J & T Windmills Traditional English Handwound Watches
Pocket Watches

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J&T Windmills Milton Pocket Watch Model No. WGP10001/21 Case - Sterling Silver Dial Colour - Silver Sapphire Crystal Glass Handmade In England RRP £ 395.00 Our Price £ 323.90 Same Day Despatch * FREE UK Delivery With 2 Year Windmills Watch Guarantee

About Joseph & Thomas Windmills

Joseph Windmills was probably born before the end of 1640/1650; however his origins are unclear. During the earliest years of his clock making, he was based in St Martin's Le Grand. Not far from here he owned a house in Blow Bladder Street, a fairly modest building having only 3 hearths.
In 1699, Joseph Windmills was elected as the youngest Warden of the Company. Meanwhile his son Thomas had completed his apprenticeship and then worked as a journeyman, becoming free of the Clockmaker's company in 1695/1696.

Finest English mechanical clockmaker

Joseph was considered one of the finest clockmakers in late seventeenth century London, and produced a prolific number of lantern clocks of all sizes and qualities. His earliest known watch was created before 1680 and did not feature a balance spring; this is his rarest watch and is displayed in the British Museum.

The development of the sprung balance by Thomas Tompion turned the watch from an ornament to a functioning, accurate timepiece. Becoming mechanical watchmaking experts The exact date of Joseph's partnership with his son Thomas is unknown; however from the numbers of timepieces produced it would appear that the firm became even more prolific with the arrival of Thomas, especially in terms of watch making.

Joseph last attended Court at the Clockmakers' Company on 24th October 1723, which completed an active membership of the Court of more than thirty-two years. After fifty-two years in the trade, he passed away in 1724. Thomas then took over the company working at different times with four partners until his death in 1737. He left no children and was the last of the Windmills' male line.