Wednesday 3rd December 2014
H. John Powell writes ~
Dear Danny Howell,
In the late 1960s I bought an Edward Cockey eight day longcase clock at a house sale in Cheltenham. Arthur Negus asked me if I knew how to remove the pendulum. I knew how to do it as my mother had a longcase clock. The clock had had a hard life. The case was not original, the hour hand was broken and the minute hand was the wrong pattern. The movement needed renovation, but the clock only cost me £23.
The clock has a five pillar movement with locking plate striking. The dial is twelve inch and has an arch with a penny moon. The outer border of the dial has a herring bone pattern. There are garlands engraved under the second hand dial and two Ho Ho birds are pecking at a cornucopia. In the last year I have had the movement and dial restored by a professional restorer in Cheltenham. Paul Seccony of Wiltshire Clocks, thinks it was made about 1730.
Circa 1970 I borrowed a copy of “Somerset Clockmakers,” by Bellchambers from Cheltenham and became aware of the astronomical clocks made by Edward Cockey. Soon after it was published I obtained a copy of “The Astronomical Clockmaker Edward Cockey and Other Warminster Horologists.” About two months ago I looked at the website for Wiltshire Clocks and saw an Edward Cockey clock for sale. On looking at my copy of the book with which you were very much involved, I saw on page 58 the dial of a clock that appeared to be an identical clock. After some research I discovered that it was the same clock which had been sold at Bath by Gardiner Houlgate in February 2012. As the clock had all the features of a clock made about 1700 to 1710 I decided to buy it from Paul Seccony. I have not been able to find a similar clock dial on internet images. However, I have a copy of “Clockmaking Past and Present,” by G. F. C. Gordon published by Crosby Lockwood & Son, London 1925. Facing page 94 is a photograph of a ten inch dial by Edward Cockey, Warminster (giving the style about 1710).
The photograph shows a dial very similar to the clock I have recently bought from Wiltshire Clocks. It shows the same spandrels, the same narrow minute band, the Tudor rose, the same half hour markers and the same engraving of lilies between the spandrels.
Disregarding the astronomical clocks, I would be very interested to know if you have seen any other eight day clocks with similar features by Edward Cockey.
Danny Howell replies ~
Thank you Mr. Powell for your enquiry. I have asked David Pollard, author of the book: The Astronomical Clockmaker Edward Cockey and Other Warminster Horologists, to reply to you, as he is our local expert on Edward Cockey clocks. And of course, if any readers of this website, have any knowledge of eight day clocks with similar features by Edward Cockey, I will be much obliged if they care to get in touch (email: dannyhowellnet@gmail.com)