Clockmakers' Museum facts for kids
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A display of 19th century domestic watchmaking, at the Clockmakers Museum
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| Established | 1814 |
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| Location | Science Museum, London |
| Accreditation | Arts Council England |
| Collections | Emphasis on horology in London, 17th century to date |
The Clockmakers’ Museum in London is super old! It's thought to have the world's oldest collection of clocks and watches. It's owned by the Clockmakers’ Charity, which is connected to the Worshipful Company of Clockmakers. This group started way back in 1631!
Since 2015, you can find the museum inside the famous Science Museum in South Kensington. Before that, it was at the Guildhall in London's city center since 1874. The best part? Admission is free!
The museum started collecting items in 1814. Its main goal is to teach people about the history of clock and watchmaking. This field is called horology. They especially focus on how it grew in the City of London. The museum also wants to encourage young people to consider a career in this amazing craft.
Contents
The Clockmakers Museum: A Look Back
How the Collection Started
The Clockmakers Company first began collecting books in 1814. This was for their library. A man named Benjamin Lewis Vulliamy was a very important person in growing this collection. Early meetings were held at his place in Pall Mall, London.
By 1817, the Company bought a special bookcase to hold their growing collection. It was placed in a room above the Kings Head Tavern. The collection soon grew from just books to include actual clocks and watches. One of the first items was a part from an old clock mechanism. It was bought by Vulliamy and is still on display today!
Moving to the Guildhall
After some key supporters passed away, the museum got a new boost. This happened when a new building for Guildhall Library was built in the 1870s. The Clockmakers’ Museum was invited to move there. It opened to the public in 1873. The first list of items in the museum was written in 1875.
In 1891, a big supporter named Rev Harry Leonard Nelthropp helped the museum get a very important item. This was John Harrison’s fifth marine timekeeper, known as H5. Later, in 1894, Nelthropp gave his entire personal collection to the museum. This included watches, clocks, and even sundials!
Changes Over the Years
In 1936, a famous engineer named Granville Hugh Baillie helped organize the museum. He rearranged everything between 1937 and 1938. During the Second World War, the collection was carefully taken apart and stored safely away from London.
The museum moved again in 1976 to the new Guildhall Library. New lists of the clock and watch collection were made by experts like Cecil Clutton and George Daniels.
From 1974, Cedric Jagger and later Sir George White helped the museum grow a lot. They added many new items to the collection. Important additions included the Hurle-Bath and Hurle-Bradley watch collections. They also bought original papers from John Harrison.
Thanks to a generous gift, the museum was rebuilt and reopened at Guildhall Library in 2001. It had a new, bigger display.
The Big Move to the Science Museum
When the museum's lease at Guildhall ended, Sir George White helped find a new home. The Science Museum offered a brand new gallery! The collection was moved in 2014–15. The new gallery was officially opened by the Princess Royal on October 22, 2015.
The new gallery is more than twice the size of the old one! Before the move, about 13,000 people visited each year. Now, with over 3 million visitors to the Science Museum, many more people can see the amazing clocks and watches. The Clockmakers Museum is now next to other cool galleries like the Mathematics Gallery.
The Museum's Amazing Collection
The museum has about 660 English and European watches. It also has 30 clocks and 15 marine timekeepers. These are special clocks used on ships. The items are shown in order, starting with the oldest ones from the 15th and 16th centuries.
As you walk through the gallery, you'll see how clock and watchmaking grew in London. You'll see items from the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries. At the end, you'll find more modern pieces. These include watches made by George Daniels, a famous watchmaker.
The museum also has an information board. It tells you about how you can learn to become a clock or watchmaker. It mentions places like West Dean College and the Birmingham School of Jewellery.
What to See: Collection Highlights
The museum has many incredible items. Here are some of the most famous:
- A unique star watch by David Ramsay.
- Clocks and watches made by Edward East.
- A special table clock by Samuel Knibb.
- An astronomical table clock by Samuel Watson. Some people think it belonged to Isaac Newton!
- Clocks and watches by Thomas Tompion, a very famous clockmaker.
- Watches and clocks by George Graham.
- A marine timekeeper by Henry Sully.
- Longcase clocks by James Harrison and John Harrison.
- John Harrison’s H5 marine timekeeper, a truly important invention.
- Chronometers by John Arnold and Thomas Earnshaw. These were super accurate clocks for ships.
- Watches by Abraham-Louis Breguet, a master watchmaker.
- The Smiths wristwatch worn by Sir Edmund Hillary when he climbed Mount Everest!
- Watches by George Daniels, including his amazing "Space Traveller" watch.
- Original paintings of many famous clock and watchmakers.
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In 2019, the museum bought a large painting. It shows a well-dressed gentleman holding a fancy watch from the 1670s. This watch looks a lot like another old astronomical watch in the museum.
Library and Archives
Even though the museum moved, its library and archives are still in the City of London. They are mostly at Guildhall Library. You can visit and look at the materials there. The Clockmakers' Library, along with another horology library, makes Guildhall Library a top place for research on clocks and watches.
You can search for books using the Guildhall Library catalogue here.
If you're interested in finding out about old watch and clockmakers, the Clockmakers' archives are very helpful. They include:
- Records of apprentices (young people learning the trade) from 1694–1890.
- Records of members joining the Company from 1631–1947.
- Court minutes from 1632–1992. These records can tell you about promotions, elections, and even requests for help from members.
Who Helps Run the Museum?
Many people have helped lead the Clockmakers’ Company and its museum over the years. Here are some of the important staff members:
- William Henry Overall – Guildhall Librarian
- Reverend Henry Nelthropp – A key supporter of the collections.
- Charles Welch – Librarian and Curator (1889-1907).
- Granville Hugh Baillie – Helped organize the collections.
- George Daniels – A famous watchmaker who also helped with the collection.
- Cedric Sergeant Jagger – Keeper (1980–1988).
- Sir George White – Keeper (1988–2018).
- Anna Rolls – Current Curator (since 2018).
