The Incomparable

John Harrison (1693 - 1776)

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The collection of John Harrison artefacts held by the Worshipful Company of Clockmakers, is equalled by no other, except that at the Royal Observatory Greenwich.

 

The story of John Harrison’s life has been so thoroughly told in books and on film, that there is no need to repeat it here, but simply observe that he spent 39 of his working years in London.

 

He lived first (c.1737) in Leather Lane ( map). From there he moved in 1739 to Orange Street, Red Lion Square ( map) and in 1752 to the junction of Lee Street (now Dane Street) and Red Lion Square ( map), less than two miles from where his artefacts are presently displayed.

 

Harrison never became a freeman of the Clockmakers’ Company, but instead entrusted various celebrated freemen with his secrets and with vital work. Best known is perhaps George Graham (Master of the Company in 1722), who gave him valuable advice and lent him money on an early visit to London in 1730. Other key freemen in Harrison’s story were John Jefferys and Larcum Kendall.

 

Harrison died on his 83rd birthday in Red Lion Square, and was buried in Hampstead Churchyard. His impressive tomb there was entirely reconstructed by the Clockmakers’ Company in 1879, as it had fallen into decay and is inspected annually by the Company’s Junior Warden.

 

The Company acquired the majority of its Harrison Manuscripts and Harrison’s 5th and last Marine Timekeeper in 1891, having already acquired his regulator in 1877.

1.               John Harrison, a portrait in Paste by James Tassie. [Lib. No. 1083.]

2.               Harrison’s signature from his 1730 summary of ideas for a marine timekeeper. [MS 6026/1]

3.               Harrison’s earliest surviving clock movement, dated 1713 [Mus. No. 551]

4.               Harrison’s design for his “gridiron pendulum” and for the balances of his first Marine Clock “H1” [MS 6026/1]

5.               Harrison’s personal regulator (complete with original gridiron pendulum) of 1728 [Mus. No: 553]

6.               Side view of a half size replica of “H1” made by H. Davies between 1950 and 1962. [Mus. No: 584]

7.               The movement of Harrison’s magnificent last Marine Timekeeper “H5”. [Mus. No: 598]

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Please remember that all images shown here are copyright.

Colour pictures of many objects in the Collection may however be obtained through the Bridgeman Art Gallery.

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