Edmund Beckett Denison and the Westminster Clock.
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About author Keith Bates & Pendulum PublicationsPendulum Publications is a small, specialist publisher established in 1980 by Keith Bates. "Early clock and watchmakers of the Blacksmiths' Company" is the 4th book to be published by the company. Keith has also had several articles published in Horological magazines. The company is run by a small but dedicated family team. Read more...
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Edmund Beckett Denison and the Westminster Clock. The Astronomer Royal, Sir George Airy was asked to provide the parameters for the new Westminster clock. He said that it should be capable of keeping time within one minute a week and the first stroke of the hour was to be within a second of true time. Read about the 3-legged gravity escapement and the Westminster clock.
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Who built Big Ben?When talking about the history of Big Ben, Benjamin Hall, Charles Barry, Augustus Pugin, Edmund Beckett Denison and Edward J. Dent all get a mention. But what roles did they play? Read more about Big Ben |
Daniel Quare Master ClockmakerDaniel Quare is thought to have been born about 1648 in Somerset and apprenticed to an unknown master 1662-1669 and probably worked as a journeyman until 1670. He was working in the parish of St Martin-le-Grand, Westminster by 1671 when the Clockmakers' Company discovered him and made him a brother of the company on 3 April 1671 as a great (turret) clockmaker.
Read more about Daniel Quare |
The Higginson brothers - Clockmakers at the end of 17th Century.At the end of the 17th Century, some clockmakers from the B.C. were supplying movements to other clockmakers, consequently very few of their signed clocks have been recorded. The Higginson brothers John and Nathaniel trained a number of later successful clockmakers and so must have produced a large number of clock movements but very few of their fine clocks have survived.
Read about the apprentices they trained |
"Great" clockmakers in the Blacksmiths' CompanyOne of the most important “great” clockmakers of the 17th century and probably the least well-known, was William Clement. He is the un-sung hero of horology. If it had not been for William Clement, clocks might still have been treated as objects of amusement and not useful timekeepers.
William Clement invented the anchor escapement about 1665. ... Read More. |
Great Clockmakers of the 17th CenturyAfter the Great Fire of London in 1666 the Clockmakers’ Company (C.C.) were enrolling new members, 28 of whom were described as “great clockmakers” between 1669-1690; However, in 1636 the C.C. had signed an agreement with the B.C. saying that they would not enrol any “great clockmakers of iron clocks”, now called turret clocks.
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Dating antique Brass Dial Longcase clocks. - Part 2In Part 1. I attempted to show some of the problems facing prospective buyers of early 18th century clocks. Following on from that theme I would like to look at some clocks made after about 1730.
After Humphrey Maysmore’s death in 1706 his widow Mary turned their son Humphrey over to Richard Vick in the C.C. who had been trained by Daniel Quare. ... Read More. |
Was Thomas Tompion the leading clockmaker at the end of the 17th Century?Thomas Tompion has been described as the father of English clock and watchmaking by a number of writers. In 1697 the Blacksmiths’ Company (BC) made the following declaration :- “ the greatest Artists therein [clockmaking] of this day were Originally Smiths” .....We then have to ask was Thomas Tompion one of the greatest artists in clockmaking, if so, was he a member of the BC? .....Read More.
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Dating Early Antique Longcase Clocks
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Sophia Metcalfe - Memoirs of a lady watchmakerSophia Metcalfe, born 1881, was the daughter of Ralph Metcalfe watchmaker and jeweller at 168 Scotswood Road, Newcastle and apprenticed to her father 1895-1899.
"Now I will commence at the beginning of my apprenticeship at 14 years of age. I was never idle one moment and we were always busy. At that particular time.....Read More |
Richard Craile - a watchmaker in the Blacksmiths' CompanyRichard Craile was one of the early 17th century watchmakers. He was born in 1600, the son of William Craile a curate of Grantham and apprenticed to Robert Grinkin about 1615. He took his freedom of the BC on 18th January 1626/7 . ... Read More.
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Astronomical clocks for King Charles II - Samuel WatsonWatson made two astronomical clocks for King Charles II, one in 1682 for £215 and the second was a special commission which took Watson from 1683-1690 to complete.
Read more |
Antique Clockmakers & their freedom from the London GuildsAll trade in the City of London, from very early times, was controlled by the trade guilds or companies. A craftsman had to be a freeman of one of these guilds in order to trade within.....Read more
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Plague epidemics & their effects on ClockmakersWhen I wrote about the effects of the plague at different times in our history, I never dreamt that we would be experiencing a pandemic similar to what the clock and watchmakers experienced in 16th and 17th centuries. Read More
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William Moraley, watchmaker of NewcastleMany years ago, while researching London clockmakers I came across a report in the London Gazette for 31st May 1729 which stated that William Moraley, watchmaker of Newcastle had been declared .... Read More
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Was your ancestor a clock or watchmaker?Here is a fascinating story, tracing the family tree of a lady who was the descendant of a clockmaker. If you think your ancestor may have been in the clock and watchmaking trade and you would like ... Read More
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John Walker, clockmaker extraordinaireApprenticed to Charles Thompson on 6th June 1734 but not freed in the BC until 1749. The competition for a clockmaker in London must have been very strong at that time because John..... Read More
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A right Royal ClockI was on a visit to Newton Hall, Northd., in the late 1970s when I noticed a turret clock in the stable block. I asked if I could see the movement of the clock and Captain Widdrington, the owner ....Read More |
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Chronometer makers in the Blacksmiths' CompanyMy interest in chronometers and chronometer makers was aroused by a two part article written by Charles Aked on the subject of “Longitude and the Marine Chronometer” in ......Read More
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