Haddham CT to Bristol and then to the AWCM

Good nights sleep, and an early start to visit the workshops of a highly skilled repairer of wooden wheeled clocks. He kindly demonstrated  how to cut wooden wheels on a machine made by his father , many years ago.  The machine has two cutters in a circular  saw form, (not single point) one of the cutters has an additional cutter which creates the root of the gear.  He also demonstrated the finishing  of a pinion to me. We discussed cleaning methods and  detergents and cleaning procedures. He also showed me  the various forms of bushing that was possible. His experience suggests that some of the clocks were fitted with  brass bushes from the factory as a sort of sale gimmick.  


This man has repaired over 4000 clocks during his time at the bench and he clearly know what he is doing. It was a most interesting visit, and I have learnt a great deal from it.  It was nice to be invited  into a working clockmakers workshop, during a busy day and to be given so much of  his time.

It might very well  be that a highlight was going to Dunkin Donuts in his 1922 Dodge Brothers car, this was a real treat (not just the donut), but to  be driven  in a 1922 car in 2015 traffic was interesting. He has no fear.  

I had a very nice omelette in a family diner, I travelled cross-country from the workshop back to the AWCM. The  few cross country drives  that I have done  are much better than the  drives on express ways. I feel I have seen much more of the houses and every day things, during my cross country forays.

At the AWCM I had a talk with the executive director about the ideas of collection versus museum practice. It transpires that perhaps a lot of  collections struggle with the idea of conservation and setting things in a museum context with a collection philosophy is not really working, or has not worked.

I also had a very  good conversation with one of the foremost researchers on wood clocks, she is a specialist on the sociology of clockmaking, we were able to share some good information it was a most interesting and stimulating visit.

Back home to the Air B and B