British Horological Institute facts for kids

The British Horological Institute (BHI) is an important group for people who work with clocks and watches in the United Kingdom. It was started by clockmakers in 1858. Today, the BHI is based at Upton Hall in Nottinghamshire. This place also has a museum about the history of clocks and time.

A large turret clock on display at the museum.

History of the BHI

Upton Hall, home of the BHI.

The BHI was created in 1858 by a small group of clockmakers. One of them was Edward Daniel Johnson. Their main goal was to bring together the British clock and watchmaking industry. At that time, many clocks and watches were coming from other countries.

The institute quickly became successful. Within a year, it had its own museum and library. It also started offering evening classes to teach people how to make and fix clocks and watches.

The BHI publishes a magazine called the Horological Journal. It has been printed every month since September 1858. This makes it one of the oldest technical magazines still being published in the world.

Upton Hall: The BHI's Home

The BHI's main building is at Upton Hall in Nottinghamshire, England. A big part of what they do here is education. They offer special exams for people who want to become trained clock and watch experts.

The BHI also keeps a list of members who are highly skilled in repairing clocks and watches. These members follow a strict set of rules for their work.

Upton Hall is also where you'll find the Museum of Timekeeping. This museum includes the original BHI Museum and Library.

Becoming a BHI Member

The institute offers different ways for people to join.

• Associate Membership: Anyone who is interested in clocks and watches can become an associate member.
• Accredited Member (MBHI): Members can become "Accredited" by passing the BHI's Level 4 exams. If they pass, they can use "MBHI" after their name. This shows they are a skilled member.
• Accredited Fellow (FBHI): This is the highest level of membership. You can become a Fellow by passing the BHI's Level 5 exams. You can also become a Fellow if you have done amazing things in your career. Fellows can use "FBHI" after their name.

Companies can also become members or partners with the BHI.

Museum of Timekeeping

A Post Office speaking clock machine, on display at the museum.

The Museum of Timekeeping is located inside Upton Hall, the home of the British Horological Institute. It is a charity that was started in 1994. Its job is to look after the collection of clocks, watches, and books that BHI members have gathered since 1858.

The museum has many different clocks, watches, and tools used to make them. You can visit during certain times of the year or book a special group visit.

The Museum of Timekeeping also has a very special library. It is one of the few libraries focused mainly on horology (the study of time and timekeeping). Researchers can visit by appointment. The library has many old and rare documents, letters, and books. These often cover the best times of British clockmaking in the 1700s and early 1800s.

BHI Gold Medal Winners

The BHI gives a special gold medal to people who have made amazing contributions to the world of timekeeping. Here are some of the people who have received this award:

• 1928 Frank Watson Dyson: He was an Astronomer Royal. He helped create the "Greenwich pips," which are the short beeps that tell you the exact time.
• 1930 Charles Édouard Guillaume: He developed special metals called Invar and Elinvar. These metals are important for making accurate clocks because they don't change much with temperature.
• 1931 William Hamilton Shortt: He was a famous clock expert. He invented the Shortt–Synchronome clock, which was one of the most accurate pendulum clocks ever made.
• 1946 Frank Hope-Jones: He worked on electrical timekeeping. He helped develop the Synchronome system, which was used in many public clocks.
• 1947 Rupert Gould: He famously restored John Harrison's old and very important chronometers. These were special clocks used to find longitude at sea.
• 1947 Warren Alvin Marrison: He helped create the quartz crystal clock. These clocks use tiny vibrating crystals to keep very accurate time.
• 1957 John Harwood: He invented the self-winding wristwatch. This means the watch winds itself as you move your arm.
• 1981 George Daniels: He developed the co-axial escapement. This is a special part inside a watch that helps it keep time more accurately. It is now used by the Omega watch company.

See also

In Spanish: Instituto Horológico Británico para niños