Thwaites & Reed
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Thwaites & Reed | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Type | Private |
| Founded | 1740 |
| Headquarters | Rottingdean, Brighton, East Sussex, United Kingdom |
| Industry | Clocks |
| Products | clocks |
| Website | www.thwaites-reed.co.uk |
Founded in 1740, Thwaites & Reed Clockmakers Ltd is the oldest clock manufacturing company in the world. The claim is rivalled by J.B Joyce, of Whitchurch, Shropshire, which declares to have been founded in 1690. Thwaites' claim appears to derive from George Buggins, last direct descendent, who reputedly saw drawings of Thwaites clocks dating back to 1610.
For 30 years, it maintained all the clocks at the Palace of Westminster, including the Great Clock. Other than Thwaites & Reed, associated tradenames are Aynsworth Thwaites, John Thwaites.
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[edit] History
John Thwaites, one of many Thwaites with that name, was a clockmaker at the beginning of the 17th century and from this extended family Aynsworth Thwaites founded the business now known as Thwaites & Reed in Rosoman Street, Clerkenwell, London in 1740 [1], and continued there until 1780. The company's earliest recorded commission and still in use, was a turret clock for Horseguards Parade made in 1740[2], but not finished until 1768, and a domestic long-clock about 1770 for the British East India Company. The complexity of the Horseguards clock is the result of many previous years clockmaking experience but older work has not been identified.
Aynsworth was succeeded by John Thwaites, who was head of the firm from 1780 to 1816[1], and master of the Clockmakers' Company in 1815, 1819, and 1820[3]. In 1816, Thwaites partnered with George Jeremiah Reed, and he firm became Thwaites & Reed. John Thwaite remained at the firm's head until 1842[1].
In 1969 the family firm brought in outsiders to manage its business culminating in the British Government acquiring control of the business in 1978, only to return it to private ownership two years later after it had been modernised with substantial government investment.
In 2000, the firm was again put up for sale as its owner, Melvin Lee, planned to retire[2].
[edit] Clocks
- Clock at Horseguards Parade (1756)
- East India Company, India (1770)[1]
- The Queen Victoria Building clock in Australia.
- Bracken House Clock with Zodiac Calendar and Churchill's face emblazoned on it (1955?) - Bracken House, former home of the Financial Times)
- Royal Small Arms Clock Tower [4] (c 1783)
- Clock at All Saints Church, Wokingham (1817) [5]
- Holy Trinity Old Church, Margate (1845) [6]
- St. George Tabernacle, St. George, Utah, [7]
- Prince Albert Memorial Clocktower, Hastings - Gothic style (1864)[8]
- Bow Bells at St Mary-le-Bow electric clock mechanism (1961)[9]
- Fortnum & Mason of Piccadilly, with automata jacks of the founders, Fortnum & Mason in 19th Century costumes. (1964)
[edit] External links
[edit] Footnotes
- ^ a b c d Clock and watch-making, British History Online, Accessed 2006-12-19
- ^ a b Time to sell the firm that keeps Big Ben ticking over, David Nicholson, Evening Standard, November 11, 2000
- ^ List of Masters, Worshipful Company of Clockmakers, Accessed 2007-05-21
- ^ Royal Small Arms Island Centre, Accessed 2006-12-19
- ^ All Saints Church, Wokingham, Accessed 2006-12-19
- ^ Holy Trinity Old Church, Accessed 2006-12-19
- ^ St. George Tabernacle, Accessed 2006-12-19
- ^ Prince Albert Memorial Clocktower, Hastings Choice, Accessed 2006-12-19
- ^ St Mary-le-Bow, Accessed 2006-12-19
[edit] References
- Industries: Clock and watch-making', A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 2: General; Ashford, East Bedfont with Hatton, Feltham, Hampton with Hampton Wick, Hanworth, Laleham, Littleton (1911), pp. 158-65.
