I've only just spotted this topic, which is interesting because I have a similar Elgin watch. It was given to me after the funeral of the last remaining male, apart from me, on my father's side of the family. It came with a fascinating story, which triggered research into my family history. It belonged to one of my grandfather's brothers and he was born in Norfolk in about 1874.
The 1891 census recorded him as an apprentice blacksmith, also in Norfolk.
By 1901 he was in East London recorded as a farrier. The story, however, said he was a cab driver there, who obtained work as a horseman with the Buffalo Bill Wild West Show and subsequently went to the States with them.
In 1911 the census showed him as a "shoeing and general smith" in Norfolk.
Whether he ever went to the States is a moot point. The story said he sent the watch from there as a present for a relative, but that seems doubtful, because the chain has a tag with his initials on it. Another version of the story is that he remained there and set up one of the first steam laundries, but that must be complete rubbish. So, both are almost certainly c and b stories. Doing the family tree was interesting, although, like many people, I regret not questioning my parents more about my ancestors before it was too late.
Anyway, my daughters are not interested, so I'm going to follow Smokie's lead and put it on eBay. It's in good condition, the case is pretty much identical, the inside dates it as 1989, it works, albeit keeping poor time, and the 20g chain is different,
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