I visited the newly refurbished clock museum at the Guildhall in London today. The museum reopened to the public at the beginning of the month and houses a collection of antique and historical timepieces from the Worshipful Company of Clockmakers of London.
The Clockmakers Collection was begun in 1814 and has been on permanent public display in the Guildhall since 1874. The Collection is shown in a single room, containing at any one time some 600 English and European watches, 30 clocks and 15 marine timekeepers, together with a number of rare horological portraits. The majority of items in the Collection range from c.1600 to c.1850.
Perhaps the most important group within the Collection is the marine timekeepers, illustrating the importance of horology in the science of navigation. Examples are a marine timekeeper of 1724 by Henry Sully, a silver deck watch by Thomas Earnshaw (used by Captain George Vancouver in the discovery by Europeans of the Island now bearing his name) and the celebrated 5th marine timekeeper made by John Harrison and completed in 1770.
Entry is free.
