My "Time On My Hands" clock restoration "In the fireplace or on the wall?" recently posted has this name plate on the dial. Appears this Seth Thomas clock is an English export that finally ended up in what was then an English colony. Any info on the West End Watch Co. would be appreciated.

The question I have is the location of Bombay, Calcutta. Why do I think the country was called Calcutta before it became India???
Ralph

Ralph,

That's not "Bombay, Calcutta" but "Bombay. Calcutta".

Both are major cities in India and this stamp shows that the company had offices in both.

Hello, Ralph ,Bombay is on the West coast of India, Calcutta is on the Ganges River in the East very near Bangladesh. To confuse things further my Ref' books only show West End Watch co,on Watches of The Lancaster Watch co PA 1878. Regards, Ged.

Thank you gentleman for the information on India. Closest thing I come to on Calcutta knowledge is the old Bob Hope/Bing Crosby movie.
Considering the clocks age, I still somehow believe this clock wound up in India via British connections. Maybe the West End Watch Company was the final export agent.

Ralph,

As far as I can tell, The West End Watch Co. have been distributing Swiss watches since 1886. They are still active in India today, although this seems to me to be a revival of business rather than a continued presence. All the signed timepieces that I have seen also have "Bombay . Calcutta" on them.

http://dot.com.ph/timevalue/westend/westend.html

This interesting piece about modern Bombay is from Mumbai Magazine...

"Much has remained and much has changed. Marosa with its mint tea and chicken pattice, patronised by the bar and the bench of the Bombay High Court has gone. Long before Kwality and Taj, we had got used to Marosa and Mongini cakes. And the West End Watch Co., synonymous with Flora Fountain, has also gone. They could have at least left behind the large clock at the corner of the building. How many appointments I must have made under the West End clock ! There was a smaller clock in the shop's show-window, which showed the correct Indian Standard Time, accurate to the last second. It was the practice of all passers-by to step up to the show-window, check the clock and adjust their wrist-watch time with it. I must have been among the very few persons who did not do this, but that was because I did not possess a wrist-watch. Upstairs, in the West End building, were Madam Sophia Wadia's theosophy classes. I can still visualise her, Madam Wadia in a starched white sari, looking like an elderly Sonia Gandhi, talking of the dhamapada. The theosophy class is gone, but not Davar's college, producing another generation of office secretaries. And, next door, Sundar's. I do not recall what was there earlier, but they have certainly some of the most attractive window displays in town."

The West End Watch Co. history is very interesting. It still leaves us with its connection to this Seth Thomas clock. Perhaps it was made for use in the offices of the West End Watch Co? Usually the company names were painted on. I have a Jerome short drop octagon that has "Marriott, Bridge Street, North Hampton" on the dial.

There were a lot of American clocks exported at the time this was made. Its connection to West End W. C. would be interesting to track down.

...very interesting topic...enjoyed reading through information, research and links!!!...thanks!...