, J.M. (1857)

Anderton, John – (1841)

Arkinstall, Joseph – (1888 – 1914)

Arkinstall, Joseph Edward -(1901-1917)

Arkwright, Sir Richard (1750 – 1768)

Ashall, Charles  – (1848 – 1881) 

Ashall, John – (1828 – 1834)

Ashall, John Robert (1848 – 1875)

Ashall, William of Bolton – (1836 – 1853)

Ashton, Richard of Farnworth (1861)

Aspinall, Benjamin of Bolton – (1895-1900)

Aspinall, James – (1712)

Aspinall, R (1894)

Aspinall, William of Bolton – (1848 – 1861)

Atherton, Stanley of Horwich 1960 – 2018)

Bamber, Samuel – (1848 – 1858)

Banks, William – (1878 – 1911)

Banks, William of Turton (1878-1911)

Barlow, John Thomas – (1876 – 1877)

Barnetts, Market Street Farnworth (watch Key image)

Barr, Thomas – (1790)

Barr, Thomas – (1840)

Barrow, Robert of Farnworth (1839 – 1861)

Barry, John – (1811 – 1841)

Barry, John of Ratcliff Bridge (1811-1841)

Barry, Thomas of Ormskirk (1788-1838)

Barry, Thomas of Bolton – (1816 – 1829)

Baynes, Richard of Bolton – (1855 – 1861) 

Batten, G – (1887)

Beesley, Daniel of Radcliffe Bridge (1878-1888)

Beesley, James of Farnworth (1861)

Bennet, Samuel of Bolton (TBC)

Berrington, Bolton (1843-1851)

Berrington, James of Bolton-le-Moors – (1836 – 1841)

Berrington, John Johnson of Bolton-le-Moors – (1814 – 1851)

Berrington, Uriah (1808)

Berry, John (1877 – 1881)

Beswick, Thomas Cuthbert – (1881) 

Bevington, J (1814 -1815)

Bevington, James of Farnworth (1814-1838)

Bibby, Henry – (1858)

Binks, John (1857 – 1881)

Binks, Thomas of Bolton – (1876 – 1895)

Birckley, John Baptist of Bolton – (1881-1911)

Blackledge, Thomas (1834-1888)

Bolton, Watch Repairing Company – (1843 -1889) 

Booth Brothers, Bolton (1886)

Booth, John (1866)

Booth, William Bruce(1873 – 1881)

Boyd, J & R

Bradberry, Matthew of Little Bolton – (1821 – 1825)

Bradbury, William of Bolton – (1895)

Bradshaw, Alfred E (1870-1875)

Bradshaw, Ellis (1654-1678)

Bradshaw, Enoch (1871)

Bradshaw, John (1824-1881)

Bradshaw, Thomas and William – (1855)

Bradshaw, W. 1858

Bradshaw, William (1871 – 1881)

Branton, J.F. – (1895)

Breeze, Richard Henry (1881 – 1901)

Bridge, Thomas, of Bolton (1707 – 1717)

Bridge, Thomas of Wigan 1717-1745

Brierley, Thomas. Bolton

Brooks, B(1887 – 1892)

Brown, Joseph (1843)

Brown, Michael (1840-1881)

Brownbill, John (1837-1895)

Burghart, Augustin (1834 – 1848)

Burnett, Thomas of Bolton – (1894 – 1895)

Burrow(s), Charles Wentworth (1891-1904)

Butler, Jacob of Bolton-le-Moors – (1805 – 1818)

Butler, James of Bolton-le-Moors – (1760 – 1795)

Butler, James and Jacob 1785

Butler Bolton, Mrs. (1818-1824)

Butterworth of Bolton (1800?)

