Posts In: Heritage

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Introducing our ‘Heritage Collection’

January 15, 2021 Heritage, News

We begin 2021 with news of an important project which the company began last autumn! We hope to share more with you throughout the coming year. With the help of professional archivist, Jane Middleton-Smith, who has worked on numerous research projects and archive collections, we have begun to categorise our incredible ‘archive’ of records. A database has been developed not only to identify the objects and documents such as photographs and artefacts that make up our company history but also to protect them for the future so we can share as many of them as possible with our team and…

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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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Local clock repair at St Georges Church, Ticknall

October 25, 2018 Church, Heritage, News, Public

We are very proud of the work we undertake and working with local Derbyshire communities will always be special to us because of our history within the local area. These works at Ticknall Village Church were no different, with the church located just 14 miles from our Alfreton Road premises in Derby. Our works at the Church started by removing the original Whitehurst clock and bringing it back to our local Derby workshop for repair. The clock repairs included fitting a new count wheel and pins to the clock which will ensure chiming accuracy on the hour. Along with this,…

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Proud to restore time on Memorial Clock Tower Coalville Leicestershire

October 8, 2018 Church, Heritage, Public, Traditional

A specialist restoration project of the Memorial Clock Tower in Coalville, which included the overhaul of the 4 5ft skeleton dials which occupy the Grade II listed tower on the High Street, Leicestershire. North West Leicestershire District Council approached Smith of Derby, British Clockmaker Tower specialists to inspect the clock and dial works whilst scaffolding was already in place for masonry, steelwork and roofing repairs. The clock tower is an important landmark for the Coalville community and it was an opportune moment to clean and repair the dials. Martin Butchers, Smith of Derby Technical Sales Engineer, carried out the inspection…

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Community Clock Work, Northleach

August 21, 2018 Heritage, News, Public, Seasons, Time, Traditional

We were recently approached to restore the Cotswold Hall’s projecting clock, a timepiece which is a real focal point of the community. The clock, which overlooks the towns West End, was originally installed in 1897 to celebrate Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee and has a distinctive crown on top of it The clock became abeyant following extremely heavy snowfall in the winter months, which led to further works to being discussed including a dial restoration as the timepiece was in poor condition. This is seen as a significant part of a vital community building which is used by many local groups…

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Clocks in the media

August 6, 2018 Church, Heritage, News, Public, Time, Traditional

The interest in both our clocks and clockmakers has been phenomenal of late, with some of our clockmakers feeling more like celebrities than craftsman! Stories have been run by several local BBC Radio shows, a local newspaper in the Scottish highlands and even a snippet on the local ITV news in Devon.  Whilst on a recent trip to the island of Jersey, clockmaker Paul Kilburn was maintaining clock at the Holy Trinity church when BBC Radio Jersey approached him for an interview. The interview explained Paul’s work at the church, and gave an overview of Smith of Derby. Not long after Paul…

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Automatic Clock-Winding for St Magnus Cathedral, Scotland

July 24, 2018 Church, Heritage, News, Public, Seasons, Time, Traditional

The St Magnus Cathedral clock has been hand wound for the last 100 years, following the installation of the clock in 1919. Smith of Derby were asked to add automatic clock-winding technology, meaning custodians and stonemasons will no longer have to wind this by hand. Originally a James Ritchie timepiece, we were delighted to be asked to carry out the adaptations to the clock at this famous Scottish Cathedral. Along with the automatic winding technology we installed, a pendulum regulator was also added. This ensures the clock will keep the perfect time as the regulator monitors the clock through a built…

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Clock restoration for new offices in Colchester

July 16, 2018 Heritage, Public

Smith of Derby were delighted to be approached by Aquatronic Group Management Plc to restore their clock to its former glory, using as many of the original materials as possible. Following this the clock will sit proudly at their new offices in Colchester, Essex. Once the clock came into our workshop our talented team of clockmakers at Smith of Derby set to work on stripping down the clocks rusty case and removing the clock movements. Following this the clock case was painted with various base layers and then a high quality black gloss finish. New synchronous movements have been added to…

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Our latest winding and timekeeping units are now museum pieces!

June 1, 2018 Church, Heritage, Public, Time, Traditional

Automatic winding has been applied to tower clocks for over 100 years. Over that time the equipment has culminated in our current model – the AW10 system. Automatic winding can now be partnered with automatic timekeeping, using our PAR 100 unit. By careful setting of the pendulum speed and programmed pausing, it keeps the clock within precise time year-on-year. Power to both winding and timekeeping are powered via a single power supply control unit with battery backup, with low voltage supply to the working units. This enhances safety and guards against any problem caused by power failures. Winding and timekeeping…

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Conserving Public Time: stories behind the faces

May 30, 2018 Church, Heritage, News, Personnel, Public, Time, Traditional

There’s more behind a clock dial than meets the eye. All have subtle differences, more so in the mechanisms. And much like their buildings, when getting old clocks need more looking after. Since 1856, Smith of Derby has come to know thousands of public clocks quite intimately, whilst their new generation of clockmaking apprentices hone the skills essential to keep them ticking. Behind Smith’s name is a history of partnerships. William Potts of Leeds dates from 1833; James Ritchies clocks have graced Scotland’s landmarks since 1809, and J B Joyce began in Shropshire in 1690. Putting their years of experience…

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