No.129.

31555C.W
GEORGE POOLE, AT YE MADENHEAD IN DUCK LANE FECIT (LONDON). CIRCA 1655.

A good early second period striking lantern clock with an early long pendulum conversion. The brass case is of typical form and has ‘grotesque’ strap work frets which are plain on the sides and engraved at the front. The latter bearing the maker’s signature, ‘George Poole at ye Madenhead in Duck Lane Fecit.’ This style of fret was a marked feature of the first period clocks and only used by a small number of second period makers. It has a very narrow chapter ring which is engraved with Roman numerals and cruciform half hour marks. The dial plate is beautifully engraved with tulips and other flowers and the alarm disc has Arabic numerals and a central Tudor rose. It has an iron hand with stylized arrowhead and long tail with decorated tip.

The movement originally had a balance wheel escapement and early in its life it was converted to recoil anchor escapement and long pendulum. This would have dramatically improved its timekeeping abilities and probably its reliability. The alarm work would have interfered with this and, therefore, was removed at the same time. We have not reconverted this clock as we feel it is all part of its history and development and this escapement has been with the clock for most of its 355 or so years. It has Huygen’s endless rope with a lead weight and requires winding twice a day.

Overall Height: 15½" (39 cms.)

George White writes a number of fine lantern makers became Free Brothers of the Company during the post war period including George Poole. He calls this ‘the second period 1640-1660.’ George Poole was Free of the Worshipful Company of Clockmakers’ in 1654. He was known to have worked at Ye Madenhead in Duck Lane and also St Anne’s Lane in West Smithfield, London. In ‘The Early Clockmakers of Great Britain’ Brian Loomes records George Poole as taking on as apprentices John Salmon between 1646 and 1654 from N. Tomlins, and Thomas Trippet through Nicholas Coxeter with whom he had working connections. Another lantern clock by George Poole is illustrated in ‘Lantern Clocks’ by George White which has identical shaped frets and also has an early conversion to anchor escapement and long pendulum.