Byron, William of Farnworth (1855)

Callcott, James of Bolton

Carnes, John (1838)

Carr, T (1874)

Carwin, John (1874)

Cary, George (1860-1886)

Cary, George Albert (1881-1935)

Cary & Son, Bolton and Farnworth (1880-1935)

Catterall, Joseph. of Bolton – (1828)

Chadbond, James Henry (1881)

Chadwick, Edward (1867-1901)

Chambers, Robert of Little Bolton – (1855-1876)

Chambers, Thomas (1851 – 1861)

Child, Algernon Sidney (1868 – 1886)

Clough, John James of Bolton – (1895)

Clough, John of Bolton – (1895)

Cohen, David (1890-1891)

Corken, William (1863-1869)

Cranshaw, Esther of Bolton – (1887-1903)

Crinnell, John Wesley (1890 – 1913)

Cronshaw, Ernest (1931)

Crosland, W. Bolton

Crossley, John (1873)

Crowther, Eli of Astley Bridge (1871 – 1899)

Daniels, John H. of Bolton – (1895)

Darby, William (1881)

Dawson, H.S. of Bolton – (1895)

Dearden, P. (1887-1900)

Dickinson, (TBC)

Dixon, James (1798)

Dorer, Carl (1881-1888)

Douglas, Robert (1775-1800)

Draper, James Thomas (1861-1899) (review)

Dritchlea, John (1845)

Duckworth Prestex (2021- )

Dumbill, William (1872-1876)

Dunn, (early 19th C)

English, David. (1864 – 1869)

English, Harriett (1819 – 1881)

Entwistle, J (1890-1891)

Entwistle, Richard Holmes (1861-1919)

Entwistle, William of Farnworth (1895)

Entwistle, William Gleave (1835)

Entwistle, William Maude (1881-1891)

Erin, (1892 – 1893)

Fallows, John (1792 – 1797)

Farnworth, James (1859-1881)

Farnworth, Randolph of Bolton – (1891 – 1913)

Farnworth, Randolph of Horwich (1891 – 1913)

Farnworth, Thomas of Horwich (1871-1920)

Farren, John (1791-1841)

Fattorini, T Bolton & Skipton – (1903  – 1975)

Field, J (1892 – 1893)

Fisher, F (1898-1900)

Fisher, James (1847-1893)

Fletcher, John (1832 – 1880)

Formby, Thomas (1792)

Foulkes, Edward T. (1885-1891)

Frankenthall, Isaac (1909)

Franks, Isaac (1909)

Gardner, Thomas (1901-1927)

Garnett, William of Farnworth (1861)

Gaydon, Frank (1947)

Gilbert, Egerton C (1861 – 1898)

Giles, Albert Thomas (1881 – 1891) 

Giles, Alfred (1891)

Glendinning, Roger John (1879)

Greaves, John, (1819)

Greenhalgh, Joseph (1869)

Greenhalgh, Joseph of Farnworth (1881)

Greenhalgh, Richard of Farnworth (1878-1911)

Greenhalgh, Richard of Farnworth (1901)

Greenhalgh, Richard William(1930)

Greenhalgh, S (1874)

Greenhalgh, Walter of Farnworth (1880-1920)

Greenhough, John (1866)

Greenough, Alfonza (1870 – 1891)

Greenough, George (1870 – 1891)

Greenough, Samuel, (1849 – 1891)

Greenough, Samuel of Farnworth (1870 -1871)

Greenough, S. & Sons of Bolton – (1870 – 1960’s)

Greenough, Samuel & Sons of Farnworth (1887-1871)

Gilbert, John of Farnworth (1872)

Grundy, R (1892 – 1893)

Grohé, John James

Hall, Frederick of Walkden (1895-1901)

Hall, George (1881)

Halliwell, Joseph of Bolton – (1887-1900)

Halliwell, Richard of Little Bolton – (1863-1911)

Hallsworth, Elisha

Hampson, Robert(1780-1797)

Hampson, R of Ratcliffe (1790)

Hampson, of Bolton (1780)

Hardman, James of Kearsley (1936-1937)

Hardman, Joseph Thomas (1891-1948)

Hardman, William of Kearsley (1922)

Hargreaves, T. (1898 – 1900)

Hargreaves, William John of Farnworth (1913-1915)

Harris, John Robert of Farnworth (1850-1912)

Harris, Thomas Dibdin of Little Hulton (1871)

Harwood, John – (1929 – 1931)

Hayhurst, W (1898 – 1900)

Hayward, David – (1873)

Heaton, Joseph of Westhoughton (1880-1881)

