Last night Sue and I visited the Prince Philip Maritime Collections Centre where we meet the ‘Curator of Time’ (Dr Emily Akkermans) and one of the conservators who work on the museum's collection of timepieces.
After a brief introduction, the Curator took us to one of the large climate-controlled store areas, and after explaining the difference between solar time and siderial time, she showed us some examples of timepieces and other material that are part of the collection but not currently display.
A very early and very expensive chronometer.
An early pendulum clock. It was only capable to telling the hour, which is why it only has one hand..
A drawing by the famous chromometer designer, John Harrison.
This chronometer was graded as 'useless' when it was purchased because it could not keep accurate time of a number of months. It was therefore 'converted' into a clock that could be carried around the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, where it was used to set the time on all the clocks in use there.
This chronometer was used on several expeditions across the globe.
A timepiece that can best be described as an alarm clock that was used to alert astronomers at the Royal Observatory as to when to sight their telescopes on certain stars. The names of these stars are engraved on the clock's face.
Part of the electrical relay system used to coordinate the time ball signals at Greenwich and Deal.
An atomic clock. This has been recently acquired by the museum from the National Physical Laboratory
We then made our way to the conservation area where all the museum's timepieces are conserved and maintained. We saw various timepieces in different stages of repair and renovation, and the conservator explained how the different lubricants that had been used in the past (and some that were currently in use) caused corrosion and wear. (I must admit that I thought that there was very little difference between the types of lubricants used in clockmaking, but apparently they all have their costs and benefits.)
He also demonstrated the machine that they use to cut the teeth on gear wheels before finishing his talk with a flourish when he unveiled a replica clock that had been built some years ago by the museum and that was being prepared for loan to another museum.
The tapes and ropes have been used to ensure that no part of the clock is damaged in transit..
Our tour lasted over ninety minutes and we could easily have spent twice that time at the Prince Philip Maritime Collections Centre. In fact, we enjoyed ourselves so much that we are booked on the next Delve Deeper tour of the Prince Philip Maritime Collections Centre which will be taking place on the 11th April. It is entitled PROTESTS AND CAMPAIGNING: REVEALING STORIES THROUGH OBJECTS FROM THE PAST AND PRESENT and will be presented by Laura Boon, the Lloyd’s Register Foundation Senior Curator: Contemporary Maritime.
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Some amazing photos of some really unique items thanks Bob
ReplyDeleteDemitri Ioannou,
DeleteWhat’s even more amazing is that this is a tiny part of what’s in storage at the Prince Philip Maritime Collections Centre.
All the best,
Bob
What a great job title to have! Some lovely clock and similar items there Bob. Back in 1987 some friends and I popped in to see the degree show of graduate horologists and were blown away by the wonderful creations they had made.
ReplyDeleteSteve J,
DeleteI’d love to have had a title like that when I was working!
I think that since people began to see Steve Fletcher from ‘The Repair Shop’ on the BBC repairing all sorts of clocks, the work of horologists has become far better known.
All the best,
Bob
Lovely collection! I'd love to own anything like those time pieces, but they are out of my league.
ReplyDeleteMark Cordone,
DeleteIf you ever get the chance to visit the Royal Museums Greenwich (which includes the National Maritime Museum, the Royal Observatory, the Cutty Sark, and the Queen’s House) you will see a wide range of world-leading collections, including timepieces, ship models, etc. You could easily spend at least half a day at each … and you’d still have to make time to visit the magnificent Painted Hall and Chapel in the old Royal Naval College (now the University of Greenwich) which is literally just across the road from the National Maritime Museum.
All the best,
Bob
BOB- Nice collection of Clocks- I trust that there are other items that you viewed - perhaps some Ship models? Cheers. KEV.
ReplyDeleteKev Robertson (Kev),
DeleteWe have seen part (a very, very small part) of the ship model collection (see https://wargamingmiscellany.blogspot.com/2022/11/delving-deeply-at-prince-philip_21.html), but for copyright reasons I was not allowed to put the photos I took on my blog.
All the best,
Bob
That looks fascinating Bob. You're lucky to have this on your doorstep.
ReplyDeleteI read a biography of Harrison a feyyears ago, and it was amazing what he was able to achieve in WOOD before he converted to the pursuit of designing metal chronometers.
Nundanket,
DeleteLiving in the historic Royal Borough of Greenwich has certain disadvantages … but these are outweighed by its many advantages. Besides the several Royal Museums Greenwich sites and Blackheath, I live very close (less than a quarter of a mile) from a very rare form of neolithic tumuli and to the Roman road from Dover to London, Watling Street. In the south of the borough is Eltham Palace and on top of Shooters Hill is Severndroog Castle.
Harrison trained as a carpenter - his father’s trade - and some of his earliest clocks had wooden mechanisms that did not require lubrication, something that can pose problems with metal timepieces. Apparently, the lubricants used in horology can actually cause chemical reactions with the metal that lead to excess wear and/or corrosion.
All the best,
Bob