In late 2017 Smith of Derby were tasked to remove the Harrison mechanical clock from the Derby Silk Mill Museum and complete a full restoration. Following this the clock dial and mechanism will be reinstated at the silk mill museum in 2020 when the buildings renovation is completed.
The team tasked with the works are our apprentices, Tom and Sam, who are overseeing the project from start to finish. To help them with the project, clock advisor Chris McKay has been on site giving them both advise on various parts of the works, which will also help develop their knowledge for future projects.
Yesterday Tom and Sam were working on the clock, under the watchful eye of Chris, ready for an afternoon visit from the museum’s head of curatorship, Daniel Martin. The team were applying a protective wax to the cage frame of the clock mechanism, along with some finer detail painting to really give this clock the ‘wow factor’.
Sam and Tom working on the clock.
Following this, Daniel inspected Sam and Tom’s work and said he couldn’t believe the transformation and even asked if this was the same clock!
The clock mechanism is set to be put into a case for the public to see, once the museum’s renovation has been completed. The next task for the team is to restore the clock dial, which will be running off the showpiece clock mechanism, giving the public the ability to see a traditional mechanical clock in full working order.