Wrist watch

[phylkat]

When did the working man first wear a wrist watch?

Did they wear one as far back as 1917 ?

pk

[Ethel]

Soldiers wore wrist watches in WWl - and the trend took off from this.

From the 1920s, pocket watches were steadily being replaced by the wrist watch, but I doubt if the typical civilian working man had a wrist watch in 1917.

[phylkat]

Thankyou Ethel.
I've got a photo of my G/father in 1917 who had just come back from serving in the war and he's sporting a fine wrist-watch, and it puzzled me.

pk

[Ethel]

That ties in then.

It was far more practical for soldiers to wear wrist watches - and many at that time were simply converted pocket watches.

What a shame you don't have the watch - but at least you have the photo.

[phylkat]

Thanks again Ettel,
Another thing that puzzled me is 'telegraph poles',
lined down the street, who had phones in 1917,my parents tell me they had to struggle to get a phone in the 60s

Anyone??

[Ethel]

Are you sure they are not electricity cables? Power cables were usually strung across the roads between poles - in bad weather we all lost our power.

You are right to think it was unusual to have telephones in 1917.

[phylkat]

I'm not entirely sure whether they are phone poles or as you say 'electricity poles' mmm! could be....
Thanks for the thought Ethel.

I was interested in the part of your reply "we all lost our power" YOU weren't there were you??

pk

[ACtheTROLL]

Electricity would be 1 - 5 single thick cables

telephone poles would carry lots of thin wires on cross pieces attached at 90deg to the poles (crossarms)
They would be telephone ploes ....
in those days most of it was overhead ... even the routes between exchanges ..... and towns .. so while not many ppl had phones ... most main roads had spectacular telephone cables.

http://www.connected-earth.com/Galleries/Fabri cofcommunications/Buildingthenetworks/Wiresove rtheground/index.htm

[phylkat]

Well that seems to have cleared it up then, all these q's from a single photograph. But I'm glad I asked.

Where would we be without "Answerbank" eh?

Thanks to -ACtheTROLL & Ethel.