The historical past of London spans hundreds of years. It’s a metropolis constructed over cities, with the traditional previous nonetheless current simply beneath the floor. Because the seat of energy for the British Empire, London amassed unbelievable items, applied sciences, and minds. Among the finest units that measure time and the individuals who made them are a part of London’s wealthy historical past. As we speak, that previous might be explored amid a contemporary metropolis.
I had the chance to spend three weeks in London through the winter vacation. Whereas it was an extended journey, I had an extended checklist of issues that I wished to do and see. I bought to most of them but in addition left a lot for subsequent time. As a watch fanatic and informal historical past buff, experiencing London’s wealthy historical past with clocks, watches, and measuring time was excessive on my checklist. And whereas I didn’t buy any new watches whereas I used to be there, London is a premier metropolis for searching for luxurious items equivalent to watches.
On this article, I element my horology-focused excursions by way of the town. Whereas I had the posh of time and broke up my expertise over days, I suppose somebody extra pushed may accomplish every little thing I did and noticed in a single. It comes right down to prioritizing what you need to do. I wished to see a few of England’s (and the world’s) most necessary clocks and watches and revel in some pints of excellent British ale. As a result of, sure, London’s horological historical past seeps into the close by pubs as nicely.
Better of all, London’s public transportation is superb. I used to be in a position to get in all places I wished to go utilizing the Underground system, buses, and even the occasional boat.
The Royal Observatory Greenwich, which homes Harrison’s chronometers
The Royal Observatory Greenwich and Harrison’s chronometers
The primary cease and highest on my checklist was visiting the Royal Observatory Greenwich. It’s now not in use as an astronomical observatory and supply of the official time for London. As we speak, it’s a museum that particulars the historical past of the observatory, the individuals who lived and labored there, and the event of measuring time over the centuries. Most significantly to me, the Royal Observatory homes all 4 of John Harrison’s revolutionary chronometers. For extra particulars about Harrison and why his chronometers modified the world without end, take a look at my evaluation of Dava Sobel’s ebook Longitude. In brief, Harrison’s chronometers allowed for exact navigation at sea, pushing British commerce and naval warfare into the fashionable age. The applied sciences constructed off of these preliminary clocks went on to help extremely superior processes, equivalent to atomic timekeeping and GPS navigation.
John Harrison’s H1
A element shot of the H1
John Harrison’s H2
John Harrison’s H3
The unbelievably compact and superior H4
John Harrison
Seeing all 4 chronometers within the steel was surreal. There they have been, proper in entrance of me. Moreover, they have been wound and working, which took me abruptly. It was a present that the primary three of Harrison’s chronometers had uncovered mechanics. If not for seeing the mechanisms transfer and the development of the palms, I’d not imagine they have been working as they have been so clean and quiet. For the way exact and delightful each bit was, it amazed me that these have been born of the thoughts and palms of a mere carpenter.
Different sections of the observatory-turned-museum have been fascinating as nicely. It detailed the lives and dwelling quarters of the appointed royal astronomers and their households. A lot consideration was given to Nevil Maskelyne, the fifth British Astronomer Royal, and his household. That was becoming, too, as he was John Harrison’s best detractor and labored tirelessly (but unsuccessfully) to maintain him from succeeding.
Clocks and stars
The remainder of the Royal Observatory Greenwich is equally divided between showcasing the telescopes used for the observatory’s astronomy and a big selection of clocks and watches that present an eclectic snapshot into the historical past of timekeeping. An early instance of an atomic clock sat throughout from Harrison’s chronometers, contrasting the previous with the brand new and drawing a direct line between the 2. Stately grandfather clocks sat subsequent to digital alarm clocks. Every merchandise was fastidiously recognized and positioned within the timeline of time.
The creator standing on the Greenwich Meridian Line
The Greenwich Meridian Line is simply too tempting a queue for Londoners
The Greenwich Time Ball
Apparently, the Greenwich Meridian Line, which originates on the Royal Observatory and is the premise for what we decide international longitude, was not the unique meridian established by the observatory. Because the constructing was expanded and new telescopes have been constructed for higher observations, meridian traces shifted to new places. Older meridian traces can nonetheless be seen simply mere meters from the long-lived and well-known Greenwich Meridian.
