Clocks

Clocks

(April 1980) Mr and Mrs Lockwood (Née Roberts-Bradley) of Pine Hills, Cleveland Park, Guisbro’ have a grandfather clock with P. Salomans (sic) on painted dial.
In the curve above the clock face, a hunting scene, two dogs after one rabbit; and a dog in each corner.
‘DM’ on L side of clock frame.
‘M’ on inside of door frame.
The Lockwoods have a piece of wood with the initial ‘MW 1713’.
Guisborough Church Register: Philip Saloman, Jeweller, had a son baptised in 1864.

Clockmakers - Guisborough

Yeoman - 1699-1700 - 2. movement only, solid brass dial, one hand G/father, mahogany, brass face, one hand only. 4# between nos. Rope pulley 24 hrs

Havelock, George - 1700-30
Rigg, John - 1750
Rigg, Thomas - 1760
Unthank, George (Stokesley 1840) - 1822-34
2. 1840. In Bapt Reg 1829 – a child of his.
Wilson, Thomas - 1807-34
G/father, mah. case, plain face, with day of month indicator, chain wind.
Wilson, John & Thomas - 1840 - 2. 1840.
Belt, Thomas - 1822-41 - 2. 1840.
(Two John Riggs – J Rigg Junr. Paternity Order. M’bro Archives PRGU 1/9)
Rigg, Cuthbert - a joyner, buried 3 March 1724
Rigg, Cuthbert - (Lord Gisborough)
Havelock, George - 1750 - clockmaker (Parish Registers)
Yeoman, William - 1759 - clockmaker (Par. Regs.) – 1748 a daughter baptised
Rigg John - 1757 - clockmaker (Parish Registers)
1798 - “Havelock for clock” Ch/Warden’s a/cs

Act of Parlt 1698 required every CLOCK DIAL be signed with maker’s name and place of abode or Freedom. 1st along base of dial plate below circle. By 1700 either side of numeral VI or engraved immediately below centre of dial. From 1720 on domed nameplate in or below arch. On enamelled or painted dial below numeral XII.
James Wilson of Askrigg, d 1786. Celebrated Wens. c/maker. Made brass dials and engraved. Two of is sons came to Guisborough. One 90 and one 80!
3 of Wilson’s clocks @ Marske Hall, home of the Huttons, descd. of Abp of Yk.
Mrs Mitchell (West Garth) has a Wilson.
One at Ad. Chaloner Hospital? Belt?
A clock at Wharton Arms, Skelton?
Mr G Farrington, Ch Sq – a Yeoman clock.
Note – Lord Gisborough’s clock? Cuthbert Rigg – See Parish Reg.
See Ron Fowle of Upleatham who has a Rigg clock.

Timely words
Newspaper cutting
Think of old father time (meaning clocks that have been ticking away the hours for centuries) and you are bound to come eventually to Mr Thomas H Cummins of Kensington Road, Stockton.
Mr Cummins has written to me following the note the other day about Mr Arthur Myerscough, of Stakesby Road, Whitby, whose 245 year old grandfather clock has stopped and refuses to start again despite some restoration work.
Some of Mr Cummins clocks have recorded time since the seventeenth century. In fact Mr Cummins maintains that the Whitby clock is nothing exceptional.
He tells me: “In 1960 I owned a fine long-case clock in marquetry case by Richard Browne of London, which was made in 1680. And only last year I exported a one-hand clock to Sweden that had been made by Rigg of Gisbrough (old spelling).
“Another one-handed clock I had was by Havelock of Gisbrough, 1700-1730, and I now have several fine clocks over the 200 year mark.”

George Havelock: Clock dial engraved, (1700-50?)

George Havelock is recorded in the parish registers in 1748 and 1750 as a clockmaker.

The above clock face bears the inscription ‘Havelock Gifbrough’. The case is modern and the clock is in the possession of Councillor Stewart Clarke of 6 Church Street, Guisborough. (new flat above shops on S side, 1969 opened a sports shop in Redcar Rd, 1971 moved to Ch St). The four sub-divisions and the engraved device for the half-hour indicate that it was originally a Lantern clock fixed in an elevated position. An entry in the parish registers for September 2, 1748, records the baptism of “William, son of George Havelock, Clockmaker”. There are no Havelocks as clockmakers in Baines 1832 Directory or in White’s 1840 Directory; but there are Havelocks as tailors in both these directories. So we may assume that it is an eighteenth century grandfather clock. Another entry in the parish registers in 1750 records “George, son of George Havelock, Clockmaker”. In 1748 also in the registers, mention of another clockmaker: “Catherine, daughter of William Yeoman, Clockmaker”.
William Yeoman, a clockmaker, buried in 1759.

On 21 March 1833 Robert Havelock applied to the Overseers for clothing and £5 to emigrate to America. Clothing granted. £5 to be paid when he arrives in America.
? 13 October 1836: Robt Havelock applied for a pair of trousers. Allowed cloth to repair them. Did he stay in Guisborough?
1841 Census: Hannah Havelock, Independent. Living alone.
In 1757 Thomas, son of John Rigg, clockmaker, baptised.

In the 1823 Directory there are:
George Unthank, Clock and Watchmaker.
*Thomas Wilson, Watchmaker (& Ironmonger).
*Thomas Belt, Watchmaker.
*Also in White’s 1840 Directory.

Philip Saloman, jeweller and Clockmaker, in Guisborough, Cleveland
(see note re Mr and Mrs Lockwood (Cleveland Park))
1861 Census Return
Philip Saloman, Jeweller (Master)
Age 46
Residing in Bow Street, Guisborough, on the east side below the bank. Married. Wife’s name: Jane
Philip Saloman born in Solton Hanover, Germany.
They had a boarder living in: Thomas Russell, age 20, described as a Watch Maker (Assistant).
1864 Feb 7 ... Parish Register – Philip had a son. Wife: Margarite Elizabeth – did he re-marry?
Check Guis. Par. Reg. on microfilm – Archives, Borough Rd, M’bro.
9 Decr. 1982 Researching today at Cleveland County Archives Office, Borough Rd, Middlesbrough, noted that Philip and Margrett Saloman had a daughter baptised in Redcar Church on 2 February 1868. Philip described as ‘a travelling jeweller’ – (will he appear elsewhere in the North?) (The infant was buried on 24 September the same year.)
Notified Mr and Mrs Lockwood of this.
1841 Census (Aug 1983) –
Philip Saloman, 25, Hawker. F (circled) Foreign.
Jane Saloman, 40, Ag. Labr, Born Yks.
Noted also a Walter Lockwood, chemist of Redcar, had a son Joshua baptised 3 Novr 1870. Wife’s name Jane.

Old Clockmakers of Yorkshire, NV Dinsdale, Dalesman Pub Co, 1946.
North Country Clockmakers, 17/18/19C., C. Leo Reid, Newcastle, 1925.
A History of English Clocks, RW Symonds, King Penguin, 1947.
Watch and Clock Makers of the World, GH Baillie, 1951.


John Rigg, Clockmaker, and Jane Trotter were married 15 January 1726/7. John Rigg died 1761. Parish Registers. See Ralph Ward's Diary, p200.

Rigg clockface

Rigg gravestones. There are five Rigg family gravestones in the churchyard.

John Rigg, inventory

John Rigg, inventory typescript

John Rigg, Will

John Rigg, Will typescript