When you see the dear departed in this album, meditate on the motto of my great-great-great-grandfather's grandfather clock.
The clock was made by William Lawson (1735-1805) of Newton-le-Willows, two miles from St. Helens, Lancashire. The mechanism has been dated to between 1770 and 1785. The dates make it reasonable to surmise that the clock was bought by William Bromilow, colliery owner, of Merton Park, St. Helens, inherited by his son, James Bromilow, who lived in Newton, and passed on to his daughter Annie, the wife of my great-grandfather, Major-General Edward McLaughlin.

The clock keeps time accurately to within one minute a week. Twice a year when the weather changes it needs to be adjusted. This is done by loosening a screw on the pendulum bob whch cabn then be slid up or down the shaft of the pendulum.

There is a dial showing the phases of the moon, which enabled people to plan for night travel only during a full moon, in the hope that bright moonlight would make it easier to find the way and discourage highwaymen. This moon dial, which is a disk bearing two paintings of the moon, makes a one half rotation every lunar month (29 days, 12 hours, 44 minutes, 3 seconds). The ½ engraved on the rim of the dial marks the half day at the end of the month. For more information click here.

The motto not only makes CRAZY use of capital letters but also has an apostrophe before the final s of the wrong word — shew's instead of life's.

               

© 2006 G. Harry McLaughlin.
Reproduction or transmission, in whole or in part, for other than personal use is prohibited without advance permission from Dr. G. H. McLaughlin.