Additionally current on the observatory is the Greenwich Time Ball, a crimson ball atop the observatory that drops exactly at 1:00 PM. The Greenwich Observatory was London’s supply of correct time for a few years, and each the ball and “time sellers” have been paramount to preserving the town on time. The time sellers used to synchronize a pocket watch to the observatory’s time after which exit into London and promote the right time to companies. We’ve come a great distance, although it’s a job that I’d’ve loved.
Down the Thames to the oldest pub on the water
Concluding the tour of the Royal Observatory referred to as for a pint and a chew to eat. My father, my tour information and companion this primary day, prompt a pub with robust connections to Harrison’s chronometers and naval exploration. I couldn’t consider something higher.
So off we went, out of Greenwich Park and down the streets previous many pubs that regarded oh-so inviting however weren’t for us that night. We simply barely made it to the dock on time to board a Thames river ferry departing for again up into the town. We rode up high, within the biting wind, to higher see the town go by within the setting solar. As a lot as I loved taking the London underground in all places for many of my time there, you may’t beat the view atop a ferry on the Thames.
Timepiece by Wendy Taylor
Our cease was proper subsequent to the Tower Bridge, on the north aspect. We bought off and walked south, previous fancy accommodations, previous church buildings, and a sundial befitting our expedition. It was a quiet space of London, largely newer condominium buildings interspersed with historical façades. Our vacation spot was a pub claiming to be the oldest pub on the Thames.
Ships and clocks
For a time-centric tour of London, something claiming to be the oldest something is perhaps a worthy contender. Nevertheless, London is just too previous of a metropolis to permit that — I didn’t have a yr to discover. So, whereas the City of Ramsgate’s declare “oldest pub on the Thames” is a pleasant contact, that wasn’t the rationale we have been there.
However its age and waterfront location factored closely into the rationale. To make an extended story brief, following Captain Prepare dinner’s use and reward for marine chronometer K1, a replica of John Harrison’s H4, on its use on the ship HMS Beagle, Lieutenant William Bligh borrowed K2 to be used on the HMS Bounty. The HMS Bounty was topic to a well-known mutiny, with the crew stranding Lieutenant Bligh and his supporters on an island. The K2 was finally recovered. The Bounty finally sank.
So even when Bligh and the HMS Bounty have ties to the Royal Observatory Greenwich and John Harrison’s chronometers (or their successors), what connection does all this should the City of Ramsgate pub? Properly, in 1787, Lieutenant William Bligh negotiated the acquisition of the HMS Bounty over a pint on the City of Ramsgate, then often known as Ramsgate Previous City.
The City of Ramsgate pub
The City of Ramsgate is a small pub, as many historic pubs in England are. Over a few pints and a shepherd’s pie, it wasn’t onerous to start out imagining the place Bligh had sat with the HMS Bounty‘s earlier proprietor and negotiated the value of the vessel. My father and I sat close to the again, the one place with a little bit of quiet and privateness. There was a blocked-in hearth behind us. That may’ve been the place I’d sat to buy a ship. And possibly it’s the place they sat. However simply to be in that house the place historical past occurred, vital and in any other case, was a surreal expertise that I saved encountering with every new enterprise into London.
Large Ben and the Homes of Parliament
London’s Large Ben
No journey to London, time-centric or in any other case, is full with out seeing Large Ben. I went out one other day by myself to go to extra of London’s horological websites. Large Ben was the primary cease.
Westminster Station of the London Underground lets out proper throughout the road from the clock tower. It was a superb reveal, rising from underground to the majesty of a few of London’s most necessary buildings. I used to be fortunate sufficient to reach proper earlier than 10:00 AM, so I used to be in a position to hear the bells ring out the time. After a fast stroll across the sq. there and taking some photos, I used to be off, after a few non-time-related stops, to Oxford Road.
Selfridges Division Retailer
Oxford Road, London
Oxford Road is London’s excessive procuring road, lined with boutiques, flagship shops, and malls. Like New York and different main metropolitan hubs, a lot of downtown London is superb for procuring. But it surely’s on Oxford Road that you simply’ll discover quite a lot of the most effective of what London has to supply.
