John inherits his older brother's watch (which was previously his father's). The watch is quite an expensive one -- Sherlock estimates its value at fifty guineas (which would've been around $5000 in today's money, or around 52 pounds at the time. Watches were much more cheaply available -- you could get them for 15 pounds or so (and probably for less, but I know for sure around 15 pounds). So John grew up in a household where his father was able to purchase a quite expensive luxury version of a useful item. Primogeniture was likely not mandatory, but John's older brother seems to have inherited quite a bit of money along with the watch. (Sherlock deduces that he managed to waste all of his money.)
John's father also died many years ago; it is possible that John was a minor when this happened.
My guess is that the elder Watson had reached his majority, inherited, provided for John's education, but lost his money during the course of that education (possibly some of the watch-pawnings we know about were to pay for the completion of the education), and when John graduated he found out the situation & therefore went into the Army.
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timeasmymeasure
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Date: 2020-03-02 03:25 pm (UTC)John inherits his older brother's watch (which was previously his father's). The watch is quite an expensive one -- Sherlock estimates its value at fifty guineas (which would've been around $5000 in today's money, or around 52 pounds at the time. Watches were much more cheaply available -- you could get them for 15 pounds or so (and probably for less, but I know for sure around 15 pounds). So John grew up in a household where his father was able to purchase a quite expensive luxury version of a useful item. Primogeniture was likely not mandatory, but John's older brother seems to have inherited quite a bit of money along with the watch. (Sherlock deduces that he managed to waste all of his money.)
John's father also died many years ago; it is possible that John was a minor when this happened.
My guess is that the elder Watson had reached his majority, inherited, provided for John's education, but lost his money during the course of that education (possibly some of the watch-pawnings we know about were to pay for the completion of the education), and when John graduated he found out the situation & therefore went into the Army.