Of Clocks And Coins.

[stewey]

In 1797 an act was passed to tax clocks and watches at a rate of five shillings: “The Duties on Clocks and Watches Act 1797 (38 Geo. III, c. 108) was an Act passed by the Parliament of Great Britain, instituting a tax on clocks and watches. The tax nearly ruined the manufacture of clocks and watches as demand decreased considerably so that in less than a year the production of these had been reduced by a half, with thousands of people made unemployed. The tax was thus repealed within a year, in April 1798.[1]” Also, in the same year, an act was passed which made it an offense of high treason to counterfeit copper coins…I just knew that some of you were awaiting with bated breath this vital information:)

[humbersloop]

didn't know that stewey - and if you haven't come across this before, it's a really good read

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Newton-Counterfeiter-Thomas-Levenson/dp/057122993X

went to an excellent lecture on John Harrison last week, genius clockmaker

[bert_h]

There is a particular design of wall-hanging pendulum clock with a large dial, which many inns and similar places installed for the benefit of their customers. Although such clocks were common quite a long time before 1797, they were popularly referred to as "Act of Parliament Clocks" thereafter.

[stewey]

Looks like an interesting book, HS. Harrison; is he the guy that lives on the Isle of Man? Bert, I read that the dials on those were 2 to 5 feet in diameter.

[stewey]

I just Googled Jon Harrison: I was way off. I was thinking of a man in the UK who makes what you call bespoke clock and/or watches.

[tonyav]

stewey, did everyone have to pay the clock tax on clocks that they already had.

[grasscarp]

Your thread made me remember a cuckoo clock I had which said on it made in occupied Japan. Dont know what happened to it but wish I still had it as they are apparently quite collectible.

[stewey]

Maybe they grandfathered it:) Just about anything "Made In Occupied Japan" is considered collectable now.

[grasscarp]

I rescued it from a bin in a flat where someone had chucked it and thrown tea leaves on top of it!

[humbersloop]

stewey, if you look in again John Harrison's clocks were most certainly bespoke....;0

[Peter Pedant]

Harrison
is he the guy who lives on the Isle of Man ?

No actually - London - Harrison has a blue plaque in London Red Lion Square - almost directly opposite the Royal College of Anaesthetists.

[humbersloop]

he was from Barrow upon Humber Peter

[jno]

http://openplaques.org/plaques/571

[humbersloop]

thanks jno, I'll look that out next time I'm in London - I think he may have been nearly sixty when he moved there

[jomifl]

I have a Ricoh twin lens reflex camera which I bought off Ebay, not particularly interesting except this wartime/postwar model was never commercially exported so must have been a private export. This one arrived in the UK via a Hongkong version of Delboy. Haven't seen another one for sale in Europe though there are a few in the states. I works too.

[Peter Pedant]

Humber _ I think that should be thanks Peter ....

nearest tube Holborn- head toward Euston but do a curly-wurly sort of
about 200m

I mean you didnt think I was bull-sh++++ing did you
surely surely not

Good photie - it [the blue plaque ] is kinda stuck around the side

[glenbar]

Don't give Osborne any more ideas please??????????