Summer Outing
Summer Outing, 24th July 2004 at Gloucester City Museum and Art Gallery.
The event was well attended with over 30 members present and we were treated to one of the best museum tours we have experienced by David Rice, Documentation and ICT Officer. His friendly staff also provided us with an impromptu tea and coffee break on arrival at the museum. The clock collection was diverse and substantial as the following notes will testify, and the pictures are reproduced here with the kind permission of the museum.
Left: Richardson Peyton was born at Sandhurst, near Gloucester in 1718. His parents moved to Gloucester in 1726 where Richardson attended College School (now King's School). He was apprenticed to the clock-making trade and became Gloucester's leading clock-maker. He married Maria Brown Gittos, and in 1744 moved to Bowlish, near Shepton Mallet where he died in 1782 leaving furniture and a year-going clock. A year-going longcase signed Richn Peyton, Gloucester is shown here in a fine japanned case. The movement detail shows the strong chain required to take the power necessary to drive the clock for one year.
To the right is a month-going longcase clock by Christopher Pinchbeck, London (1670-1732). Pinchbech was an accomplished maker of astronomical clocks and instruments as well as watches and musical clocks and automata. Pinchbeck is most famous for inventing the alloy of copper and zinc, which resembles gold. Never a member of the Clockmakers Company, he died at the age of 62 and was buried at St. Dunstan's Fleet Street.
Left is a most unusual clock signed Artvig, London. It has a small spring barrel driving a fusee and verge escapement with balance wheel. The scale at the top is for regulation. On the hour a second train is tripped which inverts the two sand-glasses. The sand runs at different speeds through each sand-glass, though the period was not measured. Although signed London, it has the appearance of a continental clock.
The lantern clock to the right is signed Washbourn, Gloster (sic.) and is complete with alarm mechanism. As to which Washbourne this refers is uncertain, but the single sheet dial plate suggests that it comes from the latter part of the 18th century.
Two examples of the many watches on display are shown here: A verge watch by Robert Sainsbury, Chippenham (c. 1732) and a fine travelling watch by John Ilbery, London, with calendar and rating dials.
There were two miniature longcases on display, the first by John Higgs of Wallingford c. 1710. Higgs was born about 1667 and was freed in 1688. He had several apprentices. The clock has many early features such as the style of the hands and chapter ring and inside count wheel striking. Unusually, however, the corner decoration is engraved rather than the more usual applied spandrels. The case is in walnut, with lenticle in the door. It was not possible on this occasion to look at the movement in more detail, but this may be possible in the near future.
The second miniature longcase is by James Baxter, London. He is listed as working around 1750. The movement is thought to be from a bracket clock, but a quick observation showed that this was, in fact, a weight driven movement which deserves closer scrutiny. The rococo spandrels and style of chapter ring and hands would suggest a mid to late 18th century date.
Right: High on one wall was an ornate bracket clock in an oak case with ormolu mounts. This 8-day striking and chiming clock was presented to W.P.Price, M.P., of Tibberton Court in 1886. Price was chairman of the Midland Railway from 1870-73, Chairman of the Gloucester and Berkeley Canal and a timber merchant and banker.
Left: A 30-hour clock by John Washbourne, Gloucester c.1710 is of some interest in that he was the grandfather of John Washbourne to whom Henry Williams of Lancarvan was apprenticed (see Henry Williams, Lancarvan - A Clock and Watchmaker and a Great Farmer by Ed Cloutman and Bill Linnard - Tathan Books, PO Box 6044, Radyr, Cardiff CF15 8YS).
One could not leave the city of Gloucester without a visit to the cathedral. Gloucester Cathedral has the most spectacular exterior and interior. The pictures to the left show the simple but massive Norman pillars which support the nave. In the cloisters can be seen the famous fan vaulted ceiling. Scenes from the Harry Potter films were shot here. The Choir boasts a fine set of misericords. The present cathedral is built on the site of an ancient monastery. Gloucester abbey church was started by the Normans in 1089. The clock can be seen in the north transept.
Private collection of English 30-hour Clocks
Members were treated to a comprehensive collection of English 30-hour clocks. The collection consisted of about 40 longcases and other associated material, all of which had been carefully documented.
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