Night Watchman's Clock or Noctuary, John Whitehurst of Derby, 1806; Engraved wood with clock mechancism and a brass dial.
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
1806
The need for a clock to regulate the movements of Watchmen in factories (and indeed country homes), was very much the product of the new orders of the Industrial Revolution.
The clock has a revolving brass 12 hour dial, each is sub-divided into quarters, at each of which the rim was drilled to take pins which protrude about 5/8 ths of an inch. The Watchmen on reading the clock would depress a lever in the case which would operate a small hammer which in turn would depress a pin. The clock case would be locked and the foreman was able to check on the progress of his watchmen by which pins had been depressed.
The actual time could be read against the brass pointer against the dial. After 12 hours the pins were automatically re-set by passing over a ramp.
Evidence at a glance
- Linked sources
- 1
- Photograph views
- 2
- Catalogue references
- 0
Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.
Physical characteristics
- Dimensions
- Height 1940 mm; Width 330 mm
- Materials and techniques
- wood, brass, engraved
Identification
- Candidate id
- vam-O1715389
- Museum object number
- WE.7566-2014
- Source note
- Facts transcribed from the linked single-object source. Wider type attribution and authenticity have not been independently verified.
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: confirm the wider type and source attribution against specialist references.