The history and growth of The Enfield Clock Factory, the sister company of the Anglo-Celtic Watch Company that shared its Ynyscedwyn premises, are outlined in the following by Mr. C.J. Prior-Clarke.
The center reserve between the two plants was prepared for the arrival of retailers, etc. in July 1948. Mr. F. Kienzler moved in and hired two storemen (Jack Morgan and Rhys Evans).
The main section of the Enfield Factory opened for assembly and part production of the F3 striking clock on January 24, 1949. In 1949, bezel production, which integrated plating, polishing, and metal finishing procedures, was introduced. This coincided with the consolidation of manufacturing, including cars, gear cutting, and machine shop operations.
A factory established
1950-52
During this time, striking clocks, including pendulum timepieces, as well as the cases for strikes and timepieces, such as kitchen clocks and Bakelite-cased strikes, BimBams, etc., were manufactured.
In 1952, the 8-day conical pivot QH movement was introduced. The No. 1 Factory, Enfield Works, Edmonton, produced and put together the escapement itself. This movement was transported to London after approximately a year and was forgotten there.
New Developments
Change in the movement
The F3 movement was built shallower from 1949 to 1952. It was 10mm smaller and was dubbed the F7 movement. The same depth of movement on the timepiece side was also decreased to accommodate the Torre, a new plastic kitchen clock.
A new role for the Gurnos works
The No. 1 facility in Edmonton was shut down at the beginning of 1953, and all production and activity related to it were moved to Ystradgynlais. The Mingware Company, which produced watch cases, medals, and medallions, was also moved from Dundee at the same time. For the benefit of the nearby Anglo-Celtic Watch Company, the development of the watch case began in 1953 and culminated in large-scale manufacture of solid watch cases with their diamond turned processes, both chromium plated and gold plated.
During this time, other procedures were also created, including those for manufacturing gongs that used tuning rods and related methods.
The processes for gold plating and anodizing aluminum watch cases were introduced at this time in the development of watch casings
Expanding product
Balance movements
The invention of the floating balancing movement, a singular departure from traditional horological techniques, took place mostly between 1954 and 1955. This movement was initially created as the F6 and then modified to work with the K6 chime movement that Ystradgynlais had been producing since 1953. The K7 was the name of the floating balancing chime mechanism.
The Westminster/Whittington version of the K6 and K7, which contained an amplified gong that was a special gong affixed to the base of the movement and was actuated by an under-slung hammer arrangement of somewhat smaller proportions, was also created and produced on the site.
1956
The Ystradgynlais facility introduced and produced the London-developed QTA travel alarm. In addition to travel alarms, this was manufactured as a roller shutter, brass case, musical box, etc. During this time, the Anglo-Celtic wind movement was also obtained and put together to create the Elfin, a Mazac enclosure with a polished base.
1956-57
During this time, the production of gold cases was introduced, which was obviously a unique approach because it was the company’s first exposure to working with precious metals. Also at this time, an improved gold plating method that used gold salts to manage the gold deposit for both the more costly Cheltenham watches and the less expensive locally manufactured watches at the sister company replaced the older method.
Diversification
Mr. Ray Smith in the 1950s during a staff event. (Third from the right in the third row back)
The current products of the corporation were being developed during this time. The trip alarm was originally simplified and given the name QTC. The QTD, a single wind alarm, was later created from it.
The Gasoset was also introduced around this time. The Brighton plant gave us a prototype of gasoset, but the late R.L. Smith developed it extensively on the property and manufactured it in large quantities and under various names for a variety of gas firms.
We also manufactured a variety of mechanically driven electric time switches with a range of sub-functions during the course of these nine years. The on-site production of the now-defunct Pathe 10mm camera was done. This camera was introduced in response to the emerging 8mm camera, which can reportedly utilize both sides of the film.
During this period, there was also the notorious or possibly legendary “Fum-a-dor.” This strange device sprayed a mist into the space that may be delicious or unpleasant smelling.