Weight for Tide Gauge Clock
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
circa 1850s
This object is a cylindrical weight for a pendulum clock, manufactured by J. Newman of London during the 1850s. The weight features a central rod with a suspension hole at the top, designed to provide the motive force for a self-registering tide-gauge recording apparatus.
The clock system to which this weight belonged was originally installed at Breakwater Pier in Williamstown, Australia, in 1858. Ownership and supervision of the gauge passed through several entities, including the Harbour Department and the Melbourne Observatory, before eventually being donated to the museum by the Melbourne Harbour Trust Commissioners in 1962.
Evidence at a glance
- Linked sources
- 1
- Photograph views
- 1
- Catalogue references
- 0
Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.
Technical characteristics
- Date
- circa 1850s
- Type
- Pendulum & weight
- Maker
- J. Newman
- Function
- Drive for tide-gauge recording clock
- Acquisition
- Donated July 1962
- Place recorded
- England
- Maker / attribution
- J. Newman
- Registration Number
- ST 25237.2
- Original Installation
- Breakwater Pier, Williamstown, 1858
Design
- Visible features
- • Cylindrical body with a polished metal surface • Central vertical rod with an aperture for suspension • Visible textured base suggesting a lead or weighted core
- Provenance and History
- The weight was part of a tide-gauge installation at Breakwater Pier in Williamstown, Australia, which began operation in 1858. The gauge was used to record tidal data for nearly a century, operating until the 1950s. The supervision of the equipment changed throughout its life, moving from the Harbour Department to the Melbourne Observatory in 1874, and later to the Melbourne Harbour Trust. The weight was acquired by the museum collection in July 1962.
- Construction and Function
- The object is a cylindrical weight designed to provide power to a clock mechanism. It includes an integrated central vertical rod that extends from the top of the cylinder, featuring a drilled aperture at the upper extremity to facilitate attachment to a cable or cord. The weight was utilized to operate a self-registering tide gauge. It provided the necessary force to drive a drum, which supported a calibrated strip of paper for recording tidal movements over time. The mechanism was part of a larger horological assembly used for scientific measurement.
- Identification and Attribution
- The object is attributed to the maker J. Newman, based in London. It is dated to the 1850s, aligning with the initial installation of the tide-gauge apparatus at the Williamstown site. The weight is catalogued under registration number ST 25237.2. It is identified specifically as a component used for the pendulum clock that drove the tide gauge assembly, which is registered separately as ST 29815.
Identification
- Source note
- Facts transcribed from the linked source listing or collection record. Attribution and specifications are source-reported and have not been independently authenticated.
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.
Research required
- Research required: The exact weight or dimensions of the object are not specified
- Research required: The material composition of the core is identified only by visual appearance