This is a new area of interest.
We are collecting information and images of longcase and table clocks which show times of high water at ports and harbours around the coasts of the UK. In addition to times, some clocks show heights of high water and others have automata which show the tide rising and falling at the appropriate times.
Click on the images in the gallery below to see some examples.
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- Clock by Philip Lloyd showing times of high water at Bristol Key. Image thanks to Allan Smith.
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- Clock by John Wood of Liverpool showing the times of high water at Liverpool
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- Clock by James Booth showing time of high water at Rochester, Kent.
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- Clock by Edward Birtles of Liverpool showing high water at Perch Rock (on the Mersey estuary). Image thanks to Allan Smith.
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- Clock with automata showing tidal rise and fall at Hot-Wells, Bristol. The water level and the ship rise and fall with the tide. Image thanks to Allan Smith.
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- Clock by John Smith of Pittenweem showing the times of high water on the Firth of Forth. Image thanks to Pendulum of Mayfair.
We were delighted to trace a musical bracket clock by Chester maker John Wrench. It dates from the early eighteenth century and was made in the area of Chester once known as Gloverstone. John Wrench lived and worked there for at least thirty years before moving into the centre of Chester. The lunar dial has been specifically engraved to show the time of high water at the port of Chester. When setting up the clock, the moon disc needs to be rotated and set to show the correct lunar day at the top indicated by the small brass pointer. The clock was made before the River Dee, which is tidal below the weir, was straightened, meaning that the times of high water may now differ by a few minutes. Times of high water are shown in Roman numerals.
Click the images for a larger view.
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- Day 1 New Moon. High water at around 11am and pm.
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- Day 7. First quarter. High water at around 4.30.am and pm.
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- Day 15. Full moon. High water at around 11am and pm.
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- Day 29.5. Third quarter. High water at around 5am and pm.
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- The movement backplate. Part of the back of the moon disc (the large dark, toothed disc) is visible.
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- The bells for the musical train. The pinned barrel controls the hammers so that they play whichever of the four tunes is selected.
A wall clock with tidal information by Joseph Finney of Liverpool has been auctioned recently. It relies not on Roman numerals on the moon dial but on a tidal disc with paintings of ships and rock formations to show the state of the tide in ‘real time’. The clock is in need of restoration, but the images below will give an idea of how the tide is indicated.
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- Joseph Finney wall clock, (base missing)
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- Finney dial. The tidal disc has been showing rocks, but a ship is approaching meaning the tide has turned and has begun to come in.
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- The tidal disc has rotated and a ship has sailed fully into view, meaning high water.
If any readers have information or images of clocks with tidal information they are willing to share, please get in touch. You can email us on steveanddarlah@inbeat.org