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Clockmakers since 1856

1856

January 1, 1856

John Smith (1813-1886) from a photograph circa 1863. An apprentice to the last of the three Whitehursts, he founded the clockmaking business in Derby in 1856. 

1864

First Flat Bed Clock

January 1, 1864

First Flat Bed Clock

Ilkeston Church, Derbyshire. The first complete turret clock made by John Smith on his return to large clockmaking. It used the open design made popular by Lord Grimthorpe, designer of Big Ben. This remained the preferred design for the company, with a powerful and economical use of driving weights, for all its handwound clocks.

1866

Queen Street Works Derby

January 1, 1866

Queen Street Works Derby

Queen Street Works, Derby. This well-known building was to become the firm’s home for the next 132 years.  Associated with the name of John Flamsteed, First Astronomer Royal, and with Joseph Wright of Derby, international portrait painter as a neighbour.

1870

First Carillon

January 1, 1870

First Carillon

First Carillon. The forerunner of many famous installations including Derby and Gloucester Cathedrals and Selby Abbey. This, normally open and simple design, was to prove highly successful.

1888

Queen Street Shop

January 1, 1888

Queen Street Shop

Queen Street, Derby, Shop. Frank Smith proudly standing in front of the retail outlet for the clocks & watches both made by the firm and bought in from UK and foreign suppliers. This was later moved to a small shop in the Market Place.

1893

St Paul’s Cathedral London

January 1, 1893

St Paul’s Cathedral London

St Paul’s Cathedral, London. Designed and built 34 years after Big Ben, it was originally required to strike the hours on 16 tons Great Paul. Fears for the fabric changed this to a 6 tonne bell. It has replaced Big Ben three times for the BBC, when it has not been available, and has been maintained by the firm ever since installation.

1925

Preston Town Hall Clock

January 1, 1925

Preston Town Hall, Lancashire. An imposing building with the second largest tower after Big Ben, it was designed by Sir George Gilbert Scott who chose John Smith & Sons as the clockmakers.

1927

Shanghai Customs House

January 1, 1927

Shanghai Customs House

Shanghai Customs House, China. A J.B. Joyce large clock with 17′ dia. (5.3 metres) dials was the largest clock in Asia. It still stands in a prominent position on the Bund and plays “The East is Red” at the quarter hours.

1933

William Potts of Leeds Merger

January 1, 1933

William Potts of Leeds Merger

William Potts of Leeds Merger.

1956

Restoring Ancient Salisbury Clock

January 1, 1956

Restoring Ancient Salisbury Clock

Salisbury Cathedral, Wiltshire. Ancient Clock. John Smith & Sons were entrusted with the restoration and rebuild of this ancient clock of 1386 to show how it would have been originally. It is on view in the nave of the Cathedral. The later Westminster chiming clock of 1884 was made by J.B. Joyce & Co.

1962

Last Hand Wound Clock

January 1, 1962

Last Hand Wound Clock

Kuwait, Seif Palace. A large handwound clock with 4 x 8′ illuminated dials playing ding dong on the four quarter bells, it is housed in the famous clock tower opposite the Grand Mosque. Smiths were the only contractor (non-US) to be awarded a contract in Kuwait following the  first Gulf War of 1990-91. They replaced the original clock which had been destroyed by a missile.

1967

J B Joyce of Whitchurch Merger

January 1, 1967

J B Joyce of Whitchurch Merger

J.B.Joyce of Whitchurch Merger.

1982

G&F Cope of Nottingham Merger

January 1, 1982

G&F Cope of Nottingham Merger

G.& F. Cope of Nottingham Merger

1986

Asma Mosque Muscat Oman

January 1, 1986

Asma Mosque Muscat Oman

Asma Mosque, Muscat, Oman. One of the most beautiful of buildings, it is unusual as a mosque in having a four dial turret clock as a principle feature.

1990

World’s Highest Clock

January 1, 1990

World’s Highest Clock

Boeing International H.Q. Chicago, USA. Smiths installed this two dial clock at a height of 560′. It is therefore probably the highest clock on a building in the world.

1998

Move to a larger workshop on Alfreton Road

January 1, 1998

Move to a larger workshop on Alfreton Road

Move to a larger works. Old and rambling property and the major changes in our business required more ground floor space. 112 Alfreton Road in Derby offered that with 22000 square feet. The first request was for more space!

1999

Bluewater Planisphere

January 1, 1999

Bluewater Planisphere

Bluewater Shopping Centre, Kent. Planisphere. This was the unique and outstanding design, one of many, made and installed by the company in this huge shopping centre. It tells the position of the principle stars over a 24 hour period.

2004

World’s largest inclined clock

January 1, 2004

World’s largest inclined clock

Al Ain, UAE. World’s largest inclined clock. Based on the design of an astrolabe (an early arabic navigation instrument) this clock has a dial diameter of 13 metres and is set at an angle of 28 degrees from the ground. It uses gold hands, laser beams and fibre optics to give a unique display.

2007

St Pancras Station Clock

January 1, 2007

St Pancras Station Clock

London. St Pancras Station Clocks. The C19th tower and main platform large clocks were originally made by Dent of London in C19. All subsequent movements and dials have been made and installed by Smith of Derby.

2009

Dammam University DNA Clock

January 1, 2009

Dammam University DNA Clock

Dammam University, Saudi Arabia. DNA Clock. This double helix clock stands 11.4 metres tall. Not only does it show incredibly accurate time within this work of art but it is, like DNA, unique.

2009

Solar Powered Clock

January 1, 2009

Solar Powered Clock

Al Mustansiriya University, Baghdad, Iraq. EcoTime Solar Powered Clock.  The world’s first large tower clock totally powered by the sun to drive 4 x 3.5 metre dials and illuminate them. It can also power a bell sound system.

2010

Harmony Clocktower China

January 1, 2010

Harmony Clocktower China

Gangzhou, China. Harmony Clock Tower.  This is the largest recent mechanical hand-wound clock with auto-winding also available. It drives the hands on 4 x 12.8 metre diameter illuminated dials.  An innovative 3rd hand indicates the Chinese lunar chapters. The large bell strikes the hours and marks sunrise.

2012

James Ritchie of Edinburgh Merger

January 1, 2012

James Ritchie of Edinburgh Merger

James Ritchie of Edinburgh Merger.

2013

Waldorf Astoria Ras Al Khaimah

January 1, 2013

Waldorf Astoria Ras Al Khaimah

Ras Al Khaimah, Waldorf Astoria Hotel, UAE.  A truly beautiful Arabic design which also indicates the five daily prayer times.

Recent News

  • St Lawrence Jewry: Dial Installation
    December 13, 2022 0
  • Dial Restoration in The City of London
    November 23, 2022 0

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Smith of Derby Ltd
112 Alfreton Road
Derby. DE21 4AU
United Kingdom

©Smith of Derby Ltd. Registered Company No. 01395408

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