44 ‘Or making your way through the gritty streets
intersection of Locke & King. ‘I chose ‘The
of Hamilton,’ Ryan remarks when I let him
James’ as the name of the first Locke &
in on my daydream. ‘Because, truthfully,’ he
King release because I want this piece to
continues, ‘the motivation behind this whole
pay homage to the people and businesses
project is as much about telling the story of
along James Street,’ Ryan says. ‘They’re hard-
my hometown – Hamilton – as it is about
working and look good doing it, they’re not
creating beautiful, adventuring watches.’ Like
pretentious, they evoke everything that
the name of the company itself: Locke &
Hamilton is and will become.’
King. ‘I grew up near the intersection of Locke and King,’ Ryan tells me, ‘so these streets have
I note ‘The James’’ wonderfully-designed
personal significance to me. And they also
minute markers. ‘They mimic the design of
have long historical roots in the emergence
the clocktower at the intersection of James
of this city. Locke Street used to be called
and York,’ Ryan says, pointing toward a
‘Railway Street’, for instance, because it ran
building along the cityscape that unfolds
to the Great Western Railway Yards. And King
before us. Almost instantly I recognize the
Street began as an indigenous trailway before
clocktower’s clock’s design on the face of the
it was ever paved.’
watch. ‘The building is nothing spectacular,’ Ryan continues, ‘but its clock – transported
I’m loving what I’m hearing: a company that’s
from Hamilton’s original city hall – has
proud of its roots and reflects its heritage.
historical significance.’
Sentimental. Romantic. Evocative. And the connections to Hamilton don’t stop at the