Herman, Anthony (1841)

Hermann & Rock (1841)

Herr, Joseph (1840 – 1861)

Hesketh, Samuel (1849 – 1861)

Hesketh, Samuel (1852 – 1913)

Hewitt, Michael (1876 – 1893)

Hilton, Arthur of Radcliffe (1921 -1930)

Hilton, Edwin of Radcliffe (1911-1921)

Hilton, James of Radcliffe (1888)

Hilton, Thomas (1892 – 1925)

Hilton, M (1874)

Hodgkins, Henry Phillips of Bolton – (1876-1895)

Hodkinson, Alfred (1899-1892)

Hodkinson, Alfred of Westhoughton (1889 – 1892)

Hodkinson, P. (1893)

Hodson, George – (1753 – 1827)

Hodson, John (1666)

Hodson, William (1790 – 1793)

Holman, Thomas (1922-1954)

Holt & Walch, of Radcliffe (1902-1913)

Holt, John B. B. (1861-1891)

Holt, T (1892)

Hornby, James Farnworth (1895)

Horton and Arkinstall (1901-1914)

Horton, Edward (1901-1914)

Horrocks, James (1860-1870)

Hough, William (1856-1889)

Houghton, N. (1875-1885)

Howarth, Elijah of Bolton – (1891-1922)

Howarth, Roger of Bolton and Little Lever (1949 – 2025)

Howarth, R&J

Howcroft, Richard (1876)

Hoyle, John (1818 – 1824)

Hoyle, John Agar (1853-1915)

Hoyle, William (1824 – 1829)

Hoyle, William Agar (1855)

Hurst, Samuel of Radcliffe (1869-1888)

Hunt, Fredrick Augustus Watchmaker (1897)

Hunt, Frederick William (1870 – 1900)

Hunt, Frederick William of Farnworth 1897

Hunt, Sarah of Farnworth (1911)

Hutchason, William. Bolton-le-Moors. ca.1820

Hutchinson, Henry. (1861 – 1865)

Hutchinson, Rebecca (1869)

Hutchinson, Richard (1861 – 1868)

Ironfield, John (1881)

Isherwood, Charlotte (1861-1873)

Isherwood, Charlotte & Esther – (1861 – 1873)

Isherwood, Miss Esther (1841-1881)

Isherwood, Frank of Bolton – (1895)

Isherwood, James of Bolton – (1895)

Isherwood, James of Westhoughton (1895)

Isherwood, John of Bolton (1847 – 1881)

Isherwood, John of Over Hulton (1847-1881)

Isherwood, John of Bolton (1847 – 1873)

Isherwood, John (1872)

Isherwood, William of Bolton (1858 – 1869)

Jackson, John of Bolton (1711 -1755)

Jackson, John of Bolton (1881-1901)

Jackson, John of Horwich (1881 – 1901)

James, W.H. of Bolton – (1895)

James, John (1871-1876)

Johnson & Co of Little Bolton (1824 -1825)

Johnson, John of Bolton – (1821-1823)

Johnson, William Henry Watchmaker (1869-1875)

Jones, Laurence of Bolton – (1895)

Jones, William Stewart of Bolton, (1869 – 1895)

Keell, F. & Co. of Bolton – (1895)

Kelly, Thomas (1871 – 1881)

Kerr, Joseph of Bolton – (1851 – 1855)

Kinlan, T. M. (1888)

Kirkhall, Thomas of Bolton-le-Moors (1673)

Knowles, Andrew of Bolton (1725 – 1771)

Knowles, Thomas, Bolton (1778 – 1787)

Knowles and Bridge, Bolton (18th Century)

Lancaster, Henry (1869-1871)

Lanzetter, David Leon (1911- 1963)

Lanzetter, Jacob Kofko (1902 – 1940)

Lanzetter, Saul (1911- 1988)

Large, John of Farnworth (1803)

Lee, Albert (1897)

Lee, Albert of Farnworth (1897)

Lee, Ernest (1883-1960)

Lee, Ellen(1800-1879)

Lee, Harold Hague of Turton (1879-1950)

Lee, Henry of Bolton – (1843 -1853) 

Lee, Henry (1828-1889)

Lee, Henry (1852-1895)

Lee, Henry & Son – (1853 – 1895).

