Another view of the Crockett-Gallant Building in 2013

Herbert Reid Crockett's baptism certificate

Herbert Reid Crockett's Tombstone

Inscription on Herbert Reid Crockett's tombstone:

Crockett
In Memory Of
Herbert Reid Crockett
Died February 21, 1926 Age 59 Years
His Wife Anne Euestis
Died November 26, 1960 Age 89 Years
Also His Wife Maud Arbing
Died December 2, 1959 Age 84 Years

Harold Reid Crockett was a watchmaker. He and his brother Carl took over the jewelry business on Water Street in Summerside from their father, Herbert R Crockett. in 1927 at 281 Water Street, Summerside, Prince County, Prince Edward Island, Canada.

He was living in Summerside and was retired in 1961 Harold left his brother Carl to run the jewelry business and was living in 1970 at 135 Granville Street, Summerside, Prince Edward Island, Canada.

Harold Reid Crockett born 1 December 1895 died 9 February 1970.

Obituary: "A well-known, retired Summerside jeweler, Harold R Crockett of 135 Granville Street, died this morning in the Prince County Hospital, at the age of 74 years. He was born in Summerside where he resided all his life, a son of Herbert R. Crockett and Anna (Huestis) Crockett. For many years, for close to half a century, the deceased was associated with the firm of Crockett's Jewelers here. In 1927 he and his brother, Carl took over the jewelry on Water Street from their father Herbert R. In 1961, the deceased retired leaving his brother to run the business. He belonged to the Trinity United Church. Besides his wife, the former Elizabeth Lord of Cape Traverse, he is survived by a brother Carl E., also by a number of nephews and nieces. The funeral will be held Wednesday at Trinity United Church for service at 1:30 PM, with entombment in Peoples Cemetery receiving vault.

Harold Reid Crockett's Tombstone

Carl E. Crockett was born in 1902, the son of Herbert Reid Crockett and A. Maud Arbing he was a jeweler. He and his brother Harold took over the jewelry business on Water Street in Summerside from their father Herbert R Crockett in 1927.

Obituary: The death occurred this morning in the Prince County Hospital of well-known retired Summerside businessman Carl E Crockett of 276 Maple Avenue. He is survived by his wife, the former Laura Campbell of Alberton, and two sons, Parker of Summerside; and Herbert, who is with the World Health Organization in Copenhagen. Mr. Crockett for a number of years operated Crockett's Quality Jewelers on Water Street along with his brother Harold. The firm is long established in Summerside and was founded by Mr. Crockett's father the late H. R. Crockett. Mr. Crockett, Lisbon retired for some time, had been in ailing health for the past four years. Three brothers and one sister predeceased Mr. Crockett. They were Roy, Stanley, Harold and Hazel. The body is resting at the Compton Funeral Home. Complete funeral arrangements will be announced later. In lieu of flowers, donations to the Canadian Heart Foundation would be appreciated. Visiting hours Saturday are from 2 to 4 PM, and 7 to 9 p.m.

He was buried in Peoples Cemetery, Summerside, Prince Edward Island, Canada.

Carl E Crockett's Tombstone

Article from the Journal Pioneer (Established 1865) Summerside, Prince Edward Island November 22, 2013

"Crockett's Jewelers closing after 124 years in downtown Summerside"

SUMMERSIDE - It will be the end of an era in downtown Summerside when Crockett's Jewelers, at 281 Water Street, closes its doors after Christmas.

Store owner Lynn (Crockett) Nicholson said it was a hard to make but one whose time has come.

"My great-grandfather (Herbert Reid Crockett) started the business in 1889," Nicholson said. "Then my grandfather (Carl E Crockett) and his brother (Harold R Crockett). Then my dad (Parker Crockett) took it over from his father and then I took it over from her father. So, it's the fourth generation. For 124 years we've been a fixture in Summerside. It's pretty amazing."

With all of the success that Nicholson has had with the family business, she felt it was time to close down.

"I've got 41 years in working," she said. "There are a number of factors. It's been something I've been thinking about for a while and it's also a decision I knew I was going to have to make. It just seemed in the last little bit that things kind of fit in a row and it was the right time to do it. And I wanted to and on a good note."

Nicholson said she still loves her job even though she has decided to leave it.

"I don't want to be somebody who doesn't like their job at the end," she said. "I know people like that and I don't want to be that person. I still enjoy my job. It's time. You just know it in your bones and that's really a hard thing to describe to people what you do. You really know when the time is right."

Nicholson said it took a long time for her to reach the decision to move on but she's doing so with no regrets.

"Now that I've made it, I'm okay with it," she said. "The hardest people to tell where the staff. That was tough."

Nicholson has no children so there is no one in the immediate family to continue on the Crockett's tradition and the rest of her family doesn't live in the area. The business has also been on the market as well.

