The clockmakers' museum
In the Science Museum, there was a Clockmakers Gallery, that displayed a wide range of time devices. “The collection [included] more than 1000 watches, 80 clocks, 25 marine chronometers and a number of fine sundials and examples of hand engraving, mapping the history of innovation in watch and clock making in London from 1600 to the present day” (Science museum, 2015). This collection of clocks and watches is the oldest of its kind in the world. It begun in 1813 by the Worshipful Company of Clockmakers, an ancient City of London guild or ‘Livery Company’. It was first publicly displayed in City’s Guildhall in 1872 and remained there until it moved to the Science Museum in 2015. Its purpose is to tell the remarkable story of the clock and watchmakers of London from the earliest times until the present day (Science museum, 2015).
As you enter the gallery, the first noticeable clock is the Turret clock. A clock from the medieval period that would have been situated in church towers and other sizeable buildings. Their remarkable efficiency and longevity place them among the oldest machines still in active daily service such as The Great Westminister Clock, Big Ben. with the use of modern technology, this type of clock can rewind at regular intervals and the heavyweights that used to be used have been replaced with lighter weights.
The Sundial was one of the first time devices, made by the Egyptians in 1500 B.C. The time was indicated by the movement of the shadow of the T, over markings of hours. The picture displayed next to this text is a sundial produced by Joanna Migdal in Oxfordshire, 2002. Is a hang engraved armillary sphere with cast shells and rope-work, showing both British Summer Time and Greenwich Mean Time. A quotation from Plato in praise of measurement is engraved around the equator. An equation of time graph is engraved at the base. (Science museum, 2015)
The collection presented a variety of time devices, as I had mentioned before.But, when having a look at these different time devices you appreciate these intricate details and the handcraft ship.
Despite having taken so many pictures I chose these as they were time devices that I found very interesting. The picture below is of a timepiece that I could not find the description of but I liked the aesthetic look of it.
Overall, viewing the museum opened my eyes into the history of time devices.
Reference:
https://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/see-and-do/clockmakers-museum