Posts In: Traditional

Sharing clock knowledge and skills

August 4, 2017 Heritage, News, Time, Traditional

The British Horological Institute are getting ‘Out and About’ participating at local roadshows and exhibitions, promoting clock knowledge and skills through taster days, clock training workshops and the Horological Journal. Their latest expeditions include The Heritage Skills Exhibition alongside the Worshipful Company of clockmakers (WCC) in Lincoln Cathedral, and they also had an active display at the Royal Norfolk Show in June. As a local clock company, we understand the importance of keeping traditional clock making alive and we’re proud to support the BHI. We wish them every success!                  

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Our Scottish Clock Company restores Edinburgh Morningside Clock

July 17, 2017 Heritage, News, Public, Traditional

Time takes its toll on even the best loved clocks. Though not so obvious at a glance, there were plenty of good reasons to restore the Edinburgh Morningside clock. With dials, case and decorative surround carefully removed and brought to our workshops, the extent of the task was all too clear. There’s no blueprint for clocks of this age. Many were individually built, making the nature of the repairs individual too. But our metal fabrication engineers are well used to this. We have a small workforce, but between them they have clocked up many years with our company and have…

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A Helping Hand for Handsworth

June 23, 2017 Heritage, News, Public, Time, Traditional

When our clockmaker Tim Reynolds began working on the restoration of the clock at Handsworth St. Mary’s Church, he quickly realised that he would need workshop help. The transmission to the external hands had seized completely, and required a workshop repair, so it was decided to send the affected parts to Derby. That meant that the hands could be re-gilded at Derby too.   The hands are an especially elegant design, and pre-date the clock drive unit which was renewed with an electric drive type in 1956. It’s likely that the hands and dial date from a Victorian refurbishment of…

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Learning Unlimited’s Employer of the Year

June 22, 2017 News, Public, Traditional

We’d like to offer a huge congratulations to our team at Smith of Derby for winning ‘Employer of the Year’, at the ‘Celebration of Achievement’ ceremony hosted by the Chesterfield College Group. Jane Arnold, Director at Smith of Derby was presented the award on Tuesday 14th June by Chesterfield College Group. She said: “It’s an outstanding achievement to be selected out of 1,300 employers. The award recognises our hard work and support we give to our apprentices, both in clock-making and business administration.   Our Clockmaking Company has worked with Learning Unlimited, part of Chesterfield College Group since February 2015. Mitchell Eaton, one of our apprentice clockmakers, featured to…

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Our local clock repairers restore the dials at Barton’s Parish Church

May 11, 2017 Traditional

For nearly five centuries St James’ Parish Church has stood as the beating heart of the historic, thriving, village of Barton under Needwood and its clock has marked the passage of time for over 120 years, chiming on the hour and every quarter. Now, thanks largely to a £10,000 grant from the Barton & Dunstall Key Trust the clock’s faded faces are being restored by Smith of Derby local clock repairer and residents will again be able to look up and see the time. Originally installed by Smith of Derby local clock restorer in 1895 the present clock has dials…

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Helping you keep your clock working into the Spring

February 13, 2015 Creative, Heritage, News, Public, Traditional

A stopped or malfunctioning clock isn’t just about having the time wrong – it sends a negative message to the community. It concerns and frustrates people.

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