Message from Clocktime's creator Good morning It was a pleasure to invite some friends old and new to see my collection of clocks and watches recently. Lynn and Keith Scobie-Youngs, whose business is the Cumbria Clock Company, can be applauded for their exceptional work in the restoration and repair of public clocks. Their young team is expanding and they’ve purchased huge industrial units at Stoneraise Quarry, close to Penrith in the Eden Valley, Cumbria. It’s heartwarming to know that such inspirational clockmakers can succeed in today’s tough market conditions. The independent clockmaker Andrew King - who is an expert in all things ‘Longitude’ Harrison - reminded me of the lengths he went to in order to create both the replica Harrison Regulator (originally made in 1726) and the earlier Brocklesby Park turret clock, made around 1722. It was fascinating to see how all of the visitors gravitated to these timekeepers with their mesmerising grasshopper escapements. The photo above shows me with Lynne & Keith Scobie-Youngs, Lewis Walduck, Andrew King, my daughter Dr Laura N Young MBE, and Edmond Bruce. Local friends visited too, including Maxine Cannon, General Manager at Isle of Man Stamps and Coins and Kirsty Neate of Manx National Heritage. (The Manx Museum in Douglas has an excellent exhibition of the work of Archibald Knox, which we will review in the next edition of Clocktime News.) Interest in traditional clocks has declined over the last few decades, so it’s uplifting to meet young people who delight in horological masterpieces. Thank you Lewis Walduck from Bonhams and collector Edmond Bruce for providing optimism through your enthusiasm and thirst for knowledge. This comes from someone who started collecting seriously in their fifties! The Clocktime Digital Museum is designed to excite interest in clocks and watches. With this in mind, we’ve just added three new artefacts to the site, the Fromanteel Pendulum Box Clock, the Sussex Tompion and the Queen Mary Tompion, with another nine to follow in future months. If you enjoy the newsletter, please forward it to others and encourage them to visit the website, which is open all hours, with each timekeeper showing the correct time! Dr John C Taylor OBE FREng
