Hi - M. Wilson - Hopefully, someone will answer your query. Have you tried searching the web for a Belfast history website and trying to contact the host to see if he/she has some resources to help in your research? Wonder if a book has been written about the company, or Mr. Watson, since it seems to have employed talented craftsmen who produced high-quality items. What surnames are you researching? If you are requesting help there, you might want to add the surnames to the subject line in your reply. Read about Belfast on-line in 1880 at http://www.libraryireland.com/IrishPictures/IX-Belfast.php They also have many assorted transcribed directories to include Ulster town directories from 1910. Odds & Ends: Just "googling", I find that there was an auction in the UK in 1993 offering a set of six 1920's mahogany dining chairs by Robert Watson & Co. of Belfast, of Queen Anne design with plain crest rails, solid splats, the drop-in seats upholstered in floral needlework, on cabriole front legs and H-pattern stretchers. Apparently referring to the Ballyhagan and Richhill Society of Friends (Quaker) Meeting house: 1900 Richard Allen, Grange, Portadown. left the meeting in his will - £25 to provide cushions for seats. Cushions of curled horse hair suitably buttoned, Hassocks (number not stated) purchased at same time ? supplied by Robert Watson & Co., Belfast all cost £26.17s.3d Other "hits" www.upholders.co.uk/archives.htm In your research, try "googling" the word upholders rather than upholsterers. May be earlier time frame than you are seeking, but I see that a Mr. Beard apparently written several books on the subject. Belfast Timeline website (news articles 1930's, etc.) which can be viewed as HTML. One way to "google" is to conduct an "advanced search" with specific keywords or names as "phrases." When the list of website hits come up, try clicking on the "cached" option rather than clicking on the title of the website, as you will find that your search keywrods are highlighted in the article, so you can jump down to the references you are seeking. (I know there are other ways to streamline searches but I haven't figured them out.) J. ----- Original Message ----- From: <mwilson28@cox.net> To: <irelandgenweb@rootsweb.com> Cc: "Pat Connors" <nymets11@pacbell.net> Sent: Saturday, March 21, 2009 4:59 PM Subject: [Irish Genealogy] Robert Watson & Co0. Ltd. >I am interested in hearing from anyone who has ancestors who worked for >this company of upholsterers. From 1880 onwards. The company was located >in Belfast.

Thank you for the research tips on this Company. My grandfather was brought from Paisley to Belfast when Watson's opened in Belfast. I have an old photograph of the staff and I wondered if anyone who had ancestors working in the establishment at that time would be interested in a copy. Your help is invaluable. I can't thank you enough. Marion W. ---- "Jean R." <jeanrice@cet.com> wrote: > Hi - M. Wilson - Hopefully, someone will answer your query. Have you tried > searching the web for a Belfast history website and trying to contact the > host to see if he/she has some resources to help in your research? Wonder > if a book has been written about the company, or Mr. Watson, since it seems > to have employed talented craftsmen who produced high-quality items. > > What surnames are you researching? If you are requesting help there, you > might want to add the surnames to the subject line in your reply. > > Read about Belfast on-line in 1880 at > http://www.libraryireland.com/IrishPictures/IX-Belfast.php > > They also have many assorted transcribed directories to include Ulster town > directories from 1910. > > Odds & Ends: Just "googling", I find that there was an auction in the UK in > 1993 offering a set of six 1920's mahogany dining chairs by Robert Watson & > Co. of > Belfast, of Queen Anne design with plain crest rails, solid splats, the > drop-in seats upholstered in floral needlework, on cabriole front legs and > H-pattern stretchers. > > Apparently referring to the Ballyhagan and Richhill Society of Friends > (Quaker) Meeting house: > 1900 Richard Allen, Grange, Portadown. left the meeting in his will - £25 to > provide cushions for seats. Cushions of curled horse hair suitably buttoned, > Hassocks (number not stated) purchased at same time ? supplied by > Robert Watson & Co., Belfast all cost £26.17s.3d > > Other "hits" > www.upholders.co.uk/archives.htm > > In your research, try "googling" the word upholders rather than > upholsterers. May be earlier time frame than you are seeking, but I see > that a Mr. Beard apparently written several books on the subject. > > Belfast Timeline website (news articles 1930's, etc.) which can be viewed as > HTML. > > One way to "google" is to conduct an "advanced search" with specific > keywords or names as "phrases." When the list of website hits come up, try > clicking on the "cached" option rather than clicking on the title of the > website, as you will find that your search keywrods are highlighted in the > article, so you can jump down to the references you are seeking. (I know > there are other ways to streamline searches but I haven't figured them out.) > > J. > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: <mwilson28@cox.net> > To: <irelandgenweb@rootsweb.com> > Cc: "Pat Connors" <nymets11@pacbell.net> > Sent: Saturday, March 21, 2009 4:59 PM > Subject: [Irish Genealogy] Robert Watson & Co0. Ltd. > > > >I am interested in hearing from anyone who has ancestors who worked for > >this company of upholsterers. From 1880 onwards. The company was located > >in Belfast. > > Check out the Ireland GenWeb website at: http://www.irelandgenweb.com/ > > Great place to get help with your family research. > > County Westmeath has been adopted! > > Help wanted: Still need County Coordinators > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to IRELANDGENWEB-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message