Anglo-Celtic

Created Thursday 26 December 2024

The Anglo-Celtic Watch Co.Ltd, Gurnos Works, Ystradgynlais near Swansea, was an autonomous company whose shares were held equally by Smiths Industries Ltd, Ingersoll (London) Ltd and initially Vickers Armstrong. Vickers Armstrong sold their shares to the other two companies in 1948. It was the largest watch manufacturing factory in Britain and one of the largest in Europe.

Ingersoll

Made in Gt Britain

Ingersoll Triumph

Ratty Wristwatch A better example... (not mine)

Ingersoll ratty Movement

The Ingersoll pocket and wrist watches marked Made in Britain or Great Britain are a lower market product made in association with Smiths in Wales, 14 miles NE of Swansea.

Smiths

Smiths Empire

In collaboration with the London-based arm of the Ingersoll watch company, Smiths inaugurated a new factory in Ystradgynlais, Wales. This factory received government support aimed at revitalizing the British horological industry. Here, the Ystradgynlais factory manufactured an assortment of budget-friendly, low-jewel Ingersoll and Smiths ‘Empire’ watches and clocks.

During the years of 1946 to 1980 over 30,000,000 watches were made, and were exported to 60 different countries throughout the world. The Anglo-Celtic Watch Co. Ltd was unique in that it was at one time the only company in the world to produce a watch from raw materials to the finished packed product.

A Tesco supermarket and petrol station now stands on the former watch factory site.

Ingersoll and Smiths watches

‘Ystradgynlais’ is pronounced IST RAD GIN LYS.

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