Microscope Museum

Collection of antique microscopes and other scientific instruments

Microscope 298 (W Watson & Sons Ltd; histology microscope stand B; 1890s)

W. Watson & Sons were opticians and camera makers trading from London and Edinburgh. The company was originally founded in 1837 by William Watson at 71 City Road, and the business continued at this address until 1861, when it moved to 313 High Holborn. In 1867, the name was changed to W. Watson & Son. In 1882, the name was changed to W. Watson & Sons. In 1900 the company acquired the John Browning and Co., and in 1908 the firm became W. Watson & Sons Ltd. In 1929 they published an advert in the British Industries Fair Catalogue as an Optical, Scientific and Photographic Exhibit, highlighting the manufacture of microscopes for medical, industrial, and educational purposes. Into the 1950s, the company changed their address to 25 West End Lane, Barnet, Hertfordshire, where they stayed until the late 1960s. In 1957 the company was acquired by Pye of Cambridge and ten years later, taken over by Philips. By 1970, the manufacture of microscopes was over. Microscope 298 is signed with ‘W. WATSON & SONS, 313 HIGH HOLBORN, LONDON’ and corresponds to a Watson’s histology microscope, stand B. The instrument is also engraved with the serial number 3024, allowing to date the microscope to c. 1892. The histology stand was introduced by Watson in 1886 and has rack and pinion course and thumbwheel fine focussing (Figure 1).

Figure 1. Watson’s histological microscope, stand B, as engraved in an 1896 catalogue of the firm.