Last Updated on Monday, 24 November 2008 11:44

Around the 13th century weights and cords were used with a spindle for the first time and the simple escapement device was developed which is the basis for all modern clocks today. The device controlled the movement and provided regular periods of time.

In the 14th century the day was divided into twenty-four equal hours and so began a new way of living. Over the ensuing one hundred and fifty years there was a growing demand for smaller more reliable timepieces as only large public clocks had been established in town centres. Around 1510 a locksmith called Peter Henlein from Nuremburg invented the spring-driven clock, which would enable a smaller timepiece to be made, but it was another 15 years before the idea turned into reality. So in 1525 springs were used inside clocks and clock making became a craft in its own right.

At the time France and Germany were leading the way forward in the development of the clock, but this changed in the 1700s as English clock makers by then, were considered to be the best in the world. In 1657 John Fromanteel using a pendulum, an invention of a another Dutch man by the name of Christiaan Huygens, was able to create a uniform and predictable swing mechanism. Later Robert Hooke an experimental philosopher and a clock maker called Thomas Tompion (born in 1639 and became a master clock maker) developed an anchor escapement which oscillated by means of a pendulum allowing the escape wheel to advance at a rate of half the space of a tooth each second. This meant that they were able to register seconds and minutes on a dial and the modern clock as we now know it was born.

A number of craftsmen were associated with clock making, such as fire-gliders and veneerers, silverers, engravers, fusee chain makers, gear and wheel cutters, case makers and those that finished the clocks. Clerkenwell in London became the centre for English clock making.

In 1714 the British Government concerned about the number of maritime losses caused by ships getting lost at sea, offered a reward of £20,000 to anyone who could invent a reliable clock that would lose or gain no more than five seconds on a voyage to Jamaica. It took a son of a carpenter from Yorkshire to come up with the answer, but not until 1762. He designed a clock with double balanced wheels to compensate for the ships motion and parts were made from lignum vitae, hard greasy wood and polished brass, a spring that was controlled by a compensation crub’ that adjusted to a change in temperature. It took almost the same amount of energy and time to extract the reward payment from the Government. Would it be any different today I wonder?

So, what about the antique restorer who works to day? It can take up to 18 months to restore some old clocks as every new part has to be carefully made by hand, no mass produced parts with these craftsmen. A restoration may begin by researching museums or old documents, drawings or by looking at similar clocks perhaps made by the same clock maker. One of the problems with restoring old clocks is that they may have been updated over the years so the parts in them may not always be original.

Most restorers will use old hand tools that may date back to the 18th and 19th centuries. A restorer will be on the lookout for old scrap brass and any old clocks available through junk or charity shops. He or she may spend many hours remaking parts in order to get it perfect. He will need to have the expertise not only of the insides of a clock but also how to restore the case and dial face.

A master clock restorer will have knowledge, skills, and a lot of patience and dedication to carry out his duty well.

If you would like to visit a clock museum see: - Tymperleys Clock Museum