From Man to Machine

Join church and public clock specialist Keith Scobie-Youngs to explore the history of the winding of the Great Clock of Westminster.

As soon as the Great Clock was installed in 1859 it was evident that winding the weights was a mammoth task. A wide variety of suggestions were made for mechanical methods to accomplish the winding with reduced effort, but it was not until the early 20th century that the clock was fitted with a unique and remarkable winding mechanism. Scobie-Youngs will discuss the various options that had been previously considered, as well as the process of winding the clock by hand, finishing with an in-depth explanation of how the first semi-automatic winding system now, once again, undertakes the winding of 2.5 tonnes of clock weights.

This event was founded with funds bequeathed to the British Museum by former Assistant Keeper of Printed Books in the British Library, Dr Eric Dingwall, and to the Clockmakers' Company by the noted horological collector Mr Reginald Beloe. It is intended that these annual lectures should make new contributions to our understanding of the history of horology, at an international level.