Heritage

As one of the oldest family-run watch companies in Britain, we are very proud of our distinguished history. As the 6th generation of the Fear watchmaking family, our Managing Director brings the heritage of the company forward into the modern era.

A young watchmaker named Edwin Fear establishes a workshop and showroom at Nos. 33-35 Redcliff Street in Bristol.

The growing business expands to a second premises on Bristol Bridge, which serves as Fears headquarters until the 1940s.

Following the death of Edwin Fear, the business is handed down to his son Amos Daniel Fear, who at 21 becomes the second managing director.

Amos Daniel Fear, 2nd Managing Director, circa 1930

Fears is incorporated as a limited company and changes its name from ‘Edwin Fear’ to ‘Fears Limited’. From the early 1930s, the business is known simply as ‘Fears’.

The newly incorporated Fears Limited logo proudly displayed on a pocket watch dial, circa 1920

Fears establishes an export department, called ‘Fears (Export) Limited’ at No. 14 Brunswick Square in Bristol.

Brunswick Square offices and warehouse, circa 1920s

Following the death of his father, Amos Reginald Fear becomes the third managing director of Fears. Amos Reginald steps into the role in the wake of the Wall Street Crash and the difficult economic conditions of the 1930s, but by the end of the decade Fears is booming and exporting to 95 countries around the world.

During the Blitz of Britain in the Second World War, all of the Fears premises sustain direct hits. The Bristol Bridge headquarters is destroyed on 24th November 1940, and the Brunswick Square Export department is hit three times before it is permanently evacuated in 1942.

Bristol Delft tile saved from the bombed-out wreckage of Brunswick Square by the 3rd Managing Director Amos Reginald Fear

Following the Second World War, Fears moves to new premises in Clifton, Bristol, just in time to celebrate the company’s centenary in 1946 with a new watch collection.

Fears continues to thrive through the post-war years, until closing its doors in 1976.

While working as an apprentice watchmaker at Rolex in London, Nicholas Bowman-Scargill, the great-great-great-grandson of Edwin Fear, re-launches his family’s company at the SalonQP watch show on 3rd November 2016. Fears releases its first wrist watch in the twenty-first century, the Redcliff.

Nicholas Bowman-Scargill, the 4th Managing Director

Fears releases its second wristwatch, the Brunswick, named after Brunswick Square in Bristol.

The Fears Brunswick

The first 1,000 days since the company was re-established are marked by the launch of a limited edition watch - the Redcliff ‘Streamline’, inspired in design and price by Fears’ original ‘Streamline’ watch from 1946.

The Fears Redcliff "Streamline"

Fears becomes a partner of the UK Government's GREAT Britain campaign. Part of the London 2012 Olympic legacy, this campaign was created to highlight the best the UK has to offer the world.

2021