"I have two sisters and my sisters don't live here and they have different careers," she said. "It's been on the market but I just decided that this was the right decision for me at this time."

Through the years in running the business, Nicholson has seen the good times and the bad times for downtown Summerside but she sees a positive future for the area.

"There have been a ton of changes but I think if you're not changing, you're not going anywhere," she said. "We've had a lot of changes down here even in the last year. Kelly's Flower Shoppe has been sold again. That's a positive thing. Their building sold. We have a brew shop opening. We've had a Halloween store opening."

Nicholson said that the advent of Holland College and its Waterfront Campus bodes well for the future of the downtown.

"It's all positive," she said. "It's what life is all about. Crockett's Jewelers is just another chapter in the history of Summerside and then were going to turn the page and there will be something else here."

Nicholson said she has many memories of downtown Summerside and it's difficult to pick out just one.

For myself, coming downtown when I was a little kid shopping with my great aunt - pretty good she said. "I've got tons of memories. I've worked every sidewalk sale but two, maybe three since it was started in 1973. Problem is I have a lot of good memories. Somebody said to me 'What's the best memory?' And I thought I can't say one because so many things keep flowing through your head. It's just phenomenal. I've been very fortunate."

Nicholson said she had no real plans once the stores closes by traveling is something she intends to do.


"I have family in Paris and will go down and visit them. My dad's brother lives over there and my cousins live between Paris, London and Geneva so we'll go there," she said. That's on my list for next year. Other than that I haven't thought any farther than that."

Since word got around that Crockett's was closing its doors, the outpouring of well-wishers has been nonstop.

"It's been an amazing few days, I will have today," Nicholson said. "We have a great book because people might like to tell us their favorite memories. It's been really wonderful we've had generations of families come here. I just waited on some who will be back on the weekend with her grandfather because she wants to come here to get a ring for herself. That's pretty powerful stuff."

"People are amazing and they've said so many nice things like ' Sorry to see you are retiring but happy for you," she said. "They'll say in one breath ' I'm sorry the store's not going to be here' but then in the next breath they wished me well. It's a pretty wonderful thing to think you're so well thought of in the community. It's pretty humbling."

Lynn (Crockett) Nicholson in jewelry store with customer, note the nice Seth Thomas No.3 Weight Regulator

Debbie forwarded me this email and pictures she had received from Hank Bartlett he says:

"hello, I was doing some research tonight on grandfather's old pocket watch and it led me to your site - Larry Buchan's ... Tales from the Rails page 2.

I am not looking to sell this watch, it's been hanging on display in my home for almost 25 years since my father died and passed it on to me. As you can see in the image provided of the works it does work as the spring wheel is turning. I just found it rather interesting about the history of Mr. Mallet and also the Souris watch having Bartlett on the face as I am a Bartlett. I thought these images of the watch may be of interest some of you"

The pocket watches Hank is referring to are both on Page 2 of my Canadian Private-Label thread, the first is my Hamilton 18 size, 17 jewel, Grade 924 private-label WH Mallet, Brandon, Man. With the movement marked "Imperial Canada" and the Hamilton 18 size, 17 jewel, Grade 924 private-label Jas H Bartlett, Souris, Man.

Hamilton, 18 size, 17 jewel, Grade 926 Serial No. 294258 Canadian private-label WH Mallet, Brandon, Manitoba single sunk Arabic 24-hour dial, cased in a Crescent Watch Case Co. Sterling Silver case.

The Hamilton Watch Company ledgers indicate that Serial No. 294258 Date Finished January 14, 1904 and the Date Sold January 15,1904 this is a Grade 926, and it was sold to the wholesaler the Montréal Watch Case Company of Montréal, Québec.

The case trademark

Case back

The movement

Hamilton 18 size, 17 jewel, Grade 936, Serial No. 280962 Date finished February 22, 1904 Date sold October 30, 1905 to, Montréal Watch Case Company, Montréal Québec. Double Sunk Arabic with Red 24 hour inner tract private-label marked “Waverley Bros.” The Waverley Brothers had their store in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Yellow Gold Filled screw back and bezel AWC Co. Fortune case.

Dial with bezel off.

Hamilton Grade 936 Movement

AWC Co. Fortune case trademark

Here is a 16 size 15 jewels private-label 12 hour Arabic dial marked Paul Bernier Shaunavon, Sask. movement marked Regina Watch Co. Swiss 15 Jewels Adjusted 2 Positions

Dial without besel

Dial close up

Movement

Movement markings

Regina Watch Co. Swiss 15 Jewels Adjusted 2 Positions

Ding dang Larry you Canuck guys! Have the best. In the nicest way!
Mike

In Southern Alberta there was a branch line that ran eastward from Lethbridge, into Saskatchewan to Shaunavon you can see on the right edge of my map