Selfridges division retailer is one such vacation spot. It’s a large six-level constructing with every little thing from clothes and housewares to toys and, in fact, watches. Watches are discovered within the aptly named Marvel Room. As you’d anticipate from different malls, there are glass circumstances you may stroll amongst, although the manufacturers displayed are premium. Hublot, AP, and Breguet are simply a few of these current. However lining the showroom flooring are store-within-store boutiques for Rolex, Cartier, and plenty of extra. Should you’re in London and eager about shopping for a luxurious watch however aren’t fairly positive from which model, the Marvel Room at Selfridges is your house. It’s additionally a superb place to see many watches within the steel that you simply maybe wouldn’t usually in your native procuring districts.
Boutiques
Again out on Oxford Road and the encompassing space, yow will discover a number of brand-specific watch boutiques. Longines, TAG Heuer, and Omega sit throughout the road from Selfridges. Swatch, with its London-exclusive fashions and MoonSwatch, is simply down the way in which, and one in every of my favourite manufacturers, Oris, is simply across the nook on S. Molton St. Although the streets have been busy with it so close to to Christmas, the boutiques weren’t, letting one get pleasure from oneself. I wasn’t there to purchase a watch however simply do some window procuring and people-watching. After scratching that itch, I used to be off to my ultimate vacation spot for the night.
The Clockmakers’ Museum inside London’s Science Museum
London’s Clockmakers’ Museum
Touted because the oldest assortment of watches and clocks on the planet, the Clockmakers’ Museum inside the Science Museum in London is a wonderland for any horological historical past buffs. It’s a pure companion to the Royal Observatory Greenwich, although it’s on the other finish of London. Right here on show are a few of historical past’s most necessary makers of watches and clocks. This consists of, although I by some means missed it, John Harrison’s fifth chronometer, dubbed “H5.”
The issue with clocks and watches is that quite a lot of them are actually small. In a museum setting, it might be straightforward to take a dozen steps and move a whole lot of years of historical past and 1,000,000 {dollars} value of pocket watches quietly awaiting a passerby’s consideration. I took my time on this museum inside a museum because it’s understandably small. However inside these few glass circumstances have been timepieces not like something I’d ever seen.
The historical past of clock and watchmaking over 400 years is specified by nearly chronological order. One of the best from every period and watchmaker is represented. Finely engraved gold abounds. It was tough to not get overwhelmed. Like searching for cologne, I saved wanting some trick like a cup of espresso beans with which to reset my senses.
Some noteworthy articles
However I did see some absolute gems. On show till September 2024 is a group of Abraham-Louis Breguet’s watches and private letters as his work pertained to English watchmaking. I noticed some unbelievable pocket watches. On show close to the top was the handmade prototype for the “Anniversary” wristwatch by George Daniels and Roger Smith.
Maybe most particular to me as a tool-watch fanatic was seeing, up shut, the Smiths “De Luxe” wristwatch worn by Sir Edmund Hillary on his climb to the summit of Mt. Everest in 1953. There it was, proper in entrance of me, with the identical worn leather-based strap that Hillary used to connect the watch to himself earlier than making historical past. That was cool.
London: a horologist’s dream
I made my method again to the place I used to be staying after the Science Museum closed. However that was not the top of my journey. As I stated, I used to be in London for 3 weeks and didn’t even get to every little thing I wished to do, although I did rather a lot. Most of my adventures weren’t associated to horology, besides, watches and clocks are inevitable in London. I noticed the Seven Dials sundial whereas searching for stationary and umbrellas. A stroll south from Oxford Road alongside Saville Row took me close to Burlington Arcade, which has an unbelievable collection of used and classic luxurious watches. Fortnum & Mason division retailer on Picadilly Road has a powerful automated cuckoo clock the place likenesses of the 2 founders step out and bow to one another each hour.
All over the place you flip, there are reminders of London’s previous and a recognition of the inevitable march into the longer term. London straddles that juxtaposition extra elegantly than many different cities. I cherish my time there and may’t wait to get again. It’s solely a matter of time.
