Gloverstone was once a vibrant, residential and commercial area within the city walls of Chester, During the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries many clockmakers were attracted there. Why?    Click here to find out a little about Gloverstone.

Our book, The Gloverstone Clockmakers of Chester

 A5 softback book   180 pages

200 illustrations mostly in colour

The history of Gloverstone, a unique enclave within the boundaries of Chester but outside the city’s jurisdiction

Histories of Gloverstone’s most notable clockmakers

49 Gloverstone-made clocks illustrated and described

See Buy our Books page.

Read a report of the book which was published in the Chester Chronicle on 8th November 2012. 

Thirty-one  Clockmakers are currently known to have lived and worked in Gloverstone.

Joseph Smith was one of the most prolific Gloverstone clockmakers. He was the son of Gabriel Smith of Barthomley and made many domestic clocks as well as clocks for the churches in and around Chester – many of them are still giving service today.

Read our booklet about  Joseph Smith’s Turret Clocks below.

 

 

      Read our booklet about  about all types of  Joseph Smith’s clocks below.
The Wrench family. One of the most significant makers to have lived and worked in Gloverstone was John Wrench(1). He was head of a family which produced five clockmakers. He made high quality clocks in Gloverstone from about the mid 1680s.   Click here

We have been fortunate to have traced several more clocks by John Melling since our book was published in 2012. He arrived in Chester in 1718/19 and worked here until his untimely death during the summer of 1733. We are interested in finding out more about this rather obscure maker and would like to hear from anyone who can add to what we know. Click here.

Recently several brass faced longcase clocks have been discovered with paintings in the arch above their silvered chapter rings. All were Chester made, two of them by members of the same family. We would be interested to hear of any others that are known. Click here. 

Can you help us solve a mystery? Click here.

GLOVERSTONE News  (newest on top)

A table clock by Joseph Smith of Chester c. 1750, with alarm, rolling moon and five minute repeat was auctioned by Bonhams, London recently. It is a large clock which showcases Joseph’s skills. Click the image below for a full view.

Before Joseph Smith began working in Chester, he worked in his childhood home in the East Cheshire village of Barthomley, some thirty miles south east of Chester. A single train bracket clock, was put up for auction recently, which was signed ‘Joseph Smith, Barthomley’. It was probably made about 1720, shortly before Joseph moved to Chester. Click image below. About two years later, a rather tired looking longcase clock also made by Joseph during his Barthomley phase, was up for auction. It is a thirty hour clock in an oak case which may be older than the movement. Both Barthomley clocks would have been made at a similar date. Click each image.

A Joseph Smith lacquer finished bracket clock was advertised for sale in the USA during October 2015. Take a look here.  We believe we may have traced the original owner of this clock. See what we found here. 

Joseph Smith three train longcase     

Joseph Smith bracket USA

The Coy Man clock by Thomas Hampson made during the early years of his career was described fully in our article: Thomas Hampson of Wrexham – His Chester Phase. This is one of only a handful of his clocks with a Chester signature. Read the article here.