Lee, James (1860-1870)

Lee, James of Farnworth (1785)

Lee, John (1782-1789)

Lee, Thomas – (1868 – 1899)

Lee, Thomas Henry (1901-1939)

Lee, William (1892-1974)

Lee, William of Bolton – (1890 – 1915)

Leigh, Thomas. Bolton (1781).

Lemon, Arthur (1830)

Lemon, Samuel (1832)

Lever, Henry (1794)

Lever, Norman of Walkden (1929-1980)

Levy, Josiah – 

Lister, Samuel (1770 – 1809)

Livesey, George (1700)

Livesey, John (1730 – 1753)

Lloyd, Frederick of Bolton – (1895)

Lomas, Samuel (1736)

Longworth, James (1871)

Lonsdale, Christopher 1869.

Lowe, John (1901-1911)

Lumb, Thomas Henry. of Bolton – (1867 – 1905)

Lumbey, Frank (1901-1919)

Makin, George (1834 – 1881)

Makin, Richard (1900-1944)

Manchester, Thomas of Bolton – (1799 – 1870)

Manchester, William

Mancor, James of Bolton – (1827 – 1858)

Marsh, William

Mather, Abel of Bolton – (1881 – 1905)

Mather, Abraham(1892)

McClatchey, James (1892-1901)

McEvans, Edward (1855 – 1861)

Micht, Wallier(Unknown)

Millar, John (1873)

Mitson, Ian M (1972)

Moorhouse, James (1872-1890)

Monk, George (1868 – 1890)

Monk, John of Bolton – (1834 – 1866)

Monk, Samuel of Bolton (1834)

Monk Bros. of Bolton (1890)

Monk and Gilbert of Bolton (1868 – 1873)

Morris, Levy (1856 – 1911)

Morris, Mary of Bolton (1823-1829)

Morris, Peter 33 Bolton Road Walkden (W&C 1895 Kellys)

Morris, Robert of Little Bolton – (1838 – 1843)

Morris, William – (1878 – 1891)

Moss, James (1818)

Moss, William 33 Lark Hill (W&C 1895 Kellys)

Mowcar, James of Bolton – (1828)

Murray, William of Farnworth (1869 – 1890)

Newton, Henry James (1899-1939)

Norman, Robert (1841)

Norris, Carlton (1927-1936)

Nuttall, James (1876)

Oldham, A & Son of Bolton – 

Openshaw, John of Farnworth (1894-1900)

Osborne, Thomas (1665)

Parr, J. – Bolton (1800)

Partington, Mrs Isabella of Farnworth (1870-1881)

Partington, Thomas (1861)

Partington, Thomas of Farnworth (1861-1870)

Parks, Levi of Moses Gate(1895-1901)

Peacock, James (1883-1938)

Pendlebury, Bolton (1887)

Pilkington, Joseph (1860 – 1881)

Pilkington, J&T. ()

Pilkington, Thomas (1825 – 1881)

Pilkington, Samuel (1847 – 1881)

Pinder, Charles (1861 – 1901)

Pinder, Charles Owen (1891)

Pinder, Edward Stanley (1901 – 1939)

Pinder, Walter

Pinder, Walter Stanley (1901)

Preston, Bernard (1861-1901)

Preston, James (1876-1881)

Preston, James & Co (1869 – 1905)

Preston, Joseph John (1891)

Preston, Joseph John Jarthon (1901-1911)

Preston’s Of Bolton (1905 – 2016)

Proffitt, James (1881-1950)

Proffitt, James Henry (1871-1939)

Profitt, William Henry (1891-1921)

Pye, Samuel, (1871)

Reddish, Joseph (1821 – 1842)

Richards, Simon (1846-1881)

Rider, Wiliam of Farnworth (1790-1817)

Robinson, John of Farnworth (1898-1920)

Roch, Andrew (1816 -1841)

Rothwell, James (-1796)

Royle & Rawson, ()

Royle, John of Bolton – (1738 – 1760)

Rowbotham, Charles (1901-1911)

Rowbotham, Edwin (1901-1910)

Rowbotham, Edwin (1901-1908)

Rudd, Albert of Farnworth (1901)

Rudd, James of Farnworth (1894-1901)

Ruff & Tritschler ( -1847)

Scrowcroft, Thomas

Scotson, Joseph of Radcliffe Bridge (1798 – 1835)

Seed, Thomas (1870-1871)

Shaw, John and Sons Bolton (1875 – 1884)

Shaw, Thomas (1870-1892)

Sherwood, John (1853) 12 Newport St

Sherwood, W. 1864 Newport St

Simpson,

Simpson, John Marriage: 24 Dec 1854 St John the Evangelist, Farnworth John Howarth and  Agnes Simpson Bride’s Father: John Simpson, Watchmaker

Sisson, Joshua Bolton – (1861- 1880)

Slater, George James

Sowerby, William

Smethurst, Aaron of Westhoughton (1883 – 1911)

Smethurst, Minion (1924)

Smith, A of Radcliffe (TBC)

Smith, Harold of Farnworth.(-1970)

Smith, Henry (1899 -1911)

Smith, Jeremiah (1876-1887)

Smith, Roger – (1995- )

Spencer, Eli of Bolton – (1820 – 1861)

Standfast, William (1876)

Standring, Jeremiah of Bolton – (1742-1782)

Stones, James of Farnworth (-1835)

Stuart, Joseph 1876

Stuart, Robert (1888)

Swindells, John (1775)

Taylor, A. of Bolton (1814-1824)

Taylor, Thomas

Taylor, William (1890)

Thomas, T.J. Bolton

Thomas, John

Thompson, Joshua (1841)

Titterington, William of Farnworth (1911-1915)

Tonge, James of Farnworth (1881-)

Tootell, Matthew (1791-1798)

Tootell, William (1853)

Trickett, John of Farnworth (1904-1915)

Tritschler, John of Bolton – (1847-1872)

Tyson, Edward(1800 – 1870)

Tyson, Thomas of Bolton – (1848-1861)

Vose, James (1851-1877)

Waddington, James Henry (1880-1905)

Waddington, John of Farnworth (1869 – 1882)

Walch, James (1911-1975)

Walker, Michael of Bolton – (1805 – 1824)

Walker, Richard Henry ( 1883-1921)

Walker, William (1788-1851)

Walley, Johannes de Bolton

Walley, John de Bolton (-1730)

Walley, Robert (-1685)

Wallier, Micht of Bolton.

Walsh, James (1909 – 1942)

Warburton, Henry of Bolton – (1722 – 1774)

Waddington, John of Farnworth (1869 – 1882)

Watson, Joseph of Moses Gate(1895)

Watts, George(1861-1894)

Wellburn, Joseph (1871)

Welsby, John of Farnworth (1882-1900)

West, George of Bolton (1814-1881)

West, James of Bolton – (1828 – 1877)

West, Robert of Bolton (1851)

West, William of Bolton – (1828)

Whaley, John of Bolton – (1722)

Whalley, Robert of Bolton (1765)

Whitefield, George

Whitley, Benjamin (1845)

Whittle, William of Walkden (1881- 1895)

Wightman, James W

Wigston, William (1840-1904)

Wilburn, George

Wilburn, Joseph (1869-1881)

Wilde, Joseph –

Wilding, Thomas (1881-1901)

Williams, John of Farnworth (1871)

Williamson, A. (1876)

Wilson, Thomas

Winder, Stephen (1861-1870)

Wolfenden, Samuel. Bolton (1893 – 1898)

Wood, Edward (1871 – 1876)

Wood, Heaton Thomas (1891-1910)

Wood, J.R. & Sons, Walkden

Wood, Robert of Bolton – (1853-1864)

Wood, William Junior of Bolton – (1841 -1855)

Wood, William of Bolton – (1853 – 1855)

Wood, William – (1931-1944)

Woodcock, James Henry (1875 – 1898)

Wright, William. A. (1864-1865)

Wylde, J

Wylder, J.

Yates, J.T. of Walkden (1925-1958)

Young, Richard (possibly not)

Young, George (1861)