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by
Andrew
Lamberton
ALTHOUGH
Nantwich is noted for its salt, leather and clothing trades, it is not generally
appreciated that the town was an important centre for clockmaking.
The
museum has catalogued as many Nantwich-made clocks as possible. Photographs have
been taken of each clock and a description has been included. The catalogue consists
of a number of easy-to-use folders, with clocks listed under makers in chronological
order.
The
longcase clocks start with Thomas Talbot who was producing high quality eight-day
movements around 1700, progressing through the well-known Gabriel Smith soon after, to John Naylor with his famous astronomical clock.
Gabriel
Smith started clockmaking at Barthomley, near Nantwich.
Other
makers of note include James Green, Thomas Birchall and John Stanyer - who appears to have
been the most prolific of all, judging by the number of clocks located (22).
All
these makers produced brass dial clocks with fine engraving. Around 1773, painted dials
started to appear and eventually replace the brass dial and there are several examples of
brass and painted dial clocks by the same maker.
Later
makers of some note include Joseph Walker, William Massey, William Palin and James Topham
(one of whose clocks is pictured).
It
is very pleasing to record that the industry is still alive in and around Nantwich. About
1975, John Craven made five clocks including one regulator, and more recently Peter
Matravers produced three, and Geoff Gray 14. At present there are three local makers and
their clocks are recorded and catalogued in the modern section.
Altogether
more than 140 clocks have been located and catalogued.
Nantwich
clocks were covered in some detail in a catalogue for a previous exhibition at the museum,
"Nantwich Clockmakers" by A.A.Treherne, published in 1985. More than 100 names
were listed together with biographies where appropriate. Unfortunately,
copies of the booklet are no longer on sale.
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