Herefordshire Clockmakers & Watchmakers

Authors: Tony Branston & John C. Eisel

207 pages, illustrated.

This comprehensive reference book covers clockmakers and watchmakers in Herefordshire from the earliest times until the end of the nineteenth century. Despite the rural nature of the county, a surprising number plied their trade in the county, not only in Hereford and the surrounding market towns, but also in isolated rural communities.

The major part of the book is an alphabetical list of makers and their journeymen, including those Herefordshire apprentices who left the county to learn the trade elsewhere. Most of these apprentices stayed in the major centres, but a few did return to their native county. This list gives known working dates, taken from local records and newspapers as well as trade directories.

It is comprehensively illustrated with 165 photographs of clocks as well as advertisements, and puts these local craftsmen in a wider context. There are also detailed descriptions of some notable clocks by local makers. To facilitate research, makers are cross-referenced under the place of work, and there is a comprehensive index. Because a number of local makers installed, maintained and repaired turret clocks, there is also a list of church clocks in the county.

Based on more than fifty years of research, this book comprehensively covers the horological history of the county, and will prove invaluable to those who wish to know more of Herefordshire clockmakers and watchmakers. It also will be useful to students of local history as it places these craftsmen in a wider context.