Thwaites & Reed
Oldest clockmakers in the world / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Thwaites & Reed has been in continuous manufacture since its foundation and claims to be the oldest clock manufacturing company in the world. Geoffrey Buggins MBE, the last of the original family clockmakers, saw drawings of Thwaites clocks dating back to 1610.[1] These drawings and other early records prior to 1780 went missing but other records from that date are stored with the London Metropolitan Archives.[2] Further records are stored by Thwaites & Reed up to present day.
Company type | Private |
---|---|
Industry | Clocks |
Founded | 1740 |
Headquarters | Rottingdean, Brighton, East Sussex, England |
Products | Clocks |
Website | www.thwaites-reed.co.uk |
The firm produced a catalogue of turret clocks and other items in 1878 claiming upward of 4,000 church and turret clocks made in their factory since the establishment of the business (there is also a later incomplete list showing the date of supply and purchasers of turret clocks to 1902).[3] The business of John Moore, a former apprentice, was acquired in 1899. Up to 1900, 2978 domestic clocks were made with serial numbers in chronological order.[1] Other clocks were not listed. For 30 years, the firm maintained all the clocks at the Palace of Westminster, including the Great Clock.
Other than Thwaites & Reed, associated tradenames were:[4][3]
- Aynsworth Thwaites [& Co.] (1740-)
- Aynsworth & John Thwaites (c.1792-)
- John Thwaites [& Co.] (c.1795-)
The company was trade supplier of movements to many well known historic clockmakers including Dutton, Dwerrihouse, Ellicott and Vulliamy and in more recent times well known retailers including The Franklin Mint, Asprey and Garrards.[citation needed] During its ownership by FW Elliott Ltd it also made movements under the Elliott brand.
In 1850 the company claimed to be 'the original inventors of the spiral door-spring',[5] 'in use upward of twenty-five years at the Bank of England, and many other public establishments'.[6]