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November News at Smith of Derby

November 29, 2018 News

As the nights draw in and the run up to Christmas gets into full swing, the team have been working hard on various things here at Smith of Derby to ensure everything is ready for a successful 2019! The start of November was a particularly busy period as the team worked on many projects across the UK ahead of remembrance Sunday services. Of course this year was a special year as it was the 100th anniversary of World War One, meaning there was even more projects than normal taking place. Several of the team attended the annual Celestial Ball which…

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Master Clock System and Skeleton Dial

November 22, 2018 Heritage, News

Victoria college, St Helier, is the island of Jersey’s oldest state school, dating back to 1853. A prominent feature of the campus is a black and white skeleton clock dial. However, this school boasts more than one clock dial as there are a number of other clocks across the site which are operated by a master clock and slave system. The first task for Smith of Derby was to convert the exterior skeleton dial to a T200 movement, along with fabricating new hands which would fit this movement. This will ensure that the eye-catching dial will keep extremely good time…

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Clocks provide school exam inspiration!

November 14, 2018 Creative, News, Personnel, Public

Earlier in the year Bruntcliffe Academy, Leeds, approached Potts of Leeds, part of the Smith of Derby group, to provide clock parts for students to use in their upcoming exam. Leeds based clockmaker Mike Tomlinson was delighted to help the school, supplying various parts for students to use in the exams. Following this we had a very kind letter from Richard Hall, the photography teacher at the school: “Each year, just after Christmas, the exam board publishes the final project theme for Britain’s GCSE Art, Design and Photography students. 16-year-old students the length and breadth of the country wait with…

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Craiginches Community Garden Clock

November 9, 2018 News, Public

HM Prison, Craiginches, Aberdeen is a historic site for a number of reasons and that history has not been forgotten in its recent development. As part of the development, James Ritchie & Son clockmakers were approached to prepare the original prison clock dial, so it could be apart of the community garden at the Scottish site. The former prison was the place where Henry John Burnett was hung in 1963, which happened to be the last hanging in Scotland. Following this, the prison faced many problems including over crowding and was closed for good in 2014 as the new HM…

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Company Announcement: Appointments to our Board

November 2, 2018 News

We are delighted to announce that we are strengthening our Smith of Derby Limited Board with two new appointments: Heather Whitworth: Director, Smith of Derby Limited – and Andy Burdon: Non-Executive Director, Smith of Derby Limited. Heather Whitworth, Mr Nick Smith’s daughter and Smith of Derby Group Director, joins the Limited Board to add Group and family depth to the Smith of Derby Limited senior management team. Heather is a member of the fifth-generation of the family that started and own the business, and hence has been involved in it since childhood. She brings valuable skills and commitment to the team….

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