A message from Clocktime's creator Good morning Kristin If learning more about historic watches and clocks is on your list of new year’s resolutions, I highly recommend you follow the work of the author, historian and curator, Dr Tessa Murdoch FSA, who is lecturing in January at West Dean College, the alma mater of many an eminent horologist. Dr Murdoch will discuss the huge contribution made by Huguenot refugee watch and clockmakers in London between 1540 and 1780. You may know Tessa as Chair of Trustees of the Huguenot Museum (Huguenot Heritage Centre) in Rochester, Kent. Previously she worked at the V&A (1990-2021) and the Museum of London (1981-1990). She is also an adviser to the National Trust and the National Heritage Memorial Fund. Recent publications are Europe Divided: Huguenot Refugee Art and Culture (V&A, 2021) and, as a consultant, Great Irish Households: Inventories from the long eighteenth century (John Adamson, 2022). For Bloomsbury, she is co-editing with Dr Heike Zech a new book called A Cultural History of Craft in the Age of Enlightenment for publication in 2025. You’ll find more details about the event in ‘Her Speakers Voice‘ below. I’m so grateful to those who bring history to life through inspirational face-to-face talks, sparking excitement and creating new connections. With the Clocktime digital museum I want to reignite interest in my much-loved timekeepers and horology in general. It’s said that people ‘fall in love’ with clocks and watches and I believe that to be true. I’m so glad that Tessa’s passion for timepieces is being shared so generously with others. The photo above shows me with Professor Tim Minshall and my daughter, Dr Laura Young. Tim is launching his first book next year (more to follow in January) and Laura is making huge inroads with the Clocktime digital museum, more of which you’ll discover here. If I don’t speak to you before, may you have a wonderful Christmas and thrive in 2025. Dr John C Taylor OBE FREng
