William Hutchinson

William Hutchinson

George Hutchinson

G. & G. Hutchinson

W. & G. Hutchinson

Individual

Company

Saint John, NB

1817-01-01

1877-01-01

70 Prince William Street, Saint John, NB (1864)

Clocks

Repairing

Supplying

Manufacturing

1817 – William Hutchinson arrives in Saint John, NB. William and his family was shipwrecked near Liverpool, Nova Scotia. The family, traumatised, did not travel further and set up “in the old Coffee House, corner of King Street and Market Square in 1819.” In August 1817, ship Lord Nelson, carrying 280 passengers from Londonderry, was wrecked at “Port Mills” Now “Ragged Island Harbour”, which is north along the coast from Liverpool, NS. (St John and its Businesses, 82; “Ships to and from Nova Scotia 1815-1838”)

1819 - Company is established in Saint John, NB. (Hutchinson’s Nova Scotia Directory 1864-65)

1820 – Brother of William, George [II] joins his brother in partnership. “George Hutchinson, Watchmaker, arrived in ship “Hannah”, Capt. John W. Smith, from Londonderry” (New Brunswick Magazine 1899, 338)

1834 – George and William dissolve partnership when George leaves the partnership “and set up in Dock Street”. (Trudel; John and its Businesses, 82)

1835 – Abigail Hutchinson, “wife of Mr. George Hutchinson, watchmaker” dies. (New Brunswick Magazine 1899, 61)

1856 – William retires in favour of son, George Hutchinson Jr. George Hutchinson his uncle “purchased the concern, and carried it on under the firm of G. & G. Hutchinson.”

1860 – George [I] (uncle) retires. (St John and its Businesses, 82)

1864 – Active at 70 Prince William Street, Saint John, NB. Advertising the company as "Chronometer and Watch maker, Jeweller, Optician, &c... (established 1819.)... Barometers, Sextants, Quadrants, Telescopes, Compass &c. Constantly on hand and repaired. Spectacles... First Class Workmen only employed." Company many have recently moved. (Hutchinson’s Nova Scotia Directory 1864-65)

1873 – “No. 2 Imperial Buildings, Prince Wm. Street” “Mr. Hutchinson deals in all the best makes of European and American Watches and in fine Jewellery, and with a first-class Copenhagen artisan manufactures to order jewellery not surpassed in Europe for style and finish. The same artisan was employed while in Copenhagen upon a set for a member of the British royal family. Very special attention is paid to the rating of chronometers from comparison with astronomical clocks, corrected by solar and sideral observations. Mr. Hutchinson has a mounted transit instrument near his residence, convenient for frequent observation. He is the regulator of the city clocks, and is appointed by Government superintendent of the Time Ball, which drops at the Custom House at one o’clock every week day. Mr. Hutchinson also deals in Mathematical, Optical and Nautical instruments, in which he has an assortment of the best articles made in these several lines. His son is receiving his training in the establishment…” ( John and its Businesses, 82)

1877 – A fire destroys part of Saint John’s on June 20th, including some of George Hutchinson’s stock. (The Story of the Great Fire)

Hutchinson’s Nova Scotia Directory for 1864–65 (Thomas Hutchinson, 1864) (https://www.canadiana.ca/view/oocihm.8_01136_1/1): 727

The New Brunswick Magazine 2 (January-June, 1899): 61, 338

“St. John and its Businesses: a history of St. John, and a statement in general terms of its various kinds of business successfully prosecuted” (1873): 82 https://digitalcollections.ucalgary.ca/asset-management/2R3BF1FJAV1WZ?FR_=1&W=1680&H=889 [15/09/23]

“Ships to and from Nova Scotia 1815-1838” The Ships List (https://www.theshipslist.com/ships/Arrivals/novascotia.shtml) [18-07-24]

Stewart, George, The Story of the Great Fire in St. John, N.B., June 20^th, 1877 (Belford Brothers, 1877): Chapter IV (https://www.gutenberg.org/files/39260/39260-h/39260-h.htm) [18